Are you considering adding MCT oil to your diet, but worried about how it may interact with your thyroid medication?
As someone with Hashimoto’s or other thyroid disorders, it’s important to be cautious about what you consume. While MCT oil is not a treatment for thyroid conditions, it can offer some benefits when used correctly.
In this article, we’ll explore the relationship between MCT oil and thyroid medication, and provide some tips on how to safely incorporate MCT oil into your diet.
So, let’s dive in and find out if you can take MCT oil with thyroid medication!
Can I Take MCT Oil With Thyroid Medication?
The short answer is yes, you can take MCT oil with thyroid medication. However, it’s important to be aware of how MCT oil may affect your medication and thyroid function.
Firstly, it’s important to note that MCT oil is not a replacement for thyroid medication. People with Hashimoto’s or other thyroid disorders require careful observation of their thyroid function and often need medication to help increase their thyroid hormone levels.
That being said, MCT oil can offer some benefits when used in conjunction with thyroid medication. By displacing the more common long-chain fatty acids that most people eat with MCT oil, it can lead to a decrease in fat accumulation. This is because MCT oil is readily metabolized for energy instead of being stored as fat. This alone decreases fat storage.
Furthermore, by using MCT oil to help maintain a high rate of metabolism, there’s also a secondary effect in that one will use more fat for energy at rest, thus promoting further fat loss. This can be beneficial for those with thyroid disorders who may struggle with weight gain.
However, it’s important to be cautious when using MCT oil alongside thyroid medication. Levothyroxine (Synthroid, Levoxyl), liothyronine (Cytomel), and other thyroid hormone drugs for hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can be affected by taking supplements and can affect your ability to absorb certain vitamins and minerals.
Therefore, it’s important to speak with your doctor before incorporating MCT oil into your diet. They may recommend adjusting your medication dosage or monitoring your thyroid function more closely.
Additionally, it’s important to choose a high-quality MCT oil that has been triple-distilled and extracted from coconuts without any added chemicals. This will ensure that you are getting a pure product that won’t interfere with your medication or thyroid function.
Understanding Thyroid Medication And MCT Oil
Thyroid medication is essential for people with thyroid disorders, as it helps to increase thyroid hormone levels. However, taking MCT oil alongside thyroid medication can have some benefits, but it’s important to understand how it may affect your medication and thyroid function.
MCT oil can displace long-chain fatty acids that are commonly consumed with a readily metabolized source of energy. This can lead to a decrease in fat accumulation and promote weight loss, which can be beneficial for those with thyroid disorders who may struggle with weight gain.
However, it’s important to be cautious when using MCT oil alongside thyroid medication. Certain medications for hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can be affected by taking supplements and can impact your ability to absorb certain vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it’s crucial to speak with your doctor before incorporating MCT oil into your diet.
Your doctor may recommend adjusting your medication dosage or monitoring your thyroid function more closely. It’s also important to choose a high-quality MCT oil that has been triple-distilled and extracted from coconuts without any added chemicals to ensure that you are getting a pure product that won’t interfere with your medication or thyroid function.
Potential Benefits Of MCT Oil For Thyroid Health
MCT oil may offer several potential benefits for thyroid health. One of the primary benefits is that it can help boost energy levels, which is important for people with Hashimoto’s or other thyroid disorders who often experience fatigue and lack of energy. MCT oil is easily absorbed by the body and can quickly provide a healthy boost of energy.
Moreover, MCT oil can help protect the thyroid by directly protecting against harmful polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which can impair metabolism and lead to thyroid dysfunction. By prioritizing the metabolism of MCTs over PUFAs, MCT oil can help protect the thyroid and keep metabolism running at full steam.
Research in animals also suggests that coconut oil, which is a source of MCTs, may help prevent thyroid conditions from developing and improve liver function. Coconut oil’s high levels of medium-chain fatty acids may be responsible for these and other potential health benefits, such as increased metabolism, energy levels, and regulation of blood sugar.
Risks And Side Effects Of Combining MCT Oil And Thyroid Medication
While MCT oil can offer some benefits when used in conjunction with thyroid medication, there are also some risks and side effects to be aware of.
Firstly, MCT oil can interfere with the absorption of thyroid medication, particularly if taken at the same time. This can lead to suboptimal thyroid hormone levels and potentially worsen symptoms of hypothyroidism. It’s important to space out the timing of taking MCT oil and thyroid medication, and to consult with your doctor on the best way to do this.
Secondly, MCT oil can cause digestive issues such as diarrhea, cramping, and bloating in some people. This can be particularly problematic for those with Hashimoto’s or other autoimmune disorders that affect the digestive system. If you experience any digestive issues while taking MCT oil, it’s important to stop use and consult with your doctor.
Lastly, while MCT oil may have potential benefits for those with diabetes, it’s important to monitor blood sugar levels closely when combining it with thyroid medication. MCT oil can affect insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, which may require adjustments in diabetes medication dosages.
Tips For Safely Incorporating MCT Oil Into Your Diet With Thyroid Medication
If you’ve spoken with your doctor and have decided to incorporate MCT oil into your diet alongside thyroid medication, there are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure that you do so safely:
1. Start slow: Begin by adding just a teaspoon of MCT oil to your meals and gradually increase the amount over time. This will help you avoid any potential stomach distress or diarrhea caused by consuming too much MCT oil at once.
2. Follow the dosing instructions: Different brands of MCT oil may have different dosing instructions, so it’s important to follow the recommended amount on the label.
3. Choose the right type of MCT oil: Look for a high-quality MCT oil that is triple-distilled and extracted from coconuts without any added chemicals. This will ensure that you are getting a pure product that won’t interfere with your medication or thyroid function.
4. Avoid consuming MCT oil with coffee: Caffeine can interfere with thyroid medication absorption, so it’s best to limit coffee consumption or wait several hours before or after taking your medication to drink coffee.
5. Monitor your thyroid function: It’s important to keep an eye on your thyroid function when incorporating any new supplement into your diet. Your doctor may recommend more frequent blood tests to ensure that your thyroid levels remain stable.
By following these tips and working closely with your doctor, you can safely incorporate MCT oil into your diet alongside thyroid medication and potentially reap the benefits of this powerful supplement.
