ADDITIONAL INFO AND SOURCES
Here is some additional info we found on the following website:

http://www.cancercontrolsociety.com/bio2005/flechas.html

"... Work done by many researchers over the last few years has shown that iodine is utilized by many different sections of the body. Twenty percent of all of the iodine sits in the human skin. A lack of iodine in the skin manifests as very dry skin and skin that does not sweat when an individual becomes hot. In newborn children iodine is responsible for the development of the babies’ I.Q. Recent research shows iodine deficiency is felt to be the source of attention deficit disorder in children.

FACT SHEET ON IODINE
Overview:
Iodine is a trace mineral produced by the body that is essential for normal growth and development. Seventy to eighty percent of iodine is found in the thyroid gland in the neck. The rest is distributed throughout the body, particularly in the ovaries, muscles, and blood. A deficiency of iodine can lead to hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels); symptoms of this condition include sluggishness, weight gain, and sensitivity to temperature changes. In infants and children, hypothyroidism can impair physical and mental development.

READER CORRECTION:
9/16/2006: Dan from Largo, FL corrects the first sentence from the above paragraph: "Regarding your fact sheet on iodine
which says: "Iodine is a trace mineral produced by the body that is essential for normal growth and development."

Since when?

IODINE DEFICIENCY
The classic sign of iodine deficiency is an enlarged thyroid gland. Some people with hypothyroidism develop an extremely large thyroid, known as goiter. Today, iodine deficiencies in the United States and other developed countries are rare because table salt is supplemented with iodine and crops in developed countries are generally grown in iodine-rich soil. In developing countries, however, where soil is often low in iodine, more than one billion people are estimated to be at risk for disorders caused by iodine deficiencies.

Uses
Iodine offers a variety of potential therapeutic uses, primarily in the prevention of hypothyroidism. A health care provider may also recommend iodine supplements for the following conditions:

Fibrocystic Breast Changes
There is some evidence to suggest that hypothyroidism and/or iodine deficiencies may contribute to the development of fibrocystic breast tissue. People with fibrocystic breasts experience tenderness, particularly just before menstruation. Certain foods may worsen breast tenderness such as caffeine (including from chocolate) and high fat foods. During a physical exam, the doctor can feel cysts and fibrous (hardened) tissue. A review of clinical studies found that iodine replacement therapy (particularly for those with low levels of iodine) may improve the tenderness associated with fibrocystic breast tissue. The women taking iodine experienced very few side effects.

Iodine deficiency has also been associated with ovarian cysts, breast cancer, thyroid goiter and hypothyroidism. Recent work in the field of iodine deficiency has shown that replacement therapy decreases the risk of breast cancer and promotes the reversal of fibrocystic breast disease.

Vaginitis
Many women with chronic vaginal symptoms use over-the-counter preparations such as iodine to relieve symptoms. Iodine, used as a douche, may reduce vaginal inflammation as well as the itching and discharge that go along with this health condition. Povidone-iodine has the advantage of iodine without the disadvantages of stinging and staining.

Douch for vaginitis: generally two tablespoons of an iodine solution to one quart of warm water once per day. Douching should not be done without first consulting your healthcare provider.

Wounds
Iodine is commonly used as a topical treatment for wounds. Ointments containing iodine are frequently used on burns to lower the risk of infection.

Dietary Sources
Iodized salt is the primary dietary source of iodine. Plant and animal sea life, such as shellfish, white deep-water fish, and brown seaweed kelp, absorb iodine from the water and are great sources of iodine. Garlic, lima beans, sesame seeds, soybeans, spinach, Swiss chard, summer squash, and turnip greens are also good sources of this mineral. Bakeries may also add iodine to dough as a stabilizing agent, making bread another source of iodine.

FOODS THAT PREVENT THE BODY FROM UTILIZING IODINE
Foods that prevent the body from using iodine are: turnip, cabbage, mustard greens, cassava root, soybeans, peanuts, pinenuts and millet. These foods are called goitrogens and excessive consumption can cause goiters. However, cooking usually inactivates goitrogens.

Available Forms of Iodine
Sodium iodide (iodine) is available as part of a multivitamin/mineral combination or as a topical treatment for wounds.

Precautions
Sudden, large doses of iodine may impair the production of thyroid hormones, causing hypothyroidism temporarily in someone with otherwise normal thyroid function. Excessive iodine intake can also increase the risk for other thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto's, Graves', certain thyroid cancers, and thyrotoxicosis (a dangerous condition due to an excessive amount of thyroid hormones in the bloodstream). For these reasons, iodine supplementation is not recommended for people who live in areas where iodine levels are sufficient.

IODINE DEFICIENCY BY ROBERT SARVER
Copyrighted 2005 by Robert Sarver
Published with the permission of the author.

