Exercise in the morning and taking Synthroid

StephanieStroud

When I started here on MFP and join this group I read through a bunch of past threads. The one about exercising in the morning really struck me.

My instructions are to take my synthroid first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and wait for 1 hour before eating. Pretty standard, and I have been doing this for over 15 years. Here's my dilemma. Over the last few year my blood sugar has gone up and now I'm on Metformin once a day with dinner. I'm also on a gluten free diet for gluten intolerance.

Since June I've been faithfully getting up early enough to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes before work. However, I find that I easily feel light headed and nauseous during these work outs because I have no food in my system. What do you early morning exercisers do? Do you take your synthroid at night instead? Does anyone have any advice on how to energy up for exercise without compromising the effectiveness of my medication?

tecallahan

It doesn't matter what time of day you take Synthroid.

chelekaz

My doctor said that it didn't matter what time I took it as long as I took it around the same time each day.

stxfuneral

Synthroid and Levothyroxin are supposed to be taken first thing in the morning. If you take them at night you might see that you will have a hard time sleeping. This happened to me. No one is the same, so it can't hurt to try it. Make sure you check with your doctor first and see what they suggest for you. I had an endocrinologist tell me it HAD to be taken first thing in the morning. It could also be that the medication itself is upsetting your stomach?

pet1127

I was told to not take dairy or antacides with in 4 hours of taking the leveroxin. They never mentioned not eating justnot eating dairy or taking antacides.

RozayJones

I was told to take it on an empty stomach around the same time every day.

zestyzaftig

The body typically secretes its largest single "dose" of thyroid hormone in the morning. If you're taking thyroid medication to supplement your thyroid's own hormones, it isn't critical to take it in the morning. However, if you're like me and don't have a thyroid at all, it's important to take it first thing in the morning. I've made the mistake of forgetting and taking it later, and it definitely is detrimental to my energy levels.

Taking thyroid meds with any calcium product (milk, anatacids, calcium supplement) is a big no-no because the calcium literally binds to the hormone(s) and isn't absorbed by the body properly. That being said, however, most thyroid medications are digested and distributed fairly quickly, so the standard 4-hour rule is now being questioned by a lot of doctors. Better safe than sorry, though!

Taking the meds on an empty stomach just ensures that as much of the dose is transferred into the bloodstream as possible. If your schedule doesn't allow time between dosing and eating and the meds don't have an eneteric coating, you can always take it sublingually (under the tongue) for quick absorption.

tashdownunder

I thought the reason why doctors usually advise you to take the thyroid medication first thing in the morning is because you need to take it on an empty stomach. At least, that is the case for me, and I am on thyroxine.

I wonder if you could consider using an energy/electrolyte drink such as Gatorade to help you have more energy when exercising in the morning. Do you think that would be classified as food and still affect the absorption of Synthroid? I'm not sure, but it's worth investigating. Otherwise I'm afraid your only option if the nausea is too bad might be to take the medication even earlier in the morning.

lmelangley

Here's my story. The doctor told me to take my med first thing in the morning, and to wait for an hour before eating anything. But, I'm a first thing in the am coffee addict, and the cream in my coffee counts as food so I was unhappy. So, I started taking my Levothyroxine at night - right before I brush my teeth. Knowing I need to take it on an empty stomach helps me to not eat late at night, as a bonus. Anyway, I started doing that about 11 years ago and haven't looked back. My levels have been pretty steady - haven't had a dosage increase for probably 8 years. You'd need to speak with your doctor, but my understanding is that the only reason we're told to take it in the a.m. is that it can keep some people awake if they take it before bed. Personally, I'd try it in your situation and see if it works for you.

StephanieStroud

Thanks everyone. I don't think it's the medication, I've been on it for years and didn't have this problem before.

I'm becoming convinced that it's blood sugar related. I have to see my Doctor in a couple of weeks and plan on speaking to her about trying a night time dose. I have to check my blood sugar before bed so I can't eat at least 2 hours.

shheriii

I wake up at 5:30 to work out, drink a carnation breakfast and then work out for an hour....I wait to take my pill until after I shower everyday. Having something in my stomach feels a lot better and more energizing than nothing. My Dr. and my prescription bottle says to take it in the am on an empty stomach.

emstethem

My pharmacist told me to take my medicine first thing in the morning (about an hour before eating) and not to have fiber wtih breakfast because this would hinder my body's absorption of the medicine. Also, Synthroid did NOT work for me. I take Armour Thyroid, and I am finally seeing progress. I will NOT work out on an empty stomach. I usually do my workout in the evening (around 4 or 5) and I'm nice and tuckered out for bedtime! But some of the suggestions on here about taking the medicine at night sound good. Maybe that will work for you. Good luck. Hope you feel better soon.

zobqueen

I take Synthroid in the evenings before going to bed. Works for me......levels have been great for years. Guess it's what works for you as an individual. Taking it in the morning - just didn't work for me - as I have coffee with FF HalfnHalf first thing upon rising in the mornings.

shakybabe

I tried it at night as heard it absorbed better to be honest I didn't feel any different.

I do find I exercise better first thing, sweat more, burn more and stick to the whole routine. If I wait until later (after taken dog out had breakfast, done some work on computer) etc I find I get bored quick often don't even finish 30 mins and don't get a sweat on even when I do manage to stick to the entire routine.

I get my best results when I start really early like 5-6am in the morning I also find I have more energy for the rest of the day and get more done. I take mine as soon as I get up, if I'm exercising first I'm only drinking water anyway and if woke up later I go straight out with dog first and have breakfast when I get back so eating at least 60 mins after taking them.

I've been hypothyroid since birth though and no-one ever told me not to take them with food or milk as my mum used to crush them and mix them in with my weetabix when I was little to get them down me when I was a toddler! My GP says he can't see it would make any difference on my dose I am on highest dose as mine has never made any itself and my body is used to it as I've never had a working thyroid. (born with it underdeveloped due to mum getting blood poisoning during pregnancy)

He said it maybe if other people are on smaller doses it absorbs better so then they don't have to be on as high a dose to feel better? I've tried taking before food and night before but found no difference for me personally.