Armour Thyroid interactions: Alcohol, medications, and other factors

Armour Thyroid interactions with other medications  

Before you start treatment with Armour Thyroid, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Armour Thyroid interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Armour Thyroid and other interactions” section.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Armour Thyroid. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Armour Thyroid. Some of these interactions are described in detail in “Drug interactions in depth.”

Armour Thyroid and other interactions

Armour Thyroid may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Armour Thyroid.

Armour Thyroid interactions with supplements

Before you start treatment with Armour Thyroid, tell your doctor and pharmacist which supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Armour Thyroid and herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Armour Thyroid. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Armour Thyroid treatment.

Armour Thyroid interactions with vitamins and minerals

Armour Thyroid can interact with several minerals, including:

• calcium
• chromium
• iron
• magnesium

If Armour Thyroid and a supplement containing any of these minerals are taken at the same time, the minerals may bind to Armour Thyroid. This can decrease your body’s absorption of Armour Thyroid.

To help prevent this interaction, take Armour Thyroid at least 4 hours before or after consuming a multivitamin or supplement that contains any of the above minerals.

Armour Thyroid interactions with food

You should avoid eating food at least 30 to 60 minutes before taking Armour Thyroid. If you take Armour Thyroid with food, the interaction could decrease the level of the drug in your body. This may make Armour Thyroid less effective.

Armour Thyroid and vaccines

There aren’t any known interactions between Armour Thyroid and vaccines. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to see whether you’re due for any vaccines.

Armour Thyroid and lab tests

Armour Thyroid isn’t known to interact with any lab tests. If you have concerns about this medication interacting with lab tests, talk with your doctor.

ARMOUR THYROID INTERACTION WITH CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Armour Thyroid. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Armour Thyroid. The effect of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Armour Thyroid treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

When to avoid Armour Thyroid

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Armour Thyroid due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. The contraindications of Armour Thyroid include:

Having untreated adrenal cortical insufficiency

Taking a thyroid replacement, such as Armour Thyroid, and having untreated adrenal insufficiency can trigger a sudden adrenal crisis. This is a life threatening condition in which your adrenal glands don’t make enough of the hormone cortisol. If you have adrenal insufficiency, your doctor will likely want to treat it before prescribing Armour Thyroid.

Having untreated thyrotoxicosis

With thyrotoxicosis, there are high levels of thyroid hormones in your system. Since Armour Thyroid provides replacement thyroid hormones, taking the drug could worsen thyrotoxicosis.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about thyrotoxicosis and Armour Thyroid.

Having had an allergic reaction to Armour Thyroid or any of its ingredients

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Armour Thyroid or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Armour Thyroid. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Note: Before you start treatment with Armour Thyroid, it’s important to tell your doctor if these contraindications apply to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Armour Thyroid.

Armour Thyroid interaction with alcohol

There are no known interactions between Armour Thyroid and alcohol.

If you have questions about drinking alcohol while taking Armour Thyroid, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug interactions in depth

Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Armour Thyroid.

Diabetes medications

Armour Thyroid can interact with diabetes medications.

Interaction result: Taking Armour Thyroid with diabetes medications can make the diabetes drug less effective.

Interaction explained: Thyroid hormone replacements, such as Armour Thyroid, can affect how well diabetes medications lower your blood sugar level.

Examples of diabetes drugs: Here are some diabetes medications that may interact with Armour Thyroid:

• insulins, such as insulin glargine (Lantus, others)
• sulfonylureas, such as glimepiride (Amaryl)
• metformin (Fortamet, Glumetza)
• semaglutide (Rybelsus, Ozempic)

Steps you or your doctor may take: It’s typically safe to take Armour Thyroid with diabetes medications. But your doctor may want to monitor your blood sugar closely if you take both. This may include adjusting how often they want you to check your blood sugar at home. And your doctor may adjust the dosage of your diabetes medication(s) while you’re taking Armour Thyroid, especially when you first begin treatment.

PPIs

Armour Thyroid can interact with PPIs. These drugs are used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach ulcers (sores), and acid reflux.

Interaction result: Taking Armour Thyroid with a PPI can make Armour Thyroid less effective.

Interaction explained: PPIs work by lowering stomach acid. But your body needs stomach acid to properly break down and absorb Armour Thyroid when you take a dose.

Examples of PPI drugs: Here are some PPIs that may interact with Armour Thyroid:

• dexlansoprazole (Dexilant)
• esomeprazole (Nexium)
• lansoprazole (Prevacid)
• omeprazole (Prilosec)
• pantoprazole (Protonix)

Steps you or your doctor may take: If you need to take Armour Thyroid together with a PPI, your doctor will likely monitor your thyroid hormone levels more closely. You may need to receive blood tests to check these levels more often. Your doctor may adjust your Armour Thyroid dosage based on the results of these tests.

Estrogens

Armour Thyroid can interact with estrogens, including birth control pills that contain estrogen.

Interaction result: Taking Armour Thyroid and an estrogen medication can make Armour Thyroid less effective.

Interaction explained: Estrogens can lower certain thyroid hormone levels. Armour Thyroid is a thyroid hormone replacement.

Examples of estrogen drugs: Here are some estrogens that may interact with Armour Thyroid:

• levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol (Ashlyna, others)
• desogestrel/ethinyl estradiol (Bekyree, others)
• estradiol/drospirenone (Angeliq)
• estradiol (Climara, others)

Steps you or your doctor may take: If you need to take Armour Thyroid with an estrogen medication, your doctor may prescribe a higher Armour Thyroid dosage. They’ll also likely monitor your thyroid hormone levels with blood tests throughout treatment.

Armour Thyroid and health-related interactions

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Armour Thyroid. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Armour Thyroid may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Armour Thyroid include:

• Untreated adrenal cortical insufficiency or untreated thyrotoxicosis: These conditions may affect whether your doctor prescribes Armour Thyroid. To learn more, see the “When to avoid Armour Thyroid” section.
• Diabetes: Thyroid replacements, such as Armour Thyroid, can worsen diabetes. Your doctor may adjust the dosage of your diabetes medications if you’re prescribed Armour Thyroid.
• Heart conditions: Armour Thyroid may cause heart-related side effects or worsen existing heart conditions such as arrhythmia or heart disease. If you have a heart condition, your doctor may prescribe a lower Armour Thyroid dosage.
• Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Armour Thyroid or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Armour Thyroid. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you. To learn more, see the “When to avoid Armour Thyroid” section.
• Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to take Armour Thyroid while breastfeeding. Armour Thyroid isn’t known to have negative effects on a child who is breastfed, but caution is still advised. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to, talk with your doctor before taking Armour Thyroid. They can talk with you about treatment options and ways to feed your child.
• Pregnancy: Armour Thyroid may be safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Armour Thyroid. They can advise on the right treatment plan for you.

Preventing interactions

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Armour Thyroid. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

• Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
• Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
• Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Armour Thyroid label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Armour Thyroid doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Armour Thyroid by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.