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Can Levothyroxine Cause Weight Loss?
Question: I am taking .05 mg of levothyroxine daily. I am 81 and have had difficulty maintaining weight. At 6' 1' I weigh 145 - 150 pounds. Can this medication lead to wgt loss?
Brief Answer:
Yes, this medication can lead to weight loss.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for asking.
I have gone through your question.
Levothyroxine is a thyroid medicine that replaces a hormone normally produced by your thyroid gland to regulate the body's energy and metabolism.
Levothyroxine is given when the thyroid does not produce enough of this hormone on its own.
Weight loss can be side effects of levothyroxine.
During treatment with levothyroxine, the body receives a synthetic version of thyroxine (T4) which upregulates the metabolism and facilitates weight loss.
Persons who are prescribed an optimal dosage of levothyroxine should lose all weight that was gained specifically as a result of their hypothyroidism.
Weight loss is usually most prominent during early stages of levothyroxine treatment because the body hasn’t yet adapted to the increase in basal metabolic rate (BMR).
As Levothyroxine treatment is continued for an extended duration, the body will have adjusted to the increase in basal metabolic rate (BMR), and additional weight loss will subside.
For some persons, weight loss may subside after a few months of treatment, yet for others, it may take a year for the weight loss to diminish.
So, my answer for you is: Yes, your medication can lead to weight loss.
Hope I have clarified your doubts.
If you have other questions, feel free to ask.
Thanks for using HealthcareMagic.
Wish you good health.
Yes, this medication can lead to weight loss.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for asking.
I have gone through your question.
Levothyroxine is a thyroid medicine that replaces a hormone normally produced by your thyroid gland to regulate the body's energy and metabolism.
Levothyroxine is given when the thyroid does not produce enough of this hormone on its own.
Weight loss can be side effects of levothyroxine.
During treatment with levothyroxine, the body receives a synthetic version of thyroxine (T4) which upregulates the metabolism and facilitates weight loss.
Persons who are prescribed an optimal dosage of levothyroxine should lose all weight that was gained specifically as a result of their hypothyroidism.
Weight loss is usually most prominent during early stages of levothyroxine treatment because the body hasn’t yet adapted to the increase in basal metabolic rate (BMR).
As Levothyroxine treatment is continued for an extended duration, the body will have adjusted to the increase in basal metabolic rate (BMR), and additional weight loss will subside.
For some persons, weight loss may subside after a few months of treatment, yet for others, it may take a year for the weight loss to diminish.
So, my answer for you is: Yes, your medication can lead to weight loss.
Hope I have clarified your doubts.
If you have other questions, feel free to ask.
Thanks for using HealthcareMagic.
Wish you good health.
Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Answered by
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