When is the best time to take hypothyroid medication, morning or evening?

Almost all cases of hypothyroidism are treated with medication containing thyroid hormone. Without proper treatment, hypothyroid symptoms can get worse over time. Well, besides following the recommended dosage, it turns out that hypothyroid drugs also have to be taken at a certain time so that the benefits are more effective. When is the right time to take hypothyroid medication? Here's the explanation.

What do hypothyroid drugs do?

Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone. This thyroid hormone functions to control the speed of a person's metabolism.

When the thyroid hormone produced by the body decreases, the body's metabolism becomes slower so that fewer calories are burned during activity or rest.

In order for your body's metabolism to be faster, people with hypothyroidism will be given special drugs that contain thyroid hormones.

This of course serves to stimulate the body's thyroid hormone production to keep it in balance. That way, you will not get sick easily because of the effects of hypothyroidism.

When should you take hypothyroid medication?

Apart from having to be taken according to the recommended dosage, it turns out that hypothyroid drugs also have to be taken at certain times so that they work more effectively. You may be wondering, when, really, is the right time to take hypothyroid medication?

According to a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2009, experts took blood samples of hypothyroid patients to measure their thyroid hormone levels. After that, the experts observed how much difference the effectiveness of the drug if it was taken at different times, namely morning and evening.

The results showed that when the hypothyroid medication was taken in the morning, TSH levels in all patients decreased. Meanwhile, when the rules for taking hypothyroid medication were changed to night, the patient's TSH levels continued to decrease significantly.

The decrease in TSH level in the patient actually indicates that the thyroid drug absorption is faster and better. As a result, experts conclude that thyroid drugs will provide maximum results when consumed at night.

How come?

The most common hypothyroid drug is levothyroxine, which is a type of drug that is synthesized from the hormone thyroxine (T4). This drug works by mimicking the thyroid hormone in increasing the body's metabolism.

When you take hypothyroid medication, the levels of thyroid hormones in the blood will be more balanced. However, this drug still cannot cure your hypothyroidism. But don't worry, this drug can at least help relieve the annoying symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Based on the results of this study, it was found that hypothyroid drugs were more effective at night. This is due to many things that can affect how levothyroxine works in the body.

When you take hypothyroid medication in the morning, levothyroxine will be less effective when you eat breakfast or drink coffee. Even if you have given a break of 30 minutes before eating, the absorption of the drug is still not effective enough in the body.

In addition, it has something to do with slower bowel movements at night. Due to the slower absorption, this is actually beneficial for you. The drug levothyroxine will last longer in the intestine so that it is absorbed better and maximally.

Moreover, taking hypothyroid medication at night will make it easier for you to avoid types of drugs or supplements that can interfere with the absorption of hypothyroid drugs. For example, supplements that contain iron or calcium carbonate are often taken in the morning.

Rules for taking hypothyroid medication

People with hypothyroidism may receive different types of medication, depending on their age, body weight, thyroid hormone levels, and medical history. However, the rules for taking the medicine will actually remain the same.

In order to maximize absorption of hypothyroid medication and speed up healing, follow the rules for taking hypothyroid medication below.

1. Take the medicine at the same time every day. We recommend that you take this medicine one hour before bedtime.
2. Never miss an hour of taking medicine. If you forget, take medicine as soon as you remember or set an alarm to help you.
3. Avoid taking medications or supplements that contain calcium and iron at the same time. Also avoid foods high in fiber as these can inhibit thyroid drug absorption.

If all this time you routinely take thyroid medication in the morning, you should consult your doctor first before changing your routine to the evening. Your doctor will first check your thyroid levels for 6 to 8 weeks while monitoring the effects of changes in the time you take your medication.

With the results of these thyroid levels, the doctor will determine whether you need to increase the dose or instead should go back to taking thyroid medication in the morning. Most importantly, make sure you are taking the thyroid medication according to the dosage, at the same time, and taken every day without being missed.