L-thyroxine regimen for weight loss. How to take L-thyroxine for weight loss and what are its side effects - Beauty and nutrition - all about healthy lifestyle

Thyroxine[edit | edit code]

Yuzhakov Anton THYROID GLAND

Scheme of hormonal interaction of the body

Thyroxine

(
Levothyroxine
,
L-thyroxine
,
Tetraiodothyronine
,
T4
) is the main hormone of the thyroid gland.
Thyroxine is used in medicine to treat hypothyroidism (low levels of thyroid hormones), in bodybuilding mainly as a means for weight loss, but also to compensate for hypothyroidism during the use of growth hormone. Cytover (T3) from Vermodje (50 mcg tablets N100)
Triiodothyronine (T3)

or
liothyronine
- often used for weight loss instead of thyroxine; their mechanism of action is almost identical. T3, unlike T4, has a more active effect on the biochemical pathways of protein catabolism. When both drugs are dosed to achieve the same fat loss, T3 burns much more muscle than T4.

What is the difference between T3 and T4[edit | edit code]

The thyroid gland secretes mainly T4 (thyroxine) - which is converted in peripheral tissues to the more active form T3 (triiodothyronine)

using the enzyme selenium-dependent monodeiodinase. Thus, T4 can be considered a prohormone[1]. Detailed description here.

Many resources list triiodothyronine as the best choice, but scientific evidence suggests otherwise.
Quote from Goodman's clinical pharmacology, latest 12th edition from 2010 - the most authoritative book on pharmacology in the world: Liothyronine is less desirable for chronic replacement therapy due to the requirement for more frequent dosing (plasma t1/2 = 0.75 days),
higher cost , and
transient elevations of serum T3 concentrations above the normal range
.
In addition, organs that express the type 2 deiodinase use the locally generated T3 in addition to plasma T3, and hence there is a theoretical concern that these organs will not maintain physiological intracellular T3 levels in the absence of plasma T4
.

In total we get:

1. T3 is significantly more expensive
2. T3 creates unwanted concentration fluctuations
3. Tissues with type 2 deiodinase use additional triiodothyronine, which is formed from T4 inside the cell. This means that the intracellular T3 level in these tissues will be lower, even if the thyroxine concentration remains unchanged (and when taking a fat burning drug, it will become lower than normal). From any source you can find out that type 2 deiodinase is synthesized in adipose tissue.
4. Athletes report that T4 is less damaging to muscles.[2]
5. 25-100 mcg/day T3 is equivalent to ≈300 mcg/day T4

From the arguments presented above, it follows that thyroxine is preferable for burning fat, according to at least three criteria. In rare cases, T4 is not very effective because a low-carbohydrate diet reduces its conversion to T3.[3]

Analogs

Generic L-Thyroxine are drugs sold under the following names:

• Thyroidin;
• Levothyroxine;
• Thyrotome;
• Tibon;
• Tyreocomb;
• Euthyrox.

There are no best or worst among them - they are all approximately the same in composition, pharmacological properties and dosage regimens. In terms of popularity in terms of weight loss, Eutirox competes with L-Thyroxine. Other brands are less in demand.

Before organizing weight loss with the help of L-Thyroxine, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons. If you are obese and have a doctor's permission to take it, doubts are eliminated. In other cases, keep in mind that any intervention in hormonal levels without medical indications can result in irreversible complications that can worsen the quality of future life.

Article on the topic: “Hormones for weight loss.”

Side effects of thyroxine and T3[edit | edit code]

• Tachycardia (palpitations), increased blood pressure - eliminated with beta-blockers
• Osteoporosis
• Diarrhea - eliminated by loperamide
• Excitement
• Insomnia
• Muscle tremors
• Dry mouth
• Sweating
• Feeling hot
• Decreased thyroid function (occurs with long courses and very high doses of thyroxine; when using recommended doses, function is restored after 3-4 weeks)
• Allergic rash

A detailed description of side effects can be found in the instructions. It is also necessary to consult a specialist to identify contraindications.

Cautions

Absolute contraindications for taking L-thyroxine:

• individual intolerance to the main active ingredient;
• acute myocardial infarction;
• inflammation of the heart muscle;
• thyrotoxicosis;
• hypocorticism;
• hereditary galactosemia, lactase deficiency, intestinal malabsorption syndrome.

Relative contraindications that require mandatory prior consultation with a doctor:

• cardiovascular diseases: history of myocardial infarction, ischemia, angina pectoris, atherosclerosis, arrhythmia, hypertension;
• severe form of hypothyroidism;
• diabetes.

Failure to comply with contraindications and an incorrectly selected dose of Thyroxine can lead to serious health complications. This is perhaps the only but significant drawback of this drug, forcing many to refuse it.

