Does levothyroxine lower thyroid peroxidase levels?

[helvella Administrator]

I assume you mean Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab)?

The answer is that levothyroxine treatment might have the effect of lowering TPOab over time - but it is not a direct effect of taking it. Most people never find out whether their TPOab ever change - because relatively few have repeated TPOab tests.

Rod

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Yes i did mean Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies. Thank you for your response.

[EKASUK]

I am glad you have asked this question as it is also one 'on my mind' after my tests this week showed my levels were 1,300 (normal range less than 60), this means they have increased from 260 when I was actually started on 25mg in Jan so in short term from my readings it would suggest no. I have tried to 'google' it and my understanding is that the levo doesn't necessarily reduce the TOPab but as the TPOab can cause the TSH to rise/hypothyroidism the levo reduces the TSH (which in my case it did). My non-knowledge and question is more around is if antibodies keep rising is there a point where they need to investigate this further or do something other than just increasing levo to keep the TSH down.

Not much help I know but good luck in finding a more definitive answer!

[Hidden in reply to EKASUK]

Thank you for your response.

[Pink_Bear]

It's always seemed alien to me that in the UK the antibodies are pretty much ignored once you have your diagnosis, and it's assumed that they will one day totally destroy your thyroid and then you'll be more stable on full replacement of levothyroxine. Can I suggest you look at the website Hope for Hashimoto's? It has a series of presentation by Dr Alexander Haskell which explain the course of the condition. He also has a book by the same name where he outlines a way of actually lowering them and even eventually becoming antibody free. I've been following his advice for 5 months and when I had a private TPO test in February there was a small decrease in mine - whereas for the last 3 years they've continued to climb. Ive no idea where this is taking me - but I feel the need to explore it.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Pink_Bear]

Sorry to say, I couldn't find any useful information on the website at all.

Might be a technical issue - but what is left seems entirely to be sales-oriented.

[Pink_Bear in reply to helvella]

If you click "Hashimotos Video Series" at the top of the homepage there are a series of presentations. I found them very helpful in understanding my condition - especially the ups and downs. Obviously some products are for sale, but there is no hard sell, and in his book he touches on the conflict between promoting products and making money. You don't have to buy anything special to follow his advice.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Pink_Bear]

I did - repeatedly. The link failed.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Pink_Bear]

I got, and still get:

Not Found

The requested URL /index.php was not found on this server.

Apache/2.2.22 Server at hopeforhashimotos.com Port 80

[RedApple Administrator in reply to helvella]

Works for me!

[Pink_Bear in reply to helvella]

Oh dear, sorry to be wasting your time. It always works for me, so I really don't understand what can be going wrong - needs a more technical mind than mine!

[helvella Administrator in reply to Pink_Bear]

It's OK - don't know why, but it is working for me now.

[Hidden in reply to Pink_Bear]

Thank you for your response.

[Marz]

....anti-bodies are created in the blood when foreign bodies are detected ! These can be microscopic food particles from a LGS - Leaky Gut Syndrome. So healing the gut is so important - a journey I have been on for 40 years and only discovered the Hashimotos in 2005. So now more focused. Sorry have not answered your question ! - ooops ! sorry don't know ! Just keep reading and something will click. Take a look at drmyhill.co.uk an excellent website that is so very informative.

[Hidden in reply to Marz]

Thanks for the advice.

[flatfeet1]

A bit late I know.

online.liebertpub.com/doi/a...

Long-Term Follow-Up of Antithyroid Peroxidase Antibodies in Patients with Chronic Autoimmune Thyroiditis (Hashimoto's Thyroiditis) Treated with Levothyroxine

Conclusion: Serum TPO-Ab levels decline in most patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis who are taking levothyroxine, but after a mean of 50 months, TPO-Ab became negative in only a minority of patients.

And;

thyroid.about.com/b/2008/07...

Levothyroxine's Effects on Antibodies in Hashimoto's Patients

[Hidden in reply to flatfeet1]

Thanks for the information. I will have a read. I thought there may be a decline in serum TPO-Ab levels. But was surprised that only a small minority of patients became TPO-Ab negative.