Does taking Levothyroxine cause hair loss?

[Maltese25]

Hi all, this is my first post so hopefully I’ll get it right! Does taking Levothyroxine cause hair loss?

[Lora7again]

Rarely it does but having low or high thyroid levels can definitely cause it. Do you have some blood results we can look at? We need TSH, T4, T3 and vitamin levels. We also need to see your thyroid antibodies to see if you have a autoimmune disease like Hashimoto's disease.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Low vitamin levels are common when hypothyroid so it's important to regularly retest vitamin D, Folate, ferritin and B12

Low ferritin often linked to hairloss

How much Levothyroxine are you currently taking?

How long have you been on this dose?

Do you have any blood test results and ranges you can add

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels and antibodies if these haven't been done yet

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

For thyroid including antibodies and vitamins

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

If GP will test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 £29 (via NHS private service )

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

[Hidden]

When considering what it is that may do whatever, especially concerning the thyroid, so it seems, you must always consider whether the genuine truth may actually be the exact opposite of whatever is being suggested.

For example, you ask whether levothyroxine can cause hair loss. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.

What I would ask is whether the hair loss is could just as easily have been caused by the lack of all the hormones that the thyroid gland produces that have not been replaced by the levothyroxine.

Some medical papers claim that certain types of cancer may be responsible for patients subsequently becoming hypothyroid.

I would suggest that the cancer may have been caused by the patients having undiagnosed or badly treated hypothyroidism. This, I strongly believe is what happened to me.

I certainly cannot prove anything as I am a mere patient and certainly not a doctor.

All I can say, having studied statistics towards my own professional qualification, is that it is wholly irresponsible and unprofessional for anybody to spout out that what they say is bound to be the truth as that is what they want others to believe, when perfectly feasible alternative answers are available.

[mischa]

Yes, when I was first diagnosed and prescribed Levo, my hair loss was substantial. It gradually lessened until the next dose increase when the hair loss increased again. As each dose increased so the hair loss increased also. It did not dissipate until my Endo added Liothyronine.

Whilst I was on Levo only, despite my FT4 being at the top of the range, my FT3 levels never entered the lower end of the range. Adding T3 pushed my FT3 levels up but even with the addition of T3 and increasing the dose, my hair loss continued. Eventually the shedding did stop.

I would add that, at that time, all my supplements, vitamins, etc were optimal. Iron was good too.

I believe I am very sensitive to hormonal changes - either increasing or decreasing and I do believe others are too. I have no other explanation for it other than being particularly sensitive to exogenous hormones.

I also tried progesterone cream and have lost hair on that. I have tried different types including private prescription for the stuff and still lost hair. Steroids have the same effect on me. The side effects of hormones for me is hair loss.