Thyroid Disease Treatment Tirosint Brand Name Levothyroxine Formulation 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 Lindsey Waldman, MD, RD on November 07, 2019 linkedin Lindsey Waldman, MD, RD, is a board-certified pediatrician and pediatric endocrinologist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Lindsey Waldman, MD, RD Updated on January 28, 2020 Print Table of Contents View All Uses Side Effects Dosing Cost Tirosint is the brand name for a form of levothyroxine designed for people with allergies to fillers and dyes found in standard formulations. The soft gel capsules contain no dyes, gluten, alcohol, lactose, or sugar. Besides T4, Tirosint contains only three inactive ingredients: gelatin, glycerin, and water. Who It May Benefit In addition to those with allergies, Tirosint has been found particularly effective in treating people with hypothyroidism who have certain digestive conditions, such as celiac disease, Crohn's disease, or atrophic gastritis. Due to intestinal absorption issues, these conditions make traditional levothyroxine tablets less effective; Tirosint seems to bypass the malabsorption problems. Along the same line, Tirosint offers benefits to people whose typical levothyroxine tablets are interfered with by their breakfast food and/or morning coffee. In fact, Tirosint appears to be "coffee-resistant" and, according to researchers, may be used to achieve a target TSH level in people who are unwilling or unable to change the way they take their levothyroxine. Even in people who do not drink coffee within an hour of taking their medication, TSH testing suggests that people may achieve better absorption using Tirosint, as compared to levothyroxine in tablet form. Possible Side Effects According to the Food and Drug Administration prescribing information for the drug, Tirosint may cause heart problems, including an increased heart rate, chest pain, an irregular heartbeat, and weak or brittle bones. Your risk of developing these issues may be higher if you are elderly or take too much of the medication. If you have diabetes, Tirosint may make it harder to control your blood sugar levels. In this case, your doctor may have to alter your diabetes treatment regimen and monitor you more closely. If your doctor prescribes Tirosint, be sure to review all possible side effects and provide your doctor with a list of all your current medications, vitamins, and supplements. Thyroid Disease Doctor Discussion Guide Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions. Download PDF Email the Guide Send to yourself or a loved one. Sign Up This Doctor Discussion Guide has been sent to {{form.email}}. There was an error. Please try again. Dosing Tirosint cannot be crushed, chewed, or cut. The available ten doses include: 13 mcg25 mcg50 mcg75 mcg88 mcg100 mcg112 mcg125 mcg137 mcg150 mcg175mcg 200mcg Common Thyroid Medication Mistakes That Can Affect Your Treatment Patient Programs Tirosint is manufactured by IBSA Institute Biochimique, a privately-owned, global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland. Tirosint is distributed by IBSA USA, headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey. The company provides two options to help defray the cost of Tirosint. Tirosint Direct Program Through Tirosint Direct, you can get the lowest cash price available, even without health insurance. Prescriptions are delivered by mail at a significantly reduced price through a network of mail-order pharmacies. Tirosint Copay Card If your Tirosint copay is high, you may be able to cut the cost to no more than $25 with Tirosint's copay card. You also can receive your medication by standard USPS delivery for free (it usually takes five days) or by Federal Express overnight or second-day delivery at additional cost. A Word From Verywell Tirosint may be a sensible alternative for you, especially if you are not tolerating or absorbing traditional levothyroxine formulations. If you are switching to Tirosint, though, be sure to follow up with your doctor. You will need to have a blood test after six weeks to ensure you are on the proper dose. 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. Fallahi P et al. Advancements in the treatment of hypothyroidism With L-T4 liquid formulation or soft gel capsule: An update. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2017;14(5):647-55. doi:10.1080/17425247.2016.1227782 Vita R, Saraceno G, Trimarchi F, Benvenga S. A novel formulation of L-thyroxine (L-T4) reduces the problem of L-T4 malabsorption by coffee observed with traditional tablet formulations. Endocrine. 2013;43(1):154-60. doi:10.1007/s12020-012-9772-2 Food and Drug Administration. Tirosint (levothyroxine sodium). Updated December 2017.