Many people want to drink a cup of coffee before heading to work or getting the day started. COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. Chocolate also contains caffeine, although to a much lesser degree. These products decrease the absorption and thus the effectiveness of levothyroxine. Copyright © Years ago, Italian researchers demonstrated that coffee interferes with the absorption of levothyroxine pills such as Synthroid (Benvenga et al Thyroid, March 2008). They also pointed out that bran and other dietary fibers block levothyroxine absorption more completely. Or start taking your coffee black. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the LIVESTRONG.COM Given that many patients take their thyroid medicine with beverages other than water, and specifically with coffee or tea, understanding whether and how much coffee or tea may decrease thyroid hormone absorption is important for clinical practice.This study will help determine the safest and most effective way for adults to take their thyroid medication and will guide medical practitioners in how to counsel their patients when they prescribe thyroid hormone.Previous studies have suggested that taking thyroid replacement therapy with coffee potentially hinders its absorption. Your doctor will most likely direct you to take levothyroxine on an empty stomach with a full glass of water and to avoid eating and drinking anything other than water for an hour afterward. The authors of a July 2013 report in Thyroid listed several foods and beverages you should stay away from including grapefruit, grapefruit juice, soy protein and coffee. Since they can produce little if any natural thyroid hormone, their bodies are not able to compensate for decreased amounts of levothyroxine.You can still drink caffeine-containing beverages if you take levothyroxine, as long as you do not ingest caffeine at the same time as your medication. So do antacids containing aluminum hydroxide or sucralfate. In particular, those patients with little or no natural thyroid function are most likely to suffer the deleterious effects of levothyroxine malabsorption. We already know that food especially a fiber-rich diet, cholestyramine resin, aluminum containing antacids, activated charcoal, and certain herbal remedies among others interfere with the ability to absorb thyroid medicine. She is a former teacher and librarian, and she holds a bachelor's degree in education from Augustana College and master's degrees in education and library science from North Park University and the University of Wisconsin. Other substances can cause effects similar to drug interactions. Coffee. Doctors prescribe this drug for patients whose thyroids do not manufacture sufficient amounts of hormone or who have had their thyroids removed due to disease or cancer. To avoid any fluctuations in your day-to-day absorption of levothyroxine, maintain a consistent time schedule for taking both your medication and for ingesting caffeine, suggests "Pharmacy Times." Caffeine is a widely available substance found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate. Specifically we are interested in whether coffee, coffee with milk, or black tea affects how thyroid medication is absorbed by the body. You can still eat and drink foods containing caffeine as long as you precisely follow your physician's instructions for levothyroxine dosing and avoid taking caffeine at the same time.Levothyroxine, also called T4 or thyroid hormone, is sold under such brand names as Synthroid, Levoxyl and Unithroid. Blood draws will occur at the end of each 6 week period on test days 1, 2, 3, and 4. Caffeinated and decaf coffee stimulates the arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and sympathetic nervous activity that includes tremors or jitters and hand shaking. But if you do so before or within an hour after taking your levothyroxine (L-T4), you may experience reduced absorption of the drug, which makes it less effective. However, many patients take their thyroid medicine with their morning cup of coffee prior to eating breakfast. However, many patients take their thyroid medicine with their morning cup of coffee prior to eating breakfast.