Benefits of Iodine for Health

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.

Lugol's Iodine can be purchased in some drug stores or over the internet.

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.

Iodine is utilized by every hormone receptor in the body. The absence of iodine causes a hormonal dysfunction that can be seen with practically every hormone inside the body. Dr. Flechas has recently been able to show that patients with insulin resistant diabetes have a partial to full remission of their illness in the presence of taking iodine. Iodine deficiency is also felt to be the source of ovarian cysts. With iodine replacement therapy the cysts disappear and women have stopped having ovarian cysts.

Thank you for this website. I have been suffering from iodine deficiency and worn adrenals. My symptoms were cold hands & feet, lower body temp 96. 7, hair loss, pain and cramps in right ovary region, weight gain, depression, fatigue, horrible painful sinus allergy, metallic taste in my mouth, insomnia, respiratory illness, sore throats, and head colds. After reading your advice, I have been painting my feet and throat, 3 days on, 4 days off for 3 months, with remarkable results. I also started taking Metagenics supplements for Adrenal Support and Thyroid Support, again with great results. Also researched and found that Brazil nuts are a great source of selenium, and eat one raw nut on the days that I paint the iodine (Betadyne) on my feet.

My allergy problems cleared up in a week, and I no longer need any allergy meds to get through my day. Depression has lifted, and I cut out floride toothpaste, now brush teeth with baking soda. Also found out tea is loaded with natural floride, so I stopped drinking all tea cold turkey. Stopped eating commercial pastry products, and switched to natural deodorant. Also stopped eating chocolate. Ovary problem stopped in 1 day........!!! The combination of diet restriction, and adding the iodine has given me my life back. Thank You and God Bless You.

After 3 weeks of Testing Iodine in earnest, I am happy to post my results so far. My appearance, (happy to make one), is improved: very little hair loss, no more "hair collar", much less wiriness. My skin, (happy to have some), is much less flaky, no more "skin snow". Hypo and hyper pigmentation shows a little improvement. I still have yet to see reductions of keloids and "barnacles" (love to you Alfred). The cystic conditions of my skin, breasts, ovaries, and possibly more areas are beginning to shrink. (Joyce, I see evidence that you are correct that Iodine treats cystic conditions in general. Thank You). I have had a great reduction in gum and tooth root infections. My breath and body odors are hugely improved. This ingrown toenail with its resultant infections is now corrected. (nice big toenail). The shingles are shrinking, and the libido is growing. Cognitive function, memory, and, visual memory in particular, is on the mend. (This is the most valuable improvement for me, as I am a visual artist. ) My vision is improving but for brief periods of blurriness. Even after three weeks, I am still detoxing. (no surprise as I've been a gracious host to "critters" before now). I am ecstatic and have not been this merry since childhood. Thank You all, Thank You Deirdre, Joyce, Ted, Bill, Tom, Mona, and on and on. Connie

I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman back in the 1940's and 1950's. At morning sick call in many bases I was stationed at it was normal treatment to spray throats with iodine for common cold symptoms, inflamed tonsils and many other conditions. Nearly every treatment room had an EENT machine that we used to spray with. I forget the solution, but the pharmacy techs made it up. Very effective. When attached to the marines as a medic, used iodine for water purification in canteens all the time. Very effective.

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 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.

References:
[1] J. D. Fleches, MD, http://www.helpmythyroid.com/iodine.htm
[2] Abraham, G. E., Flechas, J. D., Hakala, J. C., "Orthoiodosupplementation: Iodine sufficiency of the whole human body", http://www.helpmythyroid.com/IOD-02.html
[3] James Howenstine, MD, "Iodine is vital for good health", http://www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james37.htm
[4] Herb and Supplement Encyclopedia, http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/canada/healthinformation/encyclopedias/Iodine.asp
[5] Iodine Deficiency Disorder, http://indorgs.virginia.edu/iccidd/aboutidd.htm
[6] G. E. Abraham, MD, "The safe and effective implementation of orthoiodosupplementation in medical practice", http://www.helpmythyroid.com/IOD50.htm

Bjornbjorn, I would suggest that some of your fatigue and other symptoms might be a result of diet. Are you getting plenty of good fats like coconut oil, butter and grass-fed meats? If fruit is your main food and meat the least, consider changing that ratio around. If you eat lots of grains consider replacing most of them with greens. Take a look at the Weston A. Price website and Mark's Daily Apple website. Good luck!

