Absorption of thyroid drug levothyroxine improves with vitamin C

[HysteryDiagnosis]

web.md.chula.ac.th/english/data/2008ResearchSummariesBook.pdf


P2-240: Difficulties in the Absorption of Levothyroxine: Improvement Using Vitamin C
Sandra D Licht. Private Practice
PB Antunez1 and SD Licht2. 1Univ de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1414 and 2Private Practice, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1414.

Preliminary observations indicated that co-administration of acidic compounds might enhance absorption of levothyroxine.

In order to assess whether this effect would be associated with vitamin C administration, we studied 11 patients (8 women and 3 men, age range 28-75 years; mean 45.2 15.4) being treated with levothyroxine at doses of >1.7 g/kg (average 2.24 0.39 g/kg) but failing to achieve their target TSH level.

During the control period, each patient had at least two determinations of TSH indicating inadequate dosage. Interfering factors that could alter levothyroxine absorption such as celiac disease, calcium, iron, or antacid use, and non-compliance were excluded.

During the study period, the patients continued the same dose of levothyroxine but supplemented it with 1 g of vitamin C in 200 cc of water. After six weeks of taking the levothyroxine with vitamin C, serum TSH decreased in all 1 patients (average reduction 68.6 26.8%), and the target or desired level of TSH was achieved in 9/11 patients.
The difference between TSH levels before and after treatment with vitamin C was significant: Basal TSH (IFMA) was 8.54 4.33 mIU/L vs. a mean TSH on vitamin C treatment of 1.88 1.50mIU/L (p<0.001).

Conclusions: 1) Vitamin C enhances oral absorption of levothyroxine; 2) Co-administration of Vitamin C with levothyroxine should be considered in patients with difficulties in the absorption of levothyroxine.

[3waygeek]

1. Good to know I'm doing the right thing...

I take mine every morning at breakfast with a glass of OJ.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. What I am finding is interesting as well is that viral disease and or

other forms of illness can increase bowel tolerance of ascorbic acid tenfold... and that the RDA is pretty much the recommended daily approximation.