In a message dated 7/18/2004 10:59:50 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
Is it important not to take calcium and thyroid medication
within four hours of each other? >>>
With immediate release thyroid preparations, I usually tell people to allow
at least an hour between calcium, antacids, iron containing supplements, or
zinc and thyroid supplements. With sustained release T3 (SRT3), I haven't found
anyone who had trouble with the interactions if there a minimal separation
between the two medications.

That has always worked OK. I did have one patient who took her thyroid at the
same time as a multiple vitamin that had iron, and we saw a marked decline in
thyroid blood levels.

The thing that was really new to me was needing to take thyroid on an empty
stomach. In general, food might slow absorption, but not prevent it. I use the
slowing effect of food for people who cannot obtain sustained release T3. I
tell them to spread out their Cytomel (T3) to about 4-6 times a day, and always
eat first. We have been fairly successful in avoiding palpitations and giving
a reasonable dose that way. There really seems to be enough physiological
regulators that the safe and effective dose of thyroid replacement can be quite
broad.

Doc Don



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