Absorption of oral thyroxine in man
Abstract
Intestinal absorption of thyroxine (T4) was estimated from the serum 125I/131I ratio after simultaneous administration of oral T4-125I and intravenous T4-131I. Studies in normal subjects showed that the form of the oral T4-l26I was of great importance to its absorption: When given in .01 g human serum albumin (HSA), absorption was 71.1% ±9.0 (sd); in .30 g HSA, 46.9±6.1; in gastric juice with carrier T4 but without HSA, 73.5 ±10.4; in saline, 50.0 ±7.5; and in capsules (with lactose) 41.7 ±9.0. With all techniques, maximum absorption percentages became constant after a few hours. Ultimate T4 absorption was unaffected by administration of epinephrine or methylglucamine. Studies in patients showed decreased absorption in those with malabsorption syndrome and in some cirrhotic individuals. Other cirrhotics had unusually high absorption percentages. Normal results were obtained in some cirrhotic patients, and in the other groups of patients studied, including 4 individuals thought to require large replacement doses of thyroid hormones. It is concluded that T4 absorption in man is easily inhibited by a variety of factors, probably due to binding in the intestine. T4 which is not absorbed soon after entry into the intestine presumably becomes firmly bound and is not available for later absorption. T4 absorption is not profoundly altered by diseases other than general malabsorption syndromes.
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The absorption of an orally administered dose of LT4 is about 70%-80% under optimum fasting conditions.
“The absorption of an orally administered dose of LT4 is about 70%-80% under optimum fasting conditions (38,119,120).”
From Guidelines for the Treatment of Hypothyroidism: Prepared by the American Thyroid Association Task Force on Thyroid Hormone Replacement (2014) · cites this paper as [119]
The secreted conjugated T4 is broken down by the intestinal flora and partially reabsorbed.
“The secreted conjugated T4 is then broken down by the intestinal flora and partially reabsorbed (20, 31).”
From Levothyroxine: conventional and novel drug delivery formulations. (2023) · cites this paper as [20]
In 4 healthy volunteers, overall absorption of LT4 ranged from 60% to 80%; specifically, 15 ± 5% was absorbed in the duodenum, 29 ± 14% in the jejunum, and 24 ± 11% in the ileum.
“An experiment in 4 healthy volunteers showed overall absorption ranging from 60% to 80%. Specifically, 15 ± 5% was absorbed in the duodenum, 29 ± 14% in the jejunum, and 24 ± 11% in the ileum.”
From Levothyroxine: conventional and novel drug delivery formulations. (2023) · cites this paper as [20]
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“The absorption of an orally administered dose of LT4 is about 70%–80% under optimum fasting conditions (38,119,120).”
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“Since the first analysis of LT4 absorption using oral (125)I-thyroxine and intravenous (131)I-thyroxine (30), Greenstadt et al.”
Background
- Authors
- HAYS, M. T.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Corresponding author
- HAYS, MARGUERITE T.
- Venue
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
- Publisher
- The Endocrine Society
- Published
- 1968-06
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 749-756
- ISSN
- 0021-972X (ISSN-L)
- 1945-7197
- OpenAlex
- W1984453496
- Cited by
- 111
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Public Health Service
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Thyroid Disorders and Treatments
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmaceutical Science › Drug Solubulity and Delivery Systems
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
- Keywords
- thyroxine, intestinal absorption, iodine-125, iodine-131, serum albumin binding, gastric juice, malabsorption, liver cirrhosis, epinephrine, thyroid hormone replacement
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Breast Neoplasms, Epinephrine, Female, Hepatitis, Humans, Hyperthyroidism, Intestinal Absorption, Iodine Radioisotopes, Iodipamide, Liver Cirrhosis, Liver Neoplasms, Malabsorption Syndromes, Male, Neoplasm Metastasis, Serum Albumin, Radio-Iodinated, Thyroxine
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