Did you know that food, prescription medication, and nutritional supplements can directly interact with your thyroid hormones and affect the way your body can absorb them? These things can prevent your body from being able to absorb these healthy thyroid hormones adequately, which nearly cancels out the effects of taking a thyroid pill in the first place. Here’s what you should know to be able to make every thyroid pill count.
Why Take Thyroid Supplements?
The thyroid hormones have a huge responsibility in the human body. They are responsible for one of the most fundamentals aspects of your physiology: the basic metabolic rate. This metabolic rate affects nearly every other bodily system, making it incredibly influential. Low thyroid hormone levels can cause issues all over the body, including but not limited to: (1)
- A weakened or improperly working immune system
- Cold hands and feet
- Decreased energy production
- Decreased metabolism in all bodily cells
- Anemia
- Decreased bone quality, increasing the risk of injury and fractures
- Decreased production of stomach acid
- Weight gain
- Hair Loss
- Elevated cholesterol
- Intestinal inflammation
- Blood sugar imbalances
- Neurodegeneration, cognitive problems, depression
- Gallstones
- Dry skin
- Infertility and reproductive dysfunction
Essentially, if thyroid hormone levels are low, then random parts of normal bodily functions are incapable of behaving correctly. Low thyroid hormones limit your ability to be healthy. While not everyone with thyroid issues requires medication or supplementation, taking thyroid pills can greatly help increase your thyroid hormone levels and eliminate many of the consequential issues of low thyroid hormone levels. Ask your doctor about what thyroid pills are options for you. (1)
How to Make Every Thyroid Pill Count
As mentioned, food, other supplements, and medication can vastly affect your ability to absorb the necessary hormones in a thyroid pill. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the best ways to take your thyroid pill in order to receive its benefits! Taking your thyroid medication too closely to the ingestion of other foods or prescription medication decreases the absorption rate by 20-80%.(2, 3)
You should always take any thyroid medication on a completely empty stomach. That means you should take it at least two hours away from food of any kind. Occasionally prescription labels will say that 30 minutes is enough time, but some experts believe it’s not. Consider taking your thyroid medication in the middle of the night or at bedtime in order to ensure your stomach is empty and your body can absorb the nutrients. (2, 3)
Here are some specific foods and drinks that can especially interfere with your body’s ability to absorb thyroid hormones. Either avoid these foods and drinks while taking your thyroid medication or be sure to allow at least two hours between ingesting these items and taking your thyroid medication. (2, 3)
- Any kind of caffeine, including coffee and sodas
- Dairy products, including milk, cheese, and coffee creamers
- Any food or drink fortified with calcium
- Foods high in fiber, iron, magnesium, or calcium
- Walnuts
- Soy products
If you’re taking any other kind of medication, be sure to check with your doctor to be sure thyroid medication is safe to add. Keep in mind that many prescription medications can alter the effects of thyroid pills. (2, 3)
Conclusion
Be sure to take your thyroid medication every day without missing any days in order to get the most out of it! Never let poor thyroid absorption deter you from supporting your thyroid health. Do your best to help your body absorb as much of the supplement as possible and your health will benefit!