Hi Linda... Elemental iodine and potassium iodide are different. Iodine is an element and potassium iodide consists of two elements in one molecule. SSKI is just a Saturated Solution of Potassium Iodide(known as KI in chemistry equations), thus shortened to SSKI.

The element iodine is very poorly dissolved in just water whereas potassium Iodide easily dissolves in water. And Iodine is much more soluble in an aqueous solution of potasium iodide. Thus a Lugol's Iodine solution is normally 10% potassium iodide in water in which 5% elemental Iodine is completely dissolved. Lugol's is therefore a mix of water, iodine and potassium iodide.

This is why Lugol's Iodine is the best form of iodine to supplement -- because you get the benefits of both elemental iodine as well as potassium iodide in a convenient aqueous solution.

Hi Francisca... Regarding the differences between Lugol's Iodine and a kelp source there are perhaps few differences. However, I've noticed that kelp supplements from the US and Europe, per tablet, only ever supply between 120-200 MICROgrams of iodine. Whereas, if you take just two drops of 5% Lugol's Iodine, this gives you about 12. 5 MILLIgrams. Therefore the recommended Lugol's dose will supply about 100 times more inorganic iodine for your body. Bear in mind that the RDA -- Recommended Daily Allowance -- used to be called the MDA -- Minimum Daily Allowance. This was a subtle change, but has been very telling concerning peoples deliberately misled understanding and trust.

The much smaller kelp dose will certainly help to supply just your thyroid, but will not be helpful for other problems -- including hypo- and hyper-thyroid problems, caused by iodine insufficiency in your body.

To understand this, the Japanese eat at least 4.6 grams of seaweed everyday which supplies a minimum of about 13.8 mgs of iodine for their bodies and this unique habit appears to be why the Japanese have the lowest rates of uterine, breast and prostate cancer in the world. As well, they also have the lowest rates of lung cancer despite the Japanese people being one of the heaviest national group of smokers in the world. The Japanese also have some of the lowest rates of thyroid problems, fibrocystic breast disease, uterine fibroids and diabetes problems. This also seems to be tied in with their high iodine diet. This sort of health can only be achieved if the RDA for iodine is totally ignored and a higher dose of at least 12.5 mgs of iodine is supplemented per day.

Now also add to this all the "iodophobia" that is out there -- the fear people have on ingesting larger iodine doses than the RDA recommends, despite the fact that iodine is very body friendly. For a period of about two weeks, I took over 100 mgs of iodine -- which is around 800 times more than the RDA. I never noticed any problems or odd effects on my own body(which is not to say that some people may have problems with this dose which is dependent on on good kidney excretion).

As to the problems of obtaining good supplements -- well this is a problem associated with Codex Alimentarus laws. Many of the supplement companies nowadays are owned by the big pharmaceuticals, who deliberately put out poor quality supplement mixtures in dosages that do you little good at all. Recommended RDA iodine dosages are a good example of this.

I've thought about this problem -- concerning ensuring that supplements contain helpful dosages -- and there are two things you can do. Either you order these supplements over the internet and pay a bit more for them, or just get a friend who owns a dog, cat or horse to go to the vet and ask them to purchase the Lugol's Iodine for you at the vet clinic. It's a fact that vets are for more tuned into curing animal medical problems that our doctors are at curing our problems. Also, vets seem to be far better tuned into natural remedies like using iodine and ACV in animal feed than our beloved doctors -- as the writings of Dr Jarvis attest. You can also purchase DMSO, MSM and many other good quality supplements for yourself from the vet and at a far better price. Ted also recommends vets as a source of good MSM and DMSO powder.