Iodine Deficiency
By Robert Sarver

Dr. David Brownstein has a US medical practice dealing primarily with thyroid patients. He has been quite successful treating hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism with the iodine/iodide supplement Iodoral that is available over the Internet without prescription. Dr. Brownstein believes that the usual thyroid medication prescribed by doctors is the wrong treatment because it does not deal with the underlying iodine deficiency problem. All cells in the body need iodine for proper functioning. All glands (thyroid, adrenal, etc.) especially need iodine for the production of hormones. Dr. Brownstein believes that iodine deficiency is a major cause of breast cancer and other diseases of the reproductive organs such as ovarian, uterus and prostrate cysts and cancers. Iodine levels in US soil have fallen 50 per cent over the past 50 years and soil in the US is deficient in iodine. The Great Lakes region has some of lowest soil iodine levels in the world and this results in high levels of cancers related to iodine deficiency. Dr. Brownstein has been quite successful in treating fibrocystic breast disease (cysts in the breast) with iodine/iodine supplementation. In one case a 37 year-old woman with severe fibrocystic breast disease was completely cured after supplementing with 50 mgs of iodine a day for two months. Women with large breasts need more iodine than women with smaller breasts. Other medical authorities agree that iodine deficiency can lead to fibrocystic breast disease and/or ovarian cysts. [1] [2] [3] Iodine can similarly reduce uterine fibroids and one of the first conventional medical treatments for severe fibroids was to paint the uterus with iodine. [4] Some other medical conditions associated with iodine deficiency are goiters, Graves’ Disease, Hashimoto’s Disease, fatigue and impaired immune system function. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can lead to miscarriages and reduced IQ in surviving offspring. [5] The World Health Organization says that iodine deficiency is the largest single cause of mental retardation. Iodine also detoxifies the body by removing mercury, fluorides, chlorides, and bromides.

If iodine/iodide are so crucial in the body, why hasn’t there been more research studies published? Dr. Brownstein believes that because iodine cannot be patented there is no incentive for the drug companies to perform the research. Iodized salt and the iodine supplements usually found in health food stores contain the iodide form of iodine. Dr. Brownstein has had little success treating patients with only iodide. The supplement Iodoral contains both the iodide (reduced) and iodine (oxidized) forms of iodine because the body needs both forms. The US RDA for iodine is 150 mcg. Iodoral contains 100 times (12.5 mgs) the RDA’s requirement of iodine/iodide. It seems the conventional medical establishment again has grossly underestimated the amount of a nutrient needed for good health. According to Dr. G. E. Abraham, “Of all the elements known so far to be essential for health, iodine is the most misunderstood and the most feared. Yet, it is by far the safest of all the trace elements known to be essential for human health. It is the only trace element that can be ingested safely in amounts up to 100,000 times the RDA. For example, potassium iodide has been prescribed safely to pulmonary patients in daily amounts of up to 6.0 gm/day, in large groups of such patients for several years. It is important however to emphasize that this safety record only applies to inorganic nonradioactive iodine/iodide, not to organic iodine-containing drugs and to radioiodides.” [6]

Seafood and sea plants such as kelp (seaweed) are good dietary sources of iodine but few people in the US consume enough of these foods. On a personal note, I found sellers of Iodoral on the Internet and purchased 180 tablets for $40. The usual dosage as a supplement is one tablet a day but up to four tablets a day can be taken for medical conditions under a knowledgeable MD’s supervision. For those interested in knowing more about iodine’s function in preventing and treating diseases, four of Dr. Brownstein’s video clips located at http://vitamincfoundation.org/videos. Dr. Brownstein’s home page and links to his books are located at http://www.drbrownstein.com/iodine.shtml. His books include “Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It”, “Overcoming Thyroid Disorders” and “Salt: Your Way to Health” which encourages consumption of sea salt in order to obtain many trace minerals. Informative research papers about iodine are at http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/opt_Research_I.shtml. Iodine deficiency may be a major contributor to the widespread arthritis problems in the US. A folk remedy for arthritis is consumption of two drops of Lugol’s solution each day. Two drops of Lugol’s solution contain the same amount of iodine as one Iodoral tablet. Lugol’s solution is a water solution of 10 per cent potassium iodide and 5 per cent elemental iodine. Iodine deficiency may be a major contributor to the widespread emotional disorders in the US. A folk remedy for the treatment of some emotional disorders is consumption of two drops of Lugol's solution each day. Hormones control body weight. Malfunctioning glandular systems due to iodine deficiency may be a major cause of the overweight problem in the US.

LUGOL'S CURES SALMONELLA POISONING
WARNING: DO NOT TRY THIS IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO IODINE!!

