Synthroid is a brand name for the drug levothyroxine, a commonly prescribed thyroid medication. Calcium in tablet form is a useful dietary supplement for those who cannot take in the required amount through food. If you must take both Synthroid and a calcium supplement, follow your physician's dosing instructions precisely, and establish a regular daily routine for taking medications and supplements to ensure their maximum absorption.
Synthroid
This drug is chemically identical to the hormone produced by a healthy thyroid gland. Patients usually take Synthroid daily, and in general, require the drug for life. Synthroid has a half-life of five days, meaning that it takes that long for half the drug to be eliminated from the body. Synthroid may be prescribed in tablet strengths beginning at 25 mcg and increasing up to 300 mcg. Doctors may prescribe this drug to patients whose thyroids do not manufacture sufficient amounts of thyroid hormone, either because of hypothyroidism or because they have undergone surgical thyroid removal due to cancer or other disease. Synthroid is also sometimes used to treat or prevent goiter, or an enlarged thyroid gland. Maintaining normal thyroid hormone levels is essential for the proper functioning of many of the body's major organs.
Calcium
The human body contains more calcium than any other mineral. Your body stores most of its calcium in the teeth and bones, where this mineral is essential for maintaining strength and hardness. The amount of calcium you need is determined by your age and also your sex, with young children and teenagers requiring the most. Adult women past the age of menopause also require extra amounts of calcium to help protect them from bone loss. Good sources of calcium include milk, cheese, yogurt and leafy green vegetables such as spinach. Those individuals who do not receive sufficient calcium through their diets should take a calcium supplement.
Recommendations for Taking Synthroid
Because Synthroid should be taken on an empty stomach, most physicians recommend that patients take this medication immediately upon arising in the morning. You should swallow Synthroid pills with a full glass of water, and wait 30 to 60 minutes before eating or drinking anything other than water. Synthroid absorption can be affected by a number of other drugs and supplements, including calcium. You can avoid any problems by taking your calcium supplement either four hours before or four hours after taking Synthroid.
Recommendations for Taking Calcium
The two main types of calcium supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. You can take calcium citrate on either a full or empty stomach. Calcium carbonate is less expensive, but is most effective when taken with food because it is less readily absorbed. Calcium supplements are best absorbed when you take no more than 500 mg at a time. For this reason, it is best to split higher doses, taking them twice or more per day.
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