liothyronine dose timing

[Girtonian]

hi friends,

So I’m now (since 2 weeks ago) trying liothyronine, a quarter of a 20mcg tablet twice a day, along with 75 mcg T4 daily. (I finally saw a private endocrinologist last month who prescribed this and I think generally I feel better - although a bit up and down)

My question is, does it matter if I take the evening dose of T3 after dinner, or should it be on an empty stomach? What have others found? I was told to take the doses 12 hours apart, so generally take them at 7.15 am and 7.15 pm. But the pm one is usually straight after dinner. The only guidance from the leaflet in the pack is that a soya based diet could affect absorption.

Thanks everyone, any guidance appreciated.

[Lalatoot]

Girtonian There is not so much research on the effects of meals and taking liothyronine as there is for meals and T4. As a result folks tend to treat lio the same as T4 - so on an empty stomach. But on T4/lio it is all trial and error so you could try it and see how it works for you.

I take my T4 and lio on waking and at bedtime and that suits me.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

I tend to treat T3 the same as Levo regarding timing but others don't leave as long. I honestly don't think that the two doses need to be exactly 12 hours apart.

If you're not going to take your evening dose on an empty stomach (1 hour before or 2 hours after food) then personally I would leave 1 hour after food but make sure I was consistent and keep to that timing every day just in case it does affect absorption, keeping to the same timing should ensure that your levels don't fluctuate and be a sound base for dosing.

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

I take Roma T3 3 times a day, first and last dose are on an empty stomach but the 2pm dose is often just before or just after a meal and seems to make no difference, trying to juggle it around more often than not meant forgetting it all together which was much worse! 🤗

[dizzy864]

I agree with Eeore100. I take levo last thing at night with one of my three doses of lio a day. I take another levo on waking in the morning. These two doses are well away from food. I take the third at 2.30pm, which can be close to food. I don't notice a problem with absorption and this works well for me. I also found that I forgot it if I moved it around because of what I had eaten. I immediately felt better after starting T3. Although it can take longer to notice an improvement - we're all different! Good luck

[buddy99]

I have tried all sorts of timing and have settled for 8am and 4pm for 6.5 mcg respectively. That allows me to take the Lio at least one hour before any meal. There seem to be no strict guidelines on whether to take Lio with or without food. Possibly the best advice I got was from a pharmacist, who said that consistency is most important. So, if you take Lio with food then that should be done consistently. I know a person who takes the morning dose at least 1 hour before breakfast and an evening dose with supper. And that's what she always does. It is probably best to play with it for a while and find what works best for you. This whole thyroid thing can be frustrating that way, I find. Everything seems to take time to figure out and sometimes, just when you think you figured it out something changes and you start from scratch. I certainly have learned to be patient (and mindful of my body ). Best of luck finding what works best for you.

[thyr01d]

My endo advised me not to take T3 after 4 - 5 pm otherwise it can interfere with sleep, however, others on here take their 24 hours worth in one go at bedtime and it works for them. So, it does seem to be very individual. (I take my last T3 of the day very late if I need to stay awake, for instance for a late night drive, and it does seem to work for me because normally I fall asleep at 22:22!)