Here is a remedy that's been around quite a long time. It stops Salmonella poisoning immediately. Also used to treat Giardia. If you have gas and bloating and suspect Salmonella poisoning, here's the recipe:

1/2 glass of water.
Add 6 drops of Lugol's Iodine Solution.
Stir and drink in entirety.

MORE ABOUT IODINE DEFICIENCY CAUSED BY TABLE SALT
J.C. Jarvis, M.D. author of Folk Medicine was particularly fond of iodine replacement due to the chorine content of our drinking water. He writes: "The clinical activity of any one of these four halogens is in inverse proportion to its atomic weight. This means that any one of the four can displace the element with a higher atomic weight, but cannot displace an element with a lower atomic weight. For example, flourine can displace chlorine, bromine and iodine because flourine has a lower atomic weight than the other three. Similarly, chlorine can displace bromine and iodine because they both have a higher atomic weight. Likewise, bromine can displace iodine from the body because iodine has a higher atomic weight. But a reverse order is not possible. A knowledge of this well-known chemical law brings us to a consideration of the addition of chlorine to our drinking water as a purifying agent. We secure a drinking water that is harmful to the body not because of its harmful germ content but because the chlorine content now causes the body to lose the much-needed iodine..."
(Folk Medicine, Henry Holt & Co., 1958, HB, p. 136)

To counter the effects of iodine loss, Dr. Jarvis recommended various methods including: eating foods rich in iodine: food from the ocean, radishes, asparagus, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, rhubarb, potatoes, peas, strawberries, mushrooms, lettuce, bananas, cabbage, egg yolk, and onions; Painting a small area of the body with tincture of iodine; and taking preparations known to be rich in iodine, including cod liver oil, kelp tablets.

Dr. Jarvis was very keen on Lugol's iodine for treating various illnesses, including colds and flu, and for countering the effects of stress: He writes, "Supposing you do follow the suggestions outlined above and find that some weeks the pressures of your private and your business life are causing you to lose the ability to bounce back. Then you should add a drop of Lugol's solution of iodine to your glass of apple or grape juice at breakfast, or you may take it in the mixture of apple cider vinegar and water. The point is that the potassium in the solution (Lugol's is 5% potassium iodine) blocks off the body mechanism that organizes for aggressive action, releasing its hold on the body when opportunity for rest and relaxation arises. The iodine swings into action the body and the building up and storing of body reserves. When working under pressure, include the Lugol's solution dose each day until the period of pressure passes. If it should happen that your body becomes saturated with iodine, you will find that there is an increase of moisture in the nose. If this occurs, omit the iodine until the nose is normal.

USING IODINE TO PURIFY YOUR WATER
Iodine is a very effective method for water purification. Iodine destroys bacteria, viruses and cysts, and its action is dependent on its concentration, the water temperature and duration of contact. A concentration of 8 mgs per litre at 20 degrees centigrade, will destroy all pathogens if left for 10 minutes. Lower concentrations and lower water temperatures require a longer duration of action.

Various preparations of iodine are available, including tincture of iodine, iodine crystals and tablets. Manufacturers instructions should be followed in each case. With tincture of iodine, adequate levels are normally achieved by using 4 drops to 1 litre of water or one drop to a glass. As with all halogens it is less effective against cryptosporidia.

Iodine has been used safely for periods of several months, however it is not known whether there are adverse effects associated with longer term use. Those with a history of thyroid disease or iodine allergy, the pregnant and the very young may be advised against using iodine for water purification.

The taste of iodine can be largely removed by neutralising the iodine, after it has had time to work, with dissolvable vitamin C tablets, lime or lemon juice. It should be noted that this also stops the disinfectant action, so care should be taken to prevent recontamination of water.

Tincture of Iodine: USP tincture of iodine contains 2% iodine and 2.4% sodium iodide dissolved in 50% ethyl alcohol. For water purification use, the sodium iodide has no purification effect, but contributes to the total iodine dose. Thus it is not a preferred source of iodine, but can be used if other sources are not available. 0.4 cc's (or 8 drops) of USP tincture (2% iodine) added to a liter of water will give the 8 mg/l (same as 8 PPM). If the iodine tincture isn't compounded to USP specs, then you will have to calculate an equal dose based on the iodine concentration.

Lugol's solution: Contains 5% iodine and 10% potassium iodide. 0.15 cc (3 drops) can be added per liter of water, but 3 times more iodine is consumed compared to sources without iodide.

IODINE SOURCES

05/23/2007: Tom from Midland, Texas writes: "Lugol's Solution bought at Walmart: I special ordered Lugol's Solution at the local Walmart Pharmacy. Next day delivery. $30.03 for 500 mL."

