Can you take t3 with food?

[Fmljkl]

Thinking of switching t3 schedule to 6am, noon and 6pm. Can I take the noon and 6pm dose with food?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Fmljkl

It's debatable. If you Google it there are some articles that say you can take it with or without food, some say you can take it before or after a meal, and this one says

my.clevelandclinic.org/heal...

How should I use this medicine?

Take this medicine by mouth with plenty of water. It is best to take on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before or 2 hours after food. Follow the directions on the prescription label.

Personally, as I don't want anything affecting absorption, I err on the side of caution and treat it the same as Levo, ie I take it 1 hour before or two hours after food, with water only.

If absorption is affected and you need to take more to make up for this, then you could be limited either by the amount you are prescribed or the difficulty of self sourcing, so I personally wouldn't want to waste any and have to take more because food affected it's absorption.

[Fmljkl in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi, I get it. I'm having to switch my schedule though to take it at 6am (no issue), noon (lunch), 6pm (dinner). So I won't be able to adhere to that window anymore

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Fmljkl]

I am currently taking T3 as 4 doses at 6am, 11.30am, 5.30pm and 11pm

I try to leave 30-60 mins before eating. But sometimes forget as it’s new time schedule….

[shaws Administrator]

I take my T3 in one dose when I awake with one glass of water and wait an hour before I eat. From then on I'm free of symptoms, feel well and normal health.

hormonerestoration.com/

drlowe.com/thyroidscience/c...

Dr Lowe took his T3 in the middle of the night when he awoke, so that nothing interfered with its uptake.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

I take my T3 twice, once before bed and once on waking. I think it’s all about trial and error to work out number If doses/which timings are best. Best wishes to you Fmljkl.

[Singoutloud]

Like shaws I take one dose on waking and leave around an hour before food. Yes, it took a little getting used to in the early days especially late afternoon but that was temporary and I'm glad I persevered. It gives me the freedom to eat & drink whenever I want & space my vitamins out through the day without worrying about absorption.

[waveylines]

I used to take my doses split throughout the day. I used to take them half an hour before eating apart rom the one first thing which was about an hour. I used to alarm my phone to alert me to when to take. You can do the same thing re eating afterwards though I never bothered. Its worth checking yout vits etc levels as once I was on b12 injections I was able to go to daily doses.......

[TLChoo]

HiI have to take T3 for 3 weeks , the third week being 3 times a day, the pharmacist said to take at least half hour before food.

[shaws Administrator in reply to TLChoo]

I think that many people, who don't have hypothyroidism, may make errors in what they state to the patient.

Food can interfere with the uptake of thyroid hormones and I certainly wouldn't chance that as I don't want any interference at all. So I take my full dose when I awake with one glass of water and wait an hour before I take breakfast. The rest of the day "I'm free' to do what I want, when I want.

I am then free to do what I want as regards food or anything else.

Dr John Lowe was a scientist/doctor/researcher and expert in the use of T3. He himself took one daily dose in the middle of the night when he went to the bathroom as he stated that food interfered with the uptake of liothyronine (T3). T3 sends out 'waves' throughout the day and brain and heart have the most T3 receptor cells.

I think some may make the mistake of thinking that as T3 isn't a storage hormone that people need to split the dose to spread it out throughout the day. That's not a scientific viewpoint.

[TLChoo in reply to shaws]

I have to take half tablet twice a day for the first two weeks and half three times a day for the third week. There has to be a scientific reason for that

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to TLChoo]

There absolutely does NOT have to be a scientific reason for anything like that.

Examples abound. Like doctor prescribing in multiples of tablet dosage. E.g. if you are in the UK, you might get told 20 micrograms of liothyronine, up to three times a a day. In the USA, it would be 25 micrograms, up to three times a day.

The difference between 60 and 75 is significant but the prescribing is almost certainly because of the available tablets with no science or medical justification whatsoever.

[shaws Administrator in reply to TLChoo]

I follow the advice of an expert/scientist/doctor in the use of T3 in particular. He would never prescribe T4 but he did T3 or NDT,

He took his dose of T3 in the middle of the night when he awoke to go to the toilet so that nothing interfered with its uptake, i.e. he stated thatT3 has to saturate all of our T3 receptor cells, and then that one dose works for between one to three days.

[TLChoo in reply to shaws]

Normally I am on T4 meds which I take one a day as soon as I wake. I am going for RAI treatment , this is why I am off t4 and taking T3 for three weeks at different doses.

[shaws Administrator in reply to TLChoo]

I wish you a speedy recovery for your operation..

T4 (levothyroxine) is an inactive hormone but it has to convert to T3 (liothyronine) You still take this T4 tablet with one glass of water so it doesn't get stuck in our throats.

Both tablets, i.e. T4 or T3 have to be taken with one glass of water.

[TLChoo in reply to shaws]

I’ve had the op , it’s my second. I’m having a second dose of RAI.I have been taking T4 for near on 18 years and always take on waking up with a glass of water and at least 30 minutes before a cup of tea 😁

[shaws Administrator in reply to TLChoo]

I'm sorry you've had to have a second dose of RAI and as you've already had RAI you will know what to expect. I hope you you feel better quite soon.

[TLChoo in reply to shaws]

Thankyou

[Andtired]

When I take it with food it seems last longer, meaning the having energy feeling. When I do empty stomache I feel the "hit" more but then tire more quickly.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Andtired]

The aim of T3, (and it is the active thyroid hormone) and we have millions of T3 receptor cells), and it has to to enter our T3 receptor cells before it sends out 'waves and that one dose can last between two and three days.

😄

That is the advice of Dr John Lowe, a scientist, doctor and researcher (now deceased through an accident).

[jeresavo]

Thanks for the info here, almost a consensus that it's not to be taken with food. A previous contribution here some months ago WRT to eltroxin suggested similar advice.