Levothyroxine therapy and normal TSH yet hypothyroid symptoms
Levothyroxine (LT4, synthetic thyroxine) is the standard therapy given by most physicians for hypothyroid. Yet clinicians experienced in functional case management of thyroid disorders know that patients may often continue to feel poorly due to inadequate T3 (triiodothyronine, the 'active' thyroid hormone converted from T4 outside the gland). A study just published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism offers undeniable evidence that many patients taking only levothyroxine are receiving inadequate treatment. Because TSH responds to T4 and not T3 levels, poor function persists even with normal TSH and . The authors state:
"The ideal therapeutic goal in hypothyroidism would be to restore clinical and biochemical euthyroidism via physiologic thyroid hormone replacement. This concept may seem straightforward, but there are subtleties that have only recently been recognized by the medical community. For the last four decades, the standard approach for thyroid hormone replacement in hypothyroidism has been administration of levothyroxine (LT4) at doses that normalize the serum TSH."
Levothyroxine dogma persists despite prior evidence
An abundance of data contrary to the dogma has already been emerging for years (see these earlier posts: Thyroid hormone conversion affects hypothyroid treatment; Low 'normal' free T3 thyroid hormone predicts death in older patients even without overt hypothyroid; Thyroid in heart, metabolism, brain, kidney; vital importance of T3). Finally the dogma of standard therapy that has endured in fossilized resistance is being overcome.
"The hypothesis that LT4 ‘monotherapy’ will maintain an adequate serum pool of T4 and that the iodothyronine deiodinases will then provide physiologic regulation of T3 availability has been held with much conviction. The dogma in clinical thyroidology that LT4 monotherapy at doses that normalize serum TSH is sufficient to restore euthyroidism has come into question as evidence suggests a significant proportion of patients treated with LT4 continue to experience residual symptoms of hypothyroidism, including psychological and metabolic effects."
Tremendous importance for public health
The authors underline the huge significance for public health:
"Hypothyroidism is a prevalent condition and levothyroxine is commonly prescribed; in 2015 levothyroxine was the single most commonly prescribed medication in the US. Thus understanding whether all parameters of hypothyroidism are universally restored by LT4 monotherapy has great clinical significance."
They set about to determine whether LT4 at doses that normalize serum TSH is associated with normal markers of thyroid status and functional thyroid health by examining data for 9,981 participants with normal serum TSH were identified; 469 were LT4-treated from the giant US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They used this to 9,981 participants with normal serum TSH were identified; 469 were LT4-treated.
Levothyroxine fails to adequately improve T3
Their data show clearly that in many cases levothyroxine monotherapy fails to ensure an adequate T3:T4 ratio and thyroid functional health:
"Participants using LT4 had higher serum total and free T4 and lower serum total and free T3 than healthy or matched controls. This translated to ∽15–20% lower serum T3:T4 ratios in LT4 treatment, as has been shown in other cohorts. In comparison to matched controls, LT4-treated participants: had higher BMI despite report of consuming less calories/day/kg; were more likely to be taking beta-blockers, statins, and anti-depressants; and reported lower total metabolic equivalents. A serum TSH level below the mean in LT4-treated participants was associated with a higher serum free T4 but similar free and total T3; yet those with lower serum TSH levels exhibited higher serum HDL and lower serum LDL, triglycerides, and CRP. Age was associated with serum free T3:free T4 ratio in all participants; caloric intake was associated in LT4-treated individuals."
The lower serum TSH in LT4-treated patients was associated with a different metabolic profile but not higher T3. Commenting on the significance for quality of life they state:
"The major strength of the present studies is the availability of biochemical data as well as markers of quality of life (QOL) in a large population sample to assess for clinical relevance. There were major differences in 7 (out of a total of 21) objective (BMI, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL; beta-blocker, statin and antidepressant use), and 5 (out of a total of 31) subjective (nutrient intake, reported physical activity) clinical parameters between LT4 -treated participants and matched controls. While we recognize that these parameters are not specific markers of hypothyroidism and we cannot determine whether they were different between the groups prior to LT4 treatment, this does not mitigate the fact that these data present a strong challenge the dogma that having a normal serum TSH equates with euthyroidism in LT4 -treatment."
Clinical Note
It should go without saying that almost all hypothyroidism in developed countries is due to autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease). Besides muddying the waters in terms of quantifying the functional effects, practitioners must bear in mind that the systemic burden of inflammation associated with autoimmunity has diverse negative effects, in addition to impairing type 2 deiodinase (D2) conversion of T4 to T3.Commenting in Medscape Medical News, senior author Antonio C Bianco, MD, professor of medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois stated:
"Patients have told us this for years — they complain of having a hard time losing weight and feeling sluggish and depressed. Now, for the first time, we have documentation that supports the patients' complaints, demonstrating that…[this] was not only in their minds, as some have suggested."
The authors conclude:
"...NHANES participants with normal serum TSH levels on LT4 monotherapy exhibit lower serum T3:T4 ratios than healthy euthyroid controls. LT4 -treated individuals have higher BMIs despite reporting lower calorie intake corrected by body weight, report lower physical activity levels, and are more often taking statins, beta- blockers, and antidepressants...the concept that establishing a normal serum TSH renders individuals on LT4 monotherapy clinically euthyroid should be revisited and QOL measures should be more highly prioritized in hypothyroidism research and professional guidelines."