Thyroid hormone - taking it with (what?) food - Thyroid UK

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Thyroid hormone - taking it with (what?) food

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator
11 Replies

This has cropped up today in the comments within another post (healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Regular readers here know that it's universally advised that levo is always taken on an empty stomach, with nothing but water, and nothing to eat/drink for an hour after. (Prescription instructions usually say 30mins after)

Being one of those who have to split dose levo as I can't tolerate more than 50mcg in one go, every now and then I've pondered on the idea of taking it with food, to see if it helps me tolerate the full dose in one go.

I typically take my first dose of levo in the morning, before I get up, and just have a mug of coffee (black, no sugar) at least 30mins after. I'm not a breakfast person. I've not eaten a daily breakfast since I was in my teens. For me, eating breakfast meant I experienced hunger cravings by mid morning. Not eating breakfast meant I easily lasted until lunchtime, with only a couple of mugs of coffee before then. In recent years, we've seen lots of discussion in the media about intermittent fasting, which is effectively what I've been doing all my adult life.

So here's my question. What food do you think *could* work as a 'taking levo with food' mini-breakfast?

For me personally, it needs to be something that is consistently and easily available. Ideally low carb, non-dairy, non-fermented.

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RedApple
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BiscuitBaby profile image
BiscuitBaby

Hi RedAppleI'm a bit like you. I've never eaten breakfast, even as a child but I did go through a phase where I thought I has to eat it! I used to make muffins made with almond flour. They can be frozen and you can add blueberries to them. I think you'd have to Google the recipe. I don't have it now but the whole keto thing should make it easy. Also you could do egg muffin things. It's like a mini quiche just put them in muffin cases and be frozen. I take them for work. You can put anything in them you like. Bacon, blue cheese, pepper anything! Now I'm back to not having breakfast. Just a banana mid morning if I'm hungry!

HealthStarDust profile image
HealthStarDust

I don’t know if this will help or not, but with certain medications over the years that I couldn’t tolerate (non thyroid medication that is) what helped me to was sliced cucumber. So my recommendation would be a salad breakfast.

arTistapple profile image
arTistapple

There is much to read re: breakfast. “The most important meal of the day”. Etc etc. However not all that long ago breakfast was not eaten until many chores had been undertaken. It was not eaten on waking. If you do need something, no matter how small, it should have a protein element - allegedly to prime the immune system (e.g. handful of nuts). It’s said by some that needing to eat desperately, absolutely first thing, shows too many carbs the day before have been consumed. However proper breakfast should not be eaten until real hunger sets in. This could be at lunchtime. Dare I say you will have your own ‘sweet spot’ you will discover over time, if you follow this ‘regime’. Same rules apply re: protein - only a bigger portion. I used to do this for years, even before diagnosis and it worked perfectly well. Since commencing levo I can’t really eat more than one meal a day. Not hungry later in day and largish brunch seems to be enough. Unfortunately it has not translated into any weight loss whatsoever. A bit like our thyroid journey. It’s whatever/however it suits you. This system usually suits meds and vits quite well. As far as I am aware it’s not written down anywhere, it’s picked up from many sources.

Can’t comment on the coffee as I don’t partake.

Re coffee & thyroxine absorption: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

"The negative impact of some nutrients on levothyroxine absorption has been demonstrated since 1977 (37). Most of nutrients (e.g. soy, fiber-enriched alimony and coffee, etc.) (6, 38, 39) specifically bind oral thyroxine at the intestinal level."

Makes it tough when hanging out for that first cup of coffee.

arTistapple profile image
arTistapple in reply to

OK Dioryth, any idea what “fibre enriched alimony” might be? Checked Dr. Google etc but only reference is back to your reference! Do you think it just means foods doctored with fibre as opposed to ‘naturally’ containing fibre. Not sure why they would bother with that distinction but what the heck? Looks like that might be a reason for keeping prebiotics away from levo though.

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply to arTistapple

I can't make any sense of  “fibre enriched alimony” ! What has an ex spouse's financial support got to do with taking levo with food! 🤣

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie in reply to RedApple

Fillet steak or mincemeat - depending on the settlement ?

in reply to RedApple

"fibre enriched alimony" = alimony that gives you the sh*ts?

in reply to arTistapple

Ok, a quick search of a favourite dictionary of mine has a secondary meaning for alimony listed as:

"supply of the means of living; maintenance. [< L alimonia nourishment, sustenance = ali- (see ALIMENT) + -monia -MONY]".

arTistapple profile image
arTistapple in reply to

OK it’s rather a quaint way to describe high fibre food and an explanation to keep high fibre food away from levo. That particular I had not previously given any thought to but it does make sense. We don’t want our levo being hustled through our alimentary system before our bodies can use it. I must find a way to introduce that alimony into my vocabulary from now on.

in reply to arTistapple

Reckon our modern version/understanding of "alimony" would taint the original meaning.

For breakfast I've gone to poached eggs or meat on white toast (instead of my usual breakfast-main-meal-of-the-day with protein and lots of vegies).

It seems the old-fashioned style breakfasts make sense with levo/NDT.

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