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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Like many people, you may be in the habit of asking for the generic equivalent of a medication to save money. But if you take levothyroxine, the main drug used to treat hypothyroidism, whether to use a generic versus a name-brand drug may need to be considered carefully. Levothyroxine is sold under several brand names, including Synthroid, Levoxyl, Unithroid, and Levothroid. A generic version of levothyroxine is also available. But there is some controversy about whether it's as effective and reliable as the brand-name versions. This article explains how the potency can vary between brand-name and generic versions of levothyroxine. It also explains the possible consequences of switching, as well as when a brand-name product is the best choice. Levothyroxine Preparations Levothyroxine is a synthetic (man-made) version of thyroxine, or T4, the main hormone that is made and released by your thyroid gland. Levothyroxine is prescribed for people with an underactive thyroid, a condition known as hypothyroidism. Most medications are available in brand-name and generic preparations. Brand-name preparations are usually the first ones available on the market. After a period of time, other manufacturers are allowed to make generic versions of the same drug. While the active ingredient is the same, the inactive ingredients added to improve absorption, preserve the drug, or add color can differ. Generic preparations may be less expensive for patients and pharmacists. The brand-name preparations of levothyroxine available in the United States for the treatment of hypothyroidism have been thoroughly tested. They are known to be reliable and effective. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved the use of generic levothyroxine, which is made by several different pharmaceutical companies. Drug Consistency Most brand-name drugs do not differ much from their generic counterparts, so switching between the two is not an issue. Levothyroxine, however, is one of a handful of exceptions. The versions differ in two key ways: potency and added ingredients (which are usually inactive). Potency Manufacturers of any preparation of levothyroxine must ensure that their drug is within 5% of its stated potency, which must be between 95% and 105%, per the FDA. This leaves room for small, but meaningful, differences between levothyroxine products. Given that the FDA allows such a variation, it's easy to think that it won't make much difference which type you take. But levothyroxine has a "narrow therapeutic window," meaning that treatment must be fine-tuned to achieve the desired effects. The potency of one levothyroxine option may seem only slightly different from another. But that difference could add up to the equivalent of anywhere from about half a pill less to an entire pill more than your intended dosage over the course of a week—even if you take your
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