SynthesisInternational journal of obesity (2005)2026
Levothyroxine therapy for euthyroidism restoration results in clinically insignificant weight and anthropometric changes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in International journal of obesity (2005), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundWeight gain is commonly regarded as a hallmark of hypothyroidism,although supporting evidence is limited. Consequently, restoration of euthyroidism with levothyroxine is often expected to induce clinically meaningful weight loss or return to premorbid body weight. These expectations may affect patient counseling, treatment satisfaction, and interpretation of persistent symptoms after biochemical correction. This systematic review and metanalysis aimed to synthesize available evidence on changes in body weight(BW) and anthropometric parameters, including body mass index(BMI), waist circumference(WC), fat mass(FM), and lean body mass(LBM), after levothyroxine treatment in hypothyroid adults achieving euthyroidism.
methodsA comprehensive search of PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted up to April 1, 2026, to identify original English-language studies reporting anthropometric outcomes before levothyroxine initiation and after achievement of euthyroidism. For each outcome, effect size was calculated as mean change from baseline to post-treatment. When appropriate, heterogeneity was explored through subgroup analyses or meta-regression.
resultsTwenty-three studies including 763 patients were analyzed.Levothyroxine treatment was associated with significant reductions in BW (-1.39 kg; 95% CI: -2.56 to -0.23),BMI (-0.39 kg/m²; 95% CI: -0.68 to -0.11), FM (-0.75 kg; 95% CI: -1.47 to -0.02), and LBM (-0.95 kg; 95% CI: -1.47 to -0.43). Subgroup analyses showed significant reductions in BW and BMI in overt hypothyroidism, but not in subclinical hypothyroidism. Conversely, LBM decreased significantly only in subclinical hypothyroidism. Baseline TSH and study duration were not associated with changes in anthropometric outcomes. DISCUSSION: Achieving euthyroidism with levothyroxine produces modest reductions in BW, BMI, FM, and LBM. Effects appear partly influenced by disease severity, with more consistent BW and BMI reductions in overt hypothyroidism. These findings support realistic counseling and discourage levothyroxine use solely for weight loss.
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Registered trials
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