Tirosint Brand Name Levothyroxine Formulation

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Tirosint is the brand name for a form of levothyroxine designed for people with allergies to fillers and dyes found in standard formulations. It is available in soft gel capsules, as well as a liquid formulation, that do not contain dyes, gluten, alcohol, lactose, or sugar. Besides T4, Tirosint contains only three inactive ingredients: gelatin, glycerin, and water.

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Who It May Benefit

In addition to those with allergies, Tirosint has been found effective in treating people with hypothyroidism who have certain digestive conditions, such as celiac disease, Crohn's disease, or atrophic gastritis. These conditions interfere with the absorption of traditional levothyroxine tablets, making them less effective; Tirosint seems to bypass the malabsorption problems.

Along the same line, Tirosint offers benefits to people for whom food or drink interfere with the absorption of their levothyroxine tablets. In fact, Tirosint appears to be "coffee-resistant" and, according to researchers, may be used to achieve a target thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level in people who are unwilling or unable to change the way they take their levothyroxine.

Even for 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

If your practitioner prescribes Tirosint, be sure to review all 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 healthcare provider may have to adjust your diabetes treatment regimen and monitor you more closely.

Make sure to give your healthcare provider a list of all your current medications, vitamins, and supplements before you start taking Tirosint.

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Dosing

Tirosint capsules cannot be crushed, chewed, or cut.

The available doses include:

  • 13 mcg
  • 25 mcg
  • 50 mcg
  • 75 mcg
  • 88 mcg
  • 100 mcg
  • 112 mcg
  • 125 mcg
  • 137 mcg
  • 150 mcg
  • 175mcg 
  • 200mcg

The liquid formulation is taken once daily on an empty stomach, one-half to one hour before breakfast, and dosing is based on specific patient needs.

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

If you are having problems with your thyroid replacement medication due to allergies or absorption problems, Tirosint may be a sensible alternative for you. If you are switching to Tirosint, be sure to follow up with your healthcare provider—you will need to have blood tests after six weeks to ensure you are on the proper dose. and to monitor potential adverse effects of the drug.

4 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.
  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. Food and Drug Administration. Tirosint (levothyroxine sodium).

  4. Tirosint-SOL. FDA label.

By Mary Shomon
Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. She is the author of "The Thyroid Diet Revolution."