One of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the US might put users at a higher risk of an agonizing bone disease, according to new research.
About 23 million Americans take levothyroxine, sold as Synthroid, each day, making it one of the five most widely used medications in the country.
It is a synthetic hormone prescribed to people with problems with their thyroid, the gland which helps control energy, weight and hair growth.
But researchers found that patients who take the drug suffer bone loss at a greater rate than their peers of similar weight, height and health.
The study only looked at older adults who are at the highest risk of the negative effects of frail bones, known as osteoporosis, which makes them frail and vulnerable to falls.
But the researchers from John Hopkins University said adults of all ages taking the drug should discuss the risks with their doctors.
They warned that many patients take Synthroid for so long that it’s no longer clear why it was prescribed to begin with or even if it is still needed.