Thyroid: with liquid therapy, waiting times for breakfast are eliminated

If you are in therapy for thyroid problems, you will finally no longer have to wait the fateful 30 minutes between taking the drug and breakfast: recent and important scientific studies - all Italian, by the way - have in fact shown that liquid levothyroxine, compared to tablets, it is absorbed more quickly and without interference from food and gastric pH, which is influenced by what we eat and drink. To the advantage not only of the quality of life - no more waiting for the first coffee of the day! - but also the stability of the TSH values ​​(the hormone that stimulates the thyroid) and therefore the control of symptoms.

The real revolution of levothyroxine in liquid form "is intuitive", as stated by Prof. Efisio Puxeddu of the University of Perugia (online expert of Tiroide.com and author of one of the studies on liquid levothoroxine and waiting times): "the drug is already in a liquid form, so all the steps that must take place in the stomach for the tablet - exfoliation and solubilization of the active ingredient - are no longer necessary. The drug can reach the absorption sites more quickly and in a completely solubilized manner. All this clearly improves absorption”.

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Several studies have demonstrated the hypothesis that being already in a liquid formulation, the drug could be absorbed more quickly and without interference from breakfast foods and from changes in gastric pH related to food. In addition to food and drinks, in fact, some drugs (eg those for gastroesophageal reflux) also cause changes in gastric acidity that can potentially interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine and with the success of the treatment.

"A series of small studies were therefore conducted, followed by larger studies, which clearly demonstrated that the time between taking the liquid formulation of levothyroxine and breakfast can be shortened to zero", says Prof. . Puxeddu.

All those who follow a therapy for hypothyroidism with levothyroxine are familiar with the subject of waiting times between taking the "tablet" and breakfast, in particular before being able to drink the first coffee.

"Pastiglia" means in fact tablet, or a solid formulation of levothyroxine that requires a particular method of intake so that the active ingredient is available before being absorbed in an adequate and complete manner. So be fasting and wait at least 30-60 minutes before you can have breakfast.
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The confirmation of these studies on the liquid formulation of levothyroxine and the elimination of waiting times are also - currently - all Italian, published in prestigious international endocrinology journals (Endocrine, Thyroid) and one of these was presented to 15 International Thyroid Congress of Orlando Florida. The peculiarity of this study is that it was conducted according to a "real life" method, that is, the researchers "inserted" themselves into the daily life of patients and observed and analyzed the values, finding that even taking the therapy with coffee, the salient values ​​remained unchanged compared to those who took the same therapy half an hour earlier.

The liquid formulation has existed in Italy for some time. Talking about it with your endocrinologist can help us find the "solution" that suits us best. In a life in which multiple commitments, duties, efforts and attentions must be combined, including children, family management, rushing to school, work, appointments, sometimes messy meals, making it easier at least the therapy for hypothyroidism is certainly a huge step forward.
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By Portale della Salute and Tiroide.com