Commonly reported side effects:

• unexplained anxiety, tremors, headaches, insomnia;
• heart problems: arrhythmia, angina pectoris, extrasystole, tachycardia;
• vomiting, diarrhea;
• skin rashes, itching, angioedema;
• menstrual irregularities;
• hyperhidrosis, hyperthermia, feeling of heat, increased weakness, muscle cramps;
• allergic reactions: bronchospasms, urticaria, laryngeal edema, anaphylactic shock.

If such symptoms appear, it is necessary to either reduce the dose or completely stop taking it for 4-5 days. After they disappear, you can continue to take the pills, but with great caution, only after consulting your doctor and starting with minimal doses.

Those who take L-Thyroxine for weight loss most often experience uncontrollable anxiety and an unreasonable feeling of fear, which causes palpitations. Bodybuilders who use this drug on an ongoing basis are advised to combine the drug with β-adrenergic receptor antagonists (metoprolol, atenolol, betaxolol) to eliminate these side effects. This combination normalizes heart rate and reduces the risk of other side effects.

The full danger of unjustified use of L-Thyroxine can be imagined given the fact that several cases of sudden death due to cardiac failure have been recorded in people who used the drug for too long a time and exceeded the recommended dosage.

Thyroxine for weight loss[edit | edit code]

Many women and bodybuilders resort to using Thyroxine as a means of losing weight. Thyroxine has a powerful fat-burning effect, increases calorie consumption and speeds up metabolism. [4] Its popularity has decreased recently due to its negative effect on the heart; thyroxine has an adrenaline-like effect, causing the heart to beat faster, and at the same time causing a feeling of excitement and anxiety, which is not very well tolerated. However, many side effects can be eliminated by combining thyroxine and beta blockers. Beta blockers inhibit the receptors through which thyroxine acts on the heart, so they prevent the negative effects of thyroxine on the heart, normalize the rhythm and reduce the occurrence of some other side effects of thyroxine.

Many people believe that thyroxine can irreversibly suppress the function of its own thyroid gland, but studies have shown that even large doses of the drug after 3 weeks of use reduce the secretion of its own hormones by only 20%, while after 4 weeks the secretion returned to normal.

Advantages of thyroxine: high availability and effectiveness. Disadvantages of thyroxine: a fairly large number of side effects, but many of them can be prevented.

Exogenous thyroxine can cause artificial thyrotoxicosis

. In this case, unlike true hyperthyroidism, the level of thyroglobulin (TG) will be reduced.

Efficiency

As already mentioned, if you take the pills strictly according to the instructions and adhere to a healthy lifestyle, then the result will definitely be. The effectiveness of this drug has been proven by many doctors.

The only warning is that you should never start taking Lthyroxine on your own. Its use is permitted only in cases where there are disturbances in the function of the thyroid gland. If everything is normal, then its use can lead to irreversible processes in the body.

L thyroxine is intended for short-term use. In just 7-8 days of therapy you can lose up to 6 kilograms of excess weight. If excess weight is not associated with excess hormones in the body, then large doses of thyroxine lead to a number of diseases.

How to take thyroxine: a course for weight loss[edit | edit code]

• Start taking thyroxine with 50 mcg per day, 2 times a day (25 mcg each) in the first half of the day. In the morning, take 25 mg of metoprolol (a beta blocker that relieves heart strain and palpitations) if your heart rate is above 70 bpm after lunch. per minute at rest, then take another 25 mg of metoprolol.
• Gradually increase the dose to 150-300 mcg per day, 3 times a day until 18:00. Increase the daily dose of Metoprolol to 100 mg (2 times a day, 50 mg). The dosage of metoprolol is selected individually, so that the resting heart rate is 60-70 beats. in a minute.
• Reduce the dose of thyroxine if severe side effects occur.
• Monitor your heart rate; if the heart rate at rest is above 80, increase the dose of metoprolol by 25 mg; if the heart rate at rest is below 60 beats per minute, reduce the dose of metoprolol by 25 mg.
• Monitor your blood pressure, it should not be higher than 140/90 mm Hg. Art. Metoprolol helps lower blood pressure.
• Course duration is 4-7 weeks.
• Do not stop taking thyroxine suddenly: start reducing the dose 2 weeks before the end of the cycle, continue the gradual reduction until it is completely stopped.
• If you experience diarrhea, include loperamide in your course, 1-2 capsules per day.
• The minimum break after completing the course is 3-4 weeks.
• If heaviness in the heart area occurs, it is better to add Asparkam in addition to Metoprolol. 4-6 tablets per day, divided into 2-3 doses, after meals. It would also be a good idea to improve your heart function with Riboxin. 2-4 tablets at a time, 2-3 times a day. Riboxin will improve the energy balance of the myocardium, and Asparkam will become a source of Potassium and Magnesium, necessary to maintain normal heart rhythm.