04/17/2007: Rachel from Reno, Nevada writes: "Last week I purchased decolorized iodine at Rite-Aid. A 2-ounce bottle was $4.59."

03/29/2007: Ginny from Tampa, Florida writes: "I found decolorized iodine at our local CVS drugstore for $2.16 for a one-ounce bottle."

03/27/2007: Dawn from Arlington, VA writes: "I found decolorized Iodine on Ebay for $3/bottle/1 ounce. The seller has over 1,000 in inventory."

03/25/2007: Tamara (twis113[at]yahoo.com) from Houston, TX writes: "I had a lot of trouble finding decolorized iodine also, but I found it online. Try searching 'iodo blanco'! Good luck all!"

03/14/2007: Brad from Winnipeg, MB writes: "I cannot find lugol's anywhere in canada- it is possibly not approved. i did see lugol's iodine for marine purposes such as fish tanks. is this the same and can i take it internally or paint it? thanks, Brad"

[WARNING!]  A Reader writes: "Please be advised that if you buy clear iodine and mix it with Peroxide 50/50, after you dip your toe in the solution, the toe will become as discolored as from regular iodine. Not sure why this is, but it ruined my day :) So if you use those do at the same time, know that you will have brown toes."

IODINE FEEDBACK

[SIDE EFFECTS]  11/02/2008: Deirdre from Atlanta, GA writes: "I was taking Lugol's iodine for about a week, then stopped for 2 weeks, then started up 2 days ago, 5 drops diluted in water (what women say to take daily for breast cancer prevention). Right after taking the drops yesterday, I had an immediately reaction: runny nose and slight pressure behind the eyes. Today (Monday) my nose is still runny, but the pressure behind my eyes is a bit less. I know the runny nose is from having too much iodine in my body. Should I be worried?  How can I pull the excess iodine from my system? I am going to stop the iodine for at least a month now and if I take it in the future, no more than 1-2 drops at a time."

[YEA]  09/04/2008: Winfield from Pringle, USA writes: "excellent website information by the bucketfulls stuff we all can use. I had a itchy spot on my chin 6 months. Finally scratched it raw and applied two dime size spots of iodine, 2 nights before bed. Spot is fading and no more itch. Gone. If it ever comes back it will get three treatments. Thanks for this knowledge."

08/10/2008: Anne (biga21/@/optusnet.com.au) from Lithgow, Australia writes: "We had a product called FORNEX in Australia when I was a kid (now48). Mum used it on bumps and scrapes and we never had a bruise let alone a mark where the bump was. This clear iodine solution was put onto a cotton wool ball and dabbed on bump. I am now trying to find another product of clear iodine solution for my daughter to use on her son who i just starting to walk."

08/03/2008: Fran from Rocky Face, Ga writes: "I am using Iodine to cut off the blood supply to a tumor also, Saw Palmetto, as well as Chickweed, kelp has so much to offer."

[YEA]  06/07/2008: Tammy from Pleasant Grove, Utah writes: "I have been having the hot flashes from Menopause the last year. I had been taking estroven or similar products, but found that Lugol's Iodine was more helpful and cheaper."

[YEA]  05/26/2008: Barbara from Baton Rouge, LA writes: "I had problems with Fibroystic Breast Disease and the doctor put me on 3 drops of Iodine in a glass of orange juice each day plus a pregestrone cream for the breasts...this works...no more problems."

[YEA]  05/25/2008: Ann from Worcester, MA writes: "Kelp: It works wonders for thyroid disorders. It can be given to cats dogs and humans. What ever the problem it will get the job done. Can be purchased at local heath food store. Used in cooking or can be added to pets food."

[YEA]  05/21/2008: Bob from Stillwater, mnMN writes: "I have used Iodine ration to cure common warts and have helped friends to it too. It works I also had a gangliotic cyst on my palm for two years, that a doctor wanted to cut out so I tried Iodine ration for about six months and it went away. Now I can't find the pills yet."

[YEA]  04/18/2008: Jan (mattrock/@/ix.netcom.com) from Buffalo, NY writes: "Lugol's cure for Hyperthyroidism. 2 years ago I went to the doctor for fast pulse rate. Resting it was 105 to 110 bpm. He sent me to an endocrinologist who recommended the radioactive pill approach to killing the thyroid. I asked him about Iodine. He was very specific about how dangerous it would be to treat it with Iodine. I went home and ordered a bottle of Lugol's from the internet and three days later having taken doses for 3 days, my pulse rate was below 75 and the swollen throat had subsided. It was common goiter. The allopathic treatment seems to be kill the thyroid and take T4 for the rest of your life. there should be a law against the quackery practiced in modern medicine. What a waste of 12 years of education."