The effect of T3 on FT4 / hairloss

[Sofie007]

I think I read somewhere here that taking T3 will lower your ft4 is that correct? I am on 75mcg levo and added 6mcg cytomel last week. I have more energy, but my hair seems to fall out again since i started the T3. My hairloss started on 50mcg levo and ended when I was on 75mcg levo(+ iron supplement) . Any ideas?

[greygoose]

Adding T3 does reduce your FT4 level, yes. But, that's ok because generally you don't need as much when taking T4. Doubtful that that would make you lose your hair.

How is your iron/ferritin level now? Low iron will definitely make you lose your hair.

[Sofie007 in reply to greygoose]

thank you greygoose. I have been on iron bisglycinate 45mg since August so i think my levels are ok. Although during my last period I felt extremely weak. But I thought it can’t be the iron since i ‘ve been supplementing for months… ( I do love my coffee, maybe that’s the issue.. i hope not 😬 )

[Charlie-Farley in reply to Sofie007]

Hi Sofie007 😊

Greygoose makes a good point. Sometimes we can take supplements and the amount we take is not reflected in a blood panel. The only way to be totally sure your iron is up is to have a blood test- and probably if you have been on supplements for a while, it’s time to check. What do you think greygoose ?? How are B, D, magnesium, ferritin and folate? I get private tests done to keep an eye because getting your vitamins and minerals optimal is as important as being on the right dose of thyroid hormones.

Also you will probably already know this but iron supplements need to be taken a few hours (4 +) away from your thyroid replacement (levo and cytomel). 😊👍

Greygoose is hot on how to space out supplements and medication. I benefited from Greygoose’s knowledge when I was a newbie here nearly two years ago. 🤗

I’m also going to tag you into a response to another forum member. You learn so much reading other people’s posts.

[greygoose in reply to Sofie007]

It can take an extraordinarily long time for iron levels to rise. But, even so, when taking iron supplements, one should test regularly because too much is not good either. Agreed, you need your other nutrients tested, too: Vit D, vit B12 and folate. But, I wouldn't bother with magnesium, if I were you because the tests don't give a true idea of your level. Magnesium is water-soluble, so just take some and see if it helps.

[Lalatoot]

Adding t3 reduced my ft4 from 60% through range to 50% through range.

At the same time my ft3 increased from 16% to 72%.

[Soof007 in reply to Lalatoot]

Hey Lalaloot, what did you do to fix this? Did you take more levothyroxine? Or did you reduce your T3 meds? Thank you so much for replying

[Lalatoot in reply to Soof007]

It didn't need fixing as that 72% ft3 and 50% ft4 is good for me. It is the levels I ended up on after 2 years of adjustments.

[Soof007 in reply to Lalatoot]

oh ok, good to read that! Thank you

[Lalatoot in reply to Soof007]

For years I was on 100mcg levo only. The endo put me on 50mcg levo and 20mcg lio. I was ill on this. Over 2 years I adjusted doses.I have stopped on 100 levo and 7.5mcg lio. I didn't want to keep on changing doses and wanted to see how things would improve on stable doses longer term giving the body time to adapt.

I only needed a small amount of t3 to bring the level up.

[arTistapple]

I think it’s unlikely that hair would fall quite that quickly after a change in meds. Hair is already dead when it erupts from the scalp (so I am led to believe). It’s condition, glossy, strong, dry, broken, matted, falling out is created months before it happens.