Taking thyroid hormone with bottled or distilled water?

I usually take my thyroid hormone with bottled water. Now, I´ve read that can decrease hormone absorption as it contains both calcium and magnesium, and that it´s better to take thyroid hormone with distilled water. Has anyone else noticed a difference between taking thyroid hormone with bottled water vs distilled water? I take it tap water is not recommended, but it should be distilled?

[Jazzw]

I think you might be overthinking this.

The amounts of magnesium, calcium etc are titchy in water. Tap water is fine.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I am not convinced by the arguments for distilled water for consumption.

Yes, significant mineral content could (at least theoretically) affect absorption of levothyroxine. I would not choose to take with, for example, Badoit.

But I sincerely doubt that any significant research has been done which uses distilled water in preference. I would like to see such research so we at least know where we are. For now, I'll assume tap water is fine - that is what I use. And I am consistent in doing so.

[tattybogle]

I know calcium affects absorption of Levo, but i would be very surprised if there was enough calcium in bottled water to make a measurable difference.

I'd swallow it with whatever you fancy as long as it's not a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.

As i understand it , the reduction in absorption is a very small percentage anyway, and if you were to do exactly the same each day, then your absorption would be the same each day and your dose would end up being adjusted upwards slightly to accomodate how much you were absorbing.... so by that logic you could even drink coffee with your Levo every day , but you would have to take a higher dose than if you drank it with water to get the same amount of T4 into your blood. .

The advice is to take with water not because you cannot take it with anything else , but because variable drinks would lead to variable absorption, so you wouldn't know what was going on, and it's just easiest to advise water only to ensure consistency.

(I take mine with a cup of rooibos tea , half a sugar and a splash of milk, and then wait an hour before eating..... i do the same every day and all my blood tests are done with this level of absorption, i was only in my 30's when i started taking Levo and dicided there was no way i would be spending the next 50 years without a brew to wake up with in the mornings.)

[Lalatoot in reply to tattybogle]

A sensible approach!

[Hidden in reply to tattybogle]

Very smart, and you´re right: we have to take this every day for the rest of our lives, so we need to find whatever is working for us!

[Thyb]

I've only ever drank bottled water for the last 38 years.

I've always had levo with bottled water (mainly Evian water, but Smartwater is fine to drink).

In Yorkshire (long ago) tap water was fine. However, where I live now it's rank so I'll be sticking to bottled water

[Hidden in reply to Thyb]

Good to know! I guess it´s try that bottled water only contains tiny amounts of minerals anyway...

[Thyb in reply to Hidden]

Yes, the calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and rest state 'composition in mg/litre so we wouldn't be having much in say a 500ml bottle. Personally, I would advise checking ph though as I 'believe' it must be 'alkali' so minimum ph of 7, anything below 7 would be somewhat acidic

[Hidden in reply to Thyb]

The strange thing is that I have a coffee machine with a"CALC" button, and I only use filtered water (Brita filters) to make coffee. Still, the button lights up every four weeks (meaning I should run the descaling programme), so I am not sure how effective the filters really are...

[Thyb in reply to Hidden]

I tried Brita filters over 20 years ago, the filters cost more weekly than buying bottled water. The filters needed to be changed very frequently.

Would make a difference as to whether you have hard or soft water

[Hidden in reply to Thyb]

It´s hard, I need to use special products for both the dishwasher and the washing machine (salt and water softener). Even a tiny dose of fabric softener tends to give me a rash, but the water softener seems to do the trick without causing any skin problems. That also allows me to use the lowest dose of washing powder which also minimises the risk of skin irritations.

[Thyb in reply to Hidden]

The water is hard where I live also. I don't use anything special in washer or dishwasher though. Just dishwasher cleaning solution occassionally.

I put washer on 90 degree wash weekly for towels and always use Fairy Bio liquid (but only a little) or there's too many suds. I stopped using fabric conditioner a couple of Months ago as it clogged washer drawer (underneath part), I like the smell of the yellow Lenor but found it 'overpowering' on bedding/towels etc

Did you mean you use 'dishwasher salt' or 'ordinary consumable salt'?

[Hidden in reply to Thyb]

Sorry, dishwasher salt!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hidden]

Perhaps the machine just counts up the number of cycles? Such things can be incredibly crude.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Yes, that sounds more likely, because before I had this "descaling function" i used to do this maybe twice a year on my old coffee machine...

[Thyb]

P.S. throughout 24 hours I do drink at least 2 1/2 ltrs

[Hidden in reply to Thyb]

Good to know, me too, at least when it´s this hot...!