Thyroid Disease Print Do NSAIDs Affect Your Thyroid Levels? By Mary Shomon facebook twitter linkedin Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. She is the author of "The Thyroid Diet Revolution." Learn about our editorial process Mary Shomon Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Richard N. Fogoros, MD on November 29, 2018 facebook linkedin Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified internal medicine physician and cardiologist. He is Verywell's Senior Medical Advisor. Learn about our Medical Review Board Richard N. Fogoros, MD Updated on March 13, 2019 Thyroid Disease Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Coping In This Article Table of Contents Expand General Side Effects Effect on Thyroid Function Implications View All Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most frequently taken over-the-counter medications. Due to their systemic or whole body effects, it's natural to wonder whether NSAIDs target your thyroid gland in addition to the other tissues and organs in your body. It is possible that these drugs may affect your thyroid, but the scientific evidence backing up such a role is scant. General Side Effects of NSAIDs NSAIDs reduce pain and inflammation in the body by blocking enzymes called cyclooxygenases. While many options are available over-the-counter, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, others are available only by prescription. Most people tolerate NSAIDs well, but side effects—such as stomach irritation and headaches—can occur. In fact, some people should not take NSAIDs at all, like those with kidney disease, heart failure, or cirrhosis. NSAID Safety NSAIDs and Your Thyroid Function While the list of main concerns related to NSAID use does not include any threats to thyroid function, there are two studies that suggest NSAIDs may influence it. In one study published in the journal Life Sciences, investigators used computer and chemistry methods (not human participants) to analyze the interaction of three commonly prescribed NSAIDs—Voltaren (diclofenac), Aleve (naproxen), and Celebrex (celecoxib)—with thyroid hormone receptors in the body. The investigators found that Voltaren and Celebrex (but not Aleve) did bind to thyroid hormone receptors, which could theoretically impair thyroid hormone signaling. In the end, though, it's unfortunately difficult to translate this finding to actual people. Another study, published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), was done in humans, but the participant group was very small. In this study, twenty-five healthy individuals underwent a single-dose trial and/or a one-week trial with one of the following NSAIDs, which are listed here alongside common brand names for reference: Over-the-counter NSAIDs: Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Anaprox)Prescription NSAIDs: Salsalate (Disalcid, Salflex), meclofenamate (Meclomen), indomethacin (Indocin, Tivorbex) Total and free thyroxine (T4) and T3 thyroid hormones, as well as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, were analyzed over an eight-hour period after a single dose and daily in the one-week trial. The researchers found that ibuprofen, naproxen, and indomethacin (either as a single dose or a one-week course) did not change the levels of any of the thyroid hormones measured. However, single and weekly doses of aspirin and salsalate decreased various total and free thyroid hormone measurements, while single doses of meclofenamate increased levels. Implications for Your Care Perhaps these results suggest it's best to choose ibuprofen or Aleve over aspirin for your run-of-the-mill muscle or joint pain, especially if you are concerned about your thyroid hormone levels. Even so, the JCEM study is really too small to draw any sufficient conclusions. Until it's replicated with more participants, you cannot interpret much from the findings. Until the thyroid/NSAID link is teased out, it's probably reasonable to take any NSAID (even if you have thyroid disease), assuming you have no other contraindications and your doctor gives you the OK. NSAIDs are popular and highly effective medications. The downside is that because they work throughout the body, they may target various tissues causing undesirable side effects. This is why it's important to only take an NSAID under the care of your physician and to take the lowest dose for the shortest period of time as needed. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Losing weight with thyroid disease can be a struggle. Our thyroid-friendly meal plan can help. Sign up and get yours free! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Wilcox CM, Cryer B, Triadafilopoulos G. Patterns of use and public perception of over-the-counter pain relievers: focus on nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. J Rheumatol. 2005;32(11):2218-24. Gunaydin C, Bilge SS. Effects of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs at the Molecular Level. Eurasian J Med. 2018;50(2):116–121. doi:10.5152/eurasianjmed.2018.0010 Hörl WH. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and the Kidney. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2010;3(7):2291–2321. Published 2010 Jul 21. doi:10.3390/ph3072291 Zloh M, Perez-diaz N, Tang L, Patel P, Mackenzie LS. Evidence that diclofenac and celecoxib are thyroid hormone receptor beta antagonists. Life Sci. 2016;146:66-72. Samuels MH, Pillote K, Asher D, Nelson JC. Variable effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents on thyroid test results. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003;88(12):5710-6. Additional Reading Samuels MH, Pillote K, Asher D, Nelson JC. Variable Effects of Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Agents on Thyroid Test Results. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Dec;88(12):5710-6. Zioh M, Perez-Diaz N, Tang L, Patel P, Mackenzie LS. Evidence that diclofenac and celecoxib are thyroid hormone receptor beta antagonists. Life Sci. 2016 Feb 1;146:66-72.