Question

I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Liothyronin? Is Liothyronin safe for nursing mother and child? Does Liothyronin extracts into breast milk? Does Liothyronin has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Liothyronin influence milk supply or can Liothyronin decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?

Liothyronin lactation summary

Liothyronin is safe in breastfeeding
  • DrLact safety Score for Liothyronin is 1 out of 8 which is considered Safe as per our analyses.
  • A safety Score of 1 indicates that usage of Liothyronin is mostly safe during lactation for breastfed baby.
  • Our study of different scientific research also indicates that Liothyronin does not cause any serious side effects in breastfeeding mothers.
  • Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Liothyronin 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 Liothyronin 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 Liothyronin usage in lactation

Liothyronin (T3) is a normal component of human milk. If replacement doses of Liothyronin 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 Liothyronin 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] Liothyronin dosage requirement may be increased in the postpartum period compared to prepregnancy requirements patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.[2]

Liothyronin 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]

Liothyronin 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 Liothyronin would not be expected to further improve lactation.

Alternate Drugs

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