If you are taking thyroid medication, coffee could have this unexpected effect on your health
Anyone taking medication should always read the package leaflet carefully beforehand. In some cases, very simple habits can have a negative impact on the effectiveness of medication.
An underactive thyroid can cause various problems. According to the USZ, fatigue and constipation can be the result. Medication can help to alleviate the symptoms, but it must also be taken correctly.
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Water instead of coffee
24 Vita reports that people with thyroid disease who are on medication should be careful not to take their medication with coffee or to drink it immediately after taking it.
More under this adMore under this adDr. Wolfgang Wesiack, President of the Professional Association of German Internists, explains this with the interaction that coffee brings with it. He tells Internisten im Netz:
Coffee delays the absorption of the hormone and reduces its bioavailability. As a result, women who take T4 every morning with coffee instead of water, for example, have lower T4 levels in their blood. For this reason, patients should strictly adhere to the recommendation to use water - and not coffee - as the intake liquid.More under this adMore under this ad
Patients should wait at least half an hour before consuming the popular hot drink.
Soy can have the same effect
According to the ÄrzteZeitung, soy-containing foods should also be consumed with caution by those affected, as should foods or preparations that contain a lot of iron, magnesium or calcium. Those who consume the latter, for example, should 'wait at least four hours before taking T4'.
If you still have questions or are unsure, it is always best to talk to your GP or endocrinology specialist.
Read more:
⋙ Driving under the influence: This prescription medication could cost you your driving privilege
⋙ You should never mix these medications with alcohol
⋙ Millions use this medication without knowing it increases your risk of falling by 40%
This article has been translated from Gentside DE.
Sources used:
USZ: Hypothyroidism
24 Vita: Ensure correct treatment for hypothyroidism: Don't take your hormones with coffee
Internisten im Netz: Do not take thyroid hormones with coffee
ÄrzteZeitung:No coffee with thyroid hormone!