While losing weight is a common goal, many people have trouble meeting their weight loss goals through diet and exercise alone. Medications, such as Alli, can help you lose weight; however, these medications can interact with some drugs such as levothyroxine. Consequently, even though you can buy Alli without a prescription, you should talk to your doctor before taking this drug.
Understanding Alli
Alli is the brand name for the weight loss medication orlistat. Orlistat is a compound that interferes with the absorption of dietary fat by your intestines. Because fat is dense in calories, impairing the amount of fat you absorb from your diet reduces the number of calories you get from your food. This reduction in calories, combined with exercise, can help you lose weight.
Understanding Levothyroxine
Levothyroxine is a synthetic thyroid hormone. Your thyroid gland secretes hormones that control your body's metabolism. Hypothyroidism, which is the result of your thyroid not producing enough hormones, can cause weight gain, cold intolerance, hair loss, dry skin, chronic fatigue and slow speech. Your doctor may prescribe levothyroxine to boost thyroid hormone levels and alleviate the symptoms of hypothyroidism. This medication comes in tablet form and is usually taken once per day on an empty stomach.
Alli and Levothyroxine Interaction
For effectiveness, levothyroxine needs to be absorbed by the digestive tract. Alli can interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine and other synthetic thyroid hormones, notes Drugs.com If you do not absorb all of the levothyroxine in the tablet, you may develop signs of hypothyroidism, including weight gain. The exact way in which Alli interferes with the absorption of levothyroxine is not known.
Management
If you want to take Alli and also take levothyroxine, make sure that you take the two medications at least four hours apart to minimize the interaction of the two drugs, Drugs.com recommends. Levothyroxine is typically taken before breakfast on an empty stomach, whereas Alli is only effective when taken with meals, so you may have to skip taking Alli with breakfast to prevent drug interactions. If you develop signs of hypothyroidism, stop taking Alli and talk to your doctor.
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