Second Most-Commonly Prescribed Drug for Older Adults Is Linked to Bone Loss

A popular thyroid medication taken by 23 million Americans may be associated with bone loss, a startling new study finds.

Levothyroxine — marketed under brand names such as Synthroid — is the second most commonly prescribed medication among older adults in the US. It’s consumed by about 7% of the US population.

The drug addresses hypothyroidism, also known as an underactive thyroid, by replacing or providing more of a thyroid hormone naturally produced by the body.

The study authors, from Johns Hopkins Medicine, linked levothyroxine use to a greater loss of bone mass and bone density over six years — even in older adults with normal thyroid function.

The preliminary research compared the bone health of 81 levothyroxine users and 364 non-users, who were mostly in their early 70s. (Read more from “Second Most-Commonly Prescribed Drug for Older Adults Is Linked to Bone Loss” HERE)