Can you lose weight with L-thyroxine?
There are many more or less bizarre weight loss tips – such as sipping a special coffee, eating only pineapple from morning to night, or filling your stomach with cotton balls soaked in fruit juice. Sometimes even medications that are actually used to treat illnesses are misused as diet aids – for example, the prescription-only L-thyroxine: Losing weight with the artificial thyroid hormone has been a popular trend on the Internet and on social media platforms for some time.
But does it really work?
L-thyroxine effects in the body
L-thyroxine (also called levothyroxine) has the same structure and therefore the same effect as the body’s own thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4). It is partially converted in the body into the second natural thyroid hormone – the shorter-lived triiodothyronine (T3). This exerts the same effects as T4, but is more potent.
- Increase of the energy metabolism
- Stimulation of carbohydrate metabolism and fat breakdown
Because of the same spectrum of action, L-thyroxine can take over the tasks of the natural thyroid hormones when taken regularly, if the thyroid gland produces them in insufficient quantities. This is the case, for example, in hypothyroidism. Due to the lack of T3 and T4, the metabolism only runs at “low speed”, i.e. at a slower rate. In this case, it can be boosted to a healthy level with the right dosage of L-thyroxine.
People who use L-thyroxine to lose weight also want to take advantage of this metabolism-boosting effect – even though they do not actually have hypothyroidism and their metabolism functions quite normally: However, the body is supposed to use even more energy so that the fat pads on the stomach, legs and buttocks disappear.
On the one hand, taking L-thyroxine without an existing thyroid hormone deficiency poses serious health risks (more on this below). Secondly, the weight loss effect achieved is not permanent: as soon as the L-thyroxine preparation is discontinued, the previously lost kilos usually return.
What happens when taking L-thyroxine without hypothyroidism?
The body’s hormonal system – which includes the thyroid gland and its hormones – is a highly complex system involved in countless important processes. It starts with growth, development and metabolic processes, extends to reproduction and extends to blood pressure regulation and the body’s reactions to stress and strain.
The supply of hormones without medical necessity can severely disrupt this finely balanced control system. This can have significant effects on health:
In both cases, the excess hormone can trigger symptoms that also occur in hyperthyroidism (= overproduction of thyroid hormones). These include:
- Palpitations, cardiac arrhythmias
- @ High blood pressure
- trembling, nervousness
- rapid fatigue
- diarrhea
- sweating, intolerance to heat (heat intolerance)
- loss of muscle mass
- bone loss
Conclusion
More sports, change of diet, medicinal or surgical measures against obesity – you can also lose weight in different ways. You should not use L-thyroxine to get rid of excess kilos: Only take the hormone preparation if your doctor has prescribed it to treat your thyroid disease, and stick to the recommended dosage. Taking L-thyroxine purely to lose weight will have no lasting effect, but may seriously jeopardize your health.