Price

To purchase L-thyroxine in pharmacies, you need a doctor's prescription. Russian pharmacies stock L-Thyroxine Berlin-Chemie (Germany), L-Thyroxine LLC Ozon (Russia), L-Thyroxine-Acri (Russia). The most expensive tablets are offered by foreign companies; the cost of Russian-made hormones is less. It should be noted that from foreign pharmaceutical companies there are many dosage options (from 50 to 150 mcg). The average cost of a package of 100 tablets made in Germany is:

• 50 mcg – 111 rubles;
• 75 mcg – 123 rubles;
• 100 mcg – 140 rubles;
• 125 mcg – 160 rubles;
• 150 mcg – 163 rubles.

You can also buy a synonym for the drug in pharmacies - the German “Euthirox” (Merck LLC) with the same active ingredient. This drug has a large number of different dosage forms, which is very convenient for people with hypersensitivity to the drug.

Cost of "Eutirox" per pack of 100 tablets:

• 25 mcg – 98 rubles;
• 50 mcg – 120 rubles;
• 75 mcg – 125 rubles;
• 88 mcg – 134 rubles;
• 100 mcg – 131 rubles;
• 112 mcg – 159 rubles;
• 125 mcg – 164 rubles;
• 137 mcg – 165 rubles;
• 150 mcg – 166 rubles.

The Russian one offers the drug in a dosage of 50 micrograms No. 50 costing from 98 rubles per package, as well as 100 micrograms No. 50 - from 115 rubles and No. 100 - from 120 rubles. It is more economical to buy large packages for weight loss, since a course of several months may be required to achieve the desired weight loss effect.

Course of clenbuterol + thyroxine + yohimbine[edit | edit code]

This combination is used in the CYX3 fat burner from AxioLabs, and is one of the most powerful. You can save a lot if you take the active substances separately. The high effectiveness of the complex is due to the fact that thyroxine (or triiodothyronine) is capable of not only independently accelerating metabolism and triggering fat burning, but also increasing the sensitivity of adrenergic receptors through which clenbuterol and yohimbine act.

The following combination of starting substances is taken as one unit (unit):

• Clenbuterol – 40 mcg
• Thyroxine - 25 mcg
• Yohimbine - 5 mg (available in sports nutrition stores)

The dosage is a multiple of the available tablet forms of the drugs mentioned. You can exclude yohimbine from the complex if you do not have the opportunity to purchase it, while the dosages and regimen of taking the remaining 2 drugs will remain the same.

Recommended course:

• day 1-3: 1 unit.
• day 4-6: 1.5 units.
• day 7-9: 1 unit. in the morning, 1 unit. after lunch
• day 10-12: 1.5 units.
• day 13-15: 1 unit.
• day 16-19: 0.5 units.
• day 20-21: 0.25 units.

Total 23.5 units.

In the next three weeks, it is recommended to give the body rest, after which the course can be repeated. It is recommended to take all substances 30 minutes before breakfast with plain water.

In case of fever, it is recommended to take 1-2 mg of ketotifen in the afternoon. To protect the heart and reduce the heart rate, it is necessary to use beta-blockers (metoprolol at a dose of 50 mg 2 times a day).

Drug compatibility

This hormonal medication may block or enhance the effects of certain medications. Therefore, if there is a need to lose weight and simultaneously use other tablets, keep a list of those with which levothyroxine sodium is incompatible:

• antidiabetic;
• anticoagulants (increases the risk of hemorrhages in the gastrointestinal tract and brain);
• protease and tyrosine kinase inhibitors;
• cholestyramine, colestipol;
• preparations containing aluminum, iron, iodine, calcium carbonate;
• lanthanum carbonate, sevelamer;
• amiodarone;
• proguanil/chloroquine, sertraline;
• carbamazepine, barbiturates;
• sympatholytics;
• furosemide, salicylates, clofibrate;
• glucocorticosteroids, propylthiouracil;
• phenytoin.

If a woman takes L-Thyroxine simultaneously with hormonal contraceptives containing estrogen, an increased dosage of levothyroxine will be required. This also applies to those who have been prescribed hormone replacement therapy during postmenopause.

Contraindications

Taking hormonal pharmacological agents is prohibited during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This drug is contraindicated in persons at the time of puberty. Girls who have not given birth should definitely consult an endocrinologist before using hormonal drugs. You always need to take into account the characteristics of the body - the remedy is not suitable. Conditions and diseases for which it is strictly forbidden to take the hormonal drug thyroxine for weight loss:

• thyrotoxicosis;
• hypertension;
• diabetes;
• previous heart attack;
• kidney and adrenal insufficiency;
• galactose intolerance;
• dysfunction of absorption of substances in the small intestine.