I was much the same way, experiencing ectopic heart beats (skiped beats or P.V.C - premature ventricular contractions). I tried many different supplements that only gave short releif but then came back. I tried herbs for the heart and minerals like potassium and magnesium. I even tried molybnum. I then had my vitamin D levels tested, they were very low. I had been to the emergency department many times, but they could not find anything wrong with me. I was refered to so see a cardiologist who got me to wear a 24 hour cadiac monitor. I even was put through the stress test to test my heart function under stress. All came back normal. I then subsiquently got disgnosed with borderline hypothyroidism. I thought, that must be the cause of my ectopic beats.

I then thought I would like to try some Lugol's solution (iodine), but didn't.

But what I tried, stopped the ectopic beats quickly and never to return. What I took was 1 250mg tablet of calcium citrate. The first tablet took about 3 hours to work. The next morning I woke up with ectopic beats, but of a much milder form. No longer every 3 to 10 beats, but now about 3 missed beats in a minute. I then took my next calcium citrate tablet on an empty stomach - and in about 1 hour my ectopic beats ceased comletely. I now take 1 calcium citrate tablet daily and am no longer bothered with ectopic heart beats.

How I came to relize that it was calcium I needed was when I tried a good quality magnesium supplement for a couple of days with no benifit (it actually might have made this more intense). I then put two and two together. Low vit D = low calcium.

I hope this helps sombody out there.

Regards.

Iodine balances sulphur overload

I took Alprim a well-known drug for urinary tract infection which occurred due to food poisoning, my body unbalanced with the sulphur content of this drug, giving me stinging eyes, headache, over active thyroid and pains in my body....too much acid forming.

I took a teaspoon of organic kelp iodine, within 5 minutes the pains in my body near my neck and shoulder went, the heaviness left my head, it felt like the fluid in the brain begin to flow (odd but yes), my eyes slowly began to loose the sting although it took a day.

I have heard Iodine is great for getting rid of sulphur burps as well.

Anyone had this type of experience?

When we were kids (I have 2 sisters) and we would get a sore throat our parents would say "lets get the paint" and they would paint our tonsils with the iodine in the medicine cabinet and to date not one of us has ever had to have our tonsils removed

Vitamin C to Dissolve Iodine Stain

Somewhere on EC you may run into my original post about my lugol's iodine adventure suspense drama at my aunt's house.

She has a fancy bathroom with a green toilet and tub. Well this was during the very deadly COVID time. I was trying to keep me well so I could help to keep her well. I took a bottle of iodine with me in the bathroom. My bad, I spilled some iodine on her toilet, and it refused to wash off. Then I remembered people posting on EC about how Vitamin C can make your even your clothes healthy. So I crushed some Vitamin C tablets and wiped the toilet. The iodine stain came off the toilet and there was no evidence that I spilled iodine on it. That remembrance brings me to what happened yesterday.

Yesterday, my throat was bothering me, so I pulled out the iodine. I should have put some on a cotton ball, but I was in a hurry. So I poured a bit on my hand and went to rub my throat, and some iodine dropped on my blouse and started sliding down it. I had on my favorite mustard color blouse. I opened the jar of vitamin C powder. There's a gram scoop inside, so I used that one scoop, I rubbed the dry vitamin C powder along the iodine run and the stain disappeared in front of my eyes. "Amazing." I thought I would have to change blouses, that quick there was no sign of the spill. This is a day later and still no sign of iodine stain.

HisJewel

Hi Bjornbjorn, I think Felicia has responded adequately. If I may add, Are you getting enough sunshine (especially during the times when your shadow is shorter than you). If it is difficult to get sunshine in your geography, you may think of supplementing by way of Vitamin D3 (50000IU = 2 micro grams) tablet once a week. A glass of any combination of Vegetable juice or salad daily.

