When you take medications, you have to be careful about the foods that you consume with them. Some medications, including thyroid drugs, are designed to be taken on an empty stomach. Taking thyroid medications with juice is unlikely to cause significant problems, but you should talk to your doctor before taking medications with tomato juice.
What Is Thyroid Medication?
If you have a thyroid gland that is not working properly or your thyroid gland has been removed, you will need to take special medications. One commonly prescribed medication is levothyroxine. Levothyroxine is a synthetic form of thyroid hormone. This drug is needed to replace the thyroid hormones that you are not producing. Thyroid hormone is responsible for controlling your metabolism, and proper levels are needed to keep your body working properly.
Levothyroxine and Food
If you are taking levothyroxine, it is important that you take this medication according to the instructions given to you by your doctor. Levothyroxine is absorbed better on an empty stomach and taking this medication with food can interfere with the absorption of the medication. If you take levothyroxine with food, you may not reap the full benefits of the medication, causing you to develop signs of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue, constipation and cold intolerance.
Tomato Juice and Levothyroxine
The effects of tomato juice on levothyroxine have not been studied, but the effects of grapefruit juice on levothyroxine absorption has been studied. According to a study published in 2005 in the "British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology," patients who take levothyroxine with grapefruit juice have slightly slower absorption of the medication, but the juice does not appear to cause a significant decrease in the amount of medication that gets into the blood. This means it is most likely safe for you to take thyroid medications with tomato juice.
Considerations
Although it is likely safe for you to take thyroid medications with tomato juice, you should still talk to your doctor before taking your medications with this juice or any other substance. Your doctor may want to do blood tests to make sure you are absorbing all of the medication, especially If you develop signs of hypothyroidism. Talk to your doctor before making any change in how you take your medication.
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