T3 and Supplements : Hello everyone, I hope you... - Thyroid UK

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T3 and Supplements

underact15 profile image
19 Replies

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all feeling well today (and every day ideally, of course!).

I started a trial of T3 ten days ago. I was prescribed x3 5mcg a day but after years of learning and a lot of reading on here, I decided to take it very slowly and have just been taking 2.5mcg on wake up with my 100mcg levo. I don’t feel any different so I thought I’d add in a second dose of 2.5mcg this afternoon. I have a slight headache but I’m unfortunately very prone to horrible headaches and migraines anyway 😭

What I’m wondering is - should T3 be taken away from supplements as well as food? I currently take a B Complex at lunchtime and VitD mid afternoon. I was also on iron pills (and taking them in the evening) but my functional doc has told me to take a break from them…I’ll no doubt be put back on them soon though!

I basically need to work out my new meds and supps timetable! 🤪

Thank you in advance 🦋

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19 Replies
Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot

Folks tend to treat t3 the same way as levo.

FallingInReverse profile image
FallingInReverse in reply toLalatoot

I’ve read somewhere that Lio is not impacted by food/digestion like Levo.

I have tucked it away in the back of my head as a possible consideration, as I don’t know if there’s anything conclusive I’ve read in a clinical/trial setting one way or the other.

Would love to hear if anyone has anything more conclusive on this topic.

Also, for me personally, I take both Lio and Levo sub lingual. I researched that 1) yes, the medicine molecules are smaller than the membranes in the mouth and esp under the tongue and 2) because of this it avoids the stomach and therefore any digestion/absorption consideration.

Nonetheless I always keep at least an hour between food and any medicine, and mostly 2 hours or more.

Not sure if I’m 100% right but it does work for me.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

It is best to take T3 well away from supplements, yes. Two hours for B vits, four hours for vit D and iron.

Are you also taking magnesium and vit K2-MK7 with your vit D? They all work together. :)

underact15 profile image
underact15 in reply togreygoose

Thank you greygoose , that’s very helpful. I think I’ll need a few more hours in the day if and when I make it up to three doses of T3 per day!

I just take vitabiotics vitD (2000IU) and my levels seem to be ok on that but I’ve read a lot on here about taking it as an oral spray?! with K2. I’ve tried magnesium supplements a lot but I don’t think they made a difference, maybe I should give it another go. I haven’t heard about the MK7 part before I don’t think.

underact15 profile image
underact15 in reply tounderact15

Oh and greygoose - what about supplements with supplements - best to keep B vits away from VitD and iron?! I’ve always tried to keep everything as separate as possible just in case but I do feel like I’m beginning to not have enough hours in the day to space it all out!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply tounderact15

MK7 is just the type of vit K2. It means it's natural, whereas MK4 is synthetic. MK7 has a longer half-life.

You need magnesium with Vit D because magnesium converts the vit D into a form usable by the body. If you don't supplement magnesium, the vit D will deplete your magnesium in the body, and you're probably low, anyway. Vit D won't do much without magnesium.

Do you really think you need to take T3 three times a day?

You can take B vits and vit D together, but iron has to be taken two hours away from everything - four hours from thyroid hormone - except for vit C. And it is essential to take vit C with iron to help absorption and avoid constipation.

Lottyplum profile image
Lottyplum in reply togreygoose

Thanks for all your supplements info. Will now need to check again what I take with other vits+when!! It's like being back at school!!😱 But patience helps to keep up the learning, esp at my age!!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply toLottyplum

Yup, never too old to learn! :) At 78 I'm learning new things every day. I promptly forget most of them, but I'll learn them again another day. :D

Lottyplum profile image
Lottyplum in reply togreygoose

There's still hope for me then!!🤗

in reply togreygoose

I read recently an article claming that magnesium is poorly absorbed by the body unless taken topically. So, magnesium creams are recommended. Is that true? I don´t think I´ve seen that advice here.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to

Could be true, I don't know. Most things are poorly absorbed when you're hypo, anyway. I've never seen a magnesium cream, but there are magnesium oil sprays. But, I don't like them, I prefer tablets. And I do find taking the tablets makes a difference in many ways, so some must be getting absorbed.

Wua13262348 profile image
Wua13262348 in reply to

You could add in a magnesium soap. iherb sells.

Easylover profile image
Easylover

I just read online in the Thyroid Patient's Manual group by Paul Robinson that T3 can be taken with food. Easy

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toEasylover

The interactions of T3 with food have not been adequately studied.

While it appears not so much affected as levothyroxine, we do not have sufficient science base to assume it is OK to take it with any food and in any circumstance.

And if you are pointing at a facebook group, please say so. Most especially if it is a private group.

Some of us have not signed up to facebook so, for us, it is of little or no use to quote what is said there.

Easylover profile image
Easylover

Under, I'm still not sure about the legitimacy of sublingual T3 and T4 because I remember reading that the molecules are too large.

Easylover profile image
Easylover

But to definitely chew your thyroid medicine

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toEasylover

Absolutely wrong as blanket advice.

Some thyroid medicines can be chewed but not all. For example, Levoxyl will disintegrate in the mouth and is effectively unchewable.

Easylover profile image
Easylover

Oh yeah, I also read from Paul Robinson UK that 2.5 mcg of T3 will not do much. Have you looked at his blogs on his thyroid website? He is very interesting and became well on his own with T3. I feel he is an expert at dosing T3 because he is his own thyroid patient and has written 3 books on the subject as well as helped consult many people.

RedApple profile image
RedAppleAdministrator in reply toEasylover

Easylover, this is a UK forum. Many here are already familiar with Paul Robinson. You have been extremely over zealous in promoting this person.

There is a good reason why his approach to thyroid treatment is very rarely discussed or even mentioned here. He himself would agree that his approach is radical, and is only likely to be helpful to a very, very tiny number of people.

In fact, we have had members needing help from this forum because they have been made extremely ill indeed by following his protocols.

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