Is T3 Safe in Breastfeeding
Question
I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use T3? Is T3 safe for nursing mother and child? Does T3 extracts into breast milk? Does T3 has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can T3 influence milk supply or can T3 decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?
T3 lactation summary
- DrLact safety Score for T3 is 1 out of 8 which is considered Safe as per our analyses.
- A safety Score of 1 indicates that usage of T3 is mostly safe during lactation for breastfed baby.
- Our study of different scientific research also indicates that T3 does not cause any serious side effects in breastfeeding mothers.
- Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of T3 safe in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
- Score calculated using the DrLact safety Version 1.2 model, this score ranges from 0 to 8 and measures overall safety of drug in lactation. Scores are primarily calculated using publicly available case studies, research papers, other scientific journals and publically available data.
Answer by Dr. Ru: About T3 usage in lactation
Synthetic preparation of human thyroid hormone T3 used in the treatment of hypothyroidism. Since the last update, we have not found published data on its excretion in breast milk. T3 is a natural component of breast milk, found in small concentrations that may or may not depend on plasma levels (Zhang 2013, Oberkotter 1989, Jansson 1983, Mizuta 1983, Sato 1979). Its concentration in breast milk is much higher than that of levothyroxine (T4), which is usually undetectable (Jansson 1983, Sato 1979). Until there is more published data on this drug in relation to breastfeeding, safer known alternatives (levothyroxine) may be preferable, especially during the neonatal period and in case of prematurity. Associations which are experts in thyroid diseases recommend treatment with levothyroxine in breastfeeding mothers affected by hypothyroidism (Alexander 2017).
Answer by DrLact: About T3 usage in lactation
T3 (T3) is a normal component of human milk. If replacement doses of T3 are required by the mother, it is not necessarily a reason to discontinue breastfeeding. However, because no information is available on the use of exogenous T3 during breastfeeding, an alternate drug may be preferred. The American Thyroid Association recommends that subclinical and overt hypothyroidism should be treated with levothyroxine in lactating women seeking to breastfeed.[1] T3 dosage requirement may be increased in the postpartum period compared to prepregnancy requirements patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.[2]
T3 Side Effects in Breastfeeding
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date. However, the thyroid hormone content of human milk from the mothers of very preterm infants appears not to be sufficient to affect the infants thyroid status.[10]
T3 Possible Effects in Breastfeeding
Adequate thyroid hormone serum levels are required for normal lactation. Replacing deficient thyroid levels should improve milk production caused by hypothyroidism. Supraphysiologic doses of T3 would not be expected to further improve lactation.