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The recent interesting article by Ohye et al¹ addressed the continuing problem of nonprescribed and occult medication use. I applaud the scientific dedication of the 2 lead authors who took it upon themselves to ingest the implicated tablets, which have been analyzed to contain portions of tetraiodothyronine (T₄) and triiodothyronine (T₃). Most would have been convinced without the need to take this extra step, which is unnecessary for 2 reasons. The first is that data on the pharmacokinetic of T₃ and T₄ are well established.² The 34 µg to 45 µg of T₄ would have few biological effects owing to the binding of T₄ to circulating proteins. As the half-life of T₄ is 7 to 10 days, a good 4 to 6 weeks of consistent T₄ ingestion would need to occur to ensure a therapeutic level. The elevated T₃ level is consistent with its short half-life, and the . . . [Full Text of this Article]

AUTHOR INFORMATION
Huy A. Tran, MD, FRCPA

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