In addition to ample water you are already drinking, add a spoon (about 10~15gms) of unrefined sea salt or Celtic Salt or Himalayan salt to a bottle of water about a liter and keep sipping it. This will supply Magnesium, Calcium, (small amounts of Iodine) and other about 60+ trace minerals which are helpful in balancing and curing the ailments you mentioned.

Regarding Lugol's, a starting dose of 1 to 2 drops in a cup of water would do wonders. If you want to apply on skin (though the absorption varies) try applying on various parts of body... say one day arms, second day on thighs, third day on stomach areas etc.....

Hope this clarifies some of your questions.

Regards, Ravee

My GF has Hashi's and a goiter and with the help of Iodine (starting with a 1/2 of Iodarol pill and going to 50mg) her goiter went away first time in over 10 years and she is feeling much much better.

iodine cured Bad knee.

35 years with bad knee. joint would come off some times. always swollen. applied regular iodine externally three times a day. applied one week on and 4 days off. only the affected part would mildly burn and the knee will feel bug crawling inside the skin. after a week the bad skin looked like war zone. so gave four days break. new skin came after break. started the application again. itch started badly on the knee. applied Tea tree oil over iodine to stop the itch immediately. after 4 weeks knee shape came to look like normal. at this time the effected part squeezed to the size of a quarter. still kept on applying on the affected area and surroundings. pain went away after 3 weeks from the start up of the application. but didn't stop applying. this has been 4 months now. knee is like brand new.

i did switch from regular store available iodine to lugol's iodine after 3 months. started applying iodine to every family member's joint pain and cysts. iodine never failed to cure.

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.

Hello you WONDERFUL people! Thanks you SO much for this resource! I was in the middle of my third serious bout with salmonella in a year and feeling little relief from the antibiotics after 8 days. After reading a book by Dr. Hulda Clark I am convinced that I was picking up Salmonella from milk products. Hulda says that Lugol's kills vicious stomach bacteria including salmonella so I got online looking for it when I found this site. I read through all of the comments and went looking for the iodine. Someone said I could get it at walmart so I tried. The Pharmacist had no clue about iodine deficiency and wouldn't give me the iodine he had ordered for me. How disgusting and irresponsible! I ordered the book by Dr. Brownstein Iodine: Why You Need It and Why You Can't Live Without It along with a 2 oz. bottle of lugol's solution from amazon.com. I was very discouraged by the fact that there was no overnight shipping option available on the site. A day or two after ordering I emailed them expressing my discouragement and they responded with a toll free number that could be used to get overnight shipping. My Lugol's arrived a day earlier than expected and I tested for allergy on my foot. I knew I wasn't allergic since I have had iodized salt for ever, and I had no irritation from the iodine on my foot. So I began the dose recommended by Hulda for salmonella which is 6 drops in a half cup of juice after meals and at bed time. After reading the book by Dr. Brownstein and looking at the Optimox site I knew that 6 drops 4 times a day is equivalent to 150mg of iodine a day. The relief from the Salmonella began nearly immediately but was nearly complete after a day of the scheduled dose. I had no symptoms of taking too much iodine, so I continued to the third day at that dose (as recommended for treating Salmonella in Hulda's book). Then I cut back to 6 drops 3 times a day to counter my newly recognized iodine deficiency. Just so you know, the Salmonella are DEAD!!! And I feel ALIVE!!!

5 years ago I should have been diagnosed with fibrocystic breast disease but was told that my "lumpy bumpy" breasts needed vitamin E. I didn't take it seriously as I wasn't diagnosed with anything. I had just had my first child. Over the last 6 months I have had pain in my breasts not just before a period but at intervals during the month that wouldn't even allow me to hug my (now I have 3) children. I had no idea until reading this site and the information from Dr. Brownstein that I had fibrocystic breast disease, the precursor for breast cancer (which is so prevalent in this area that it should be a CRIME that people are not handed iodine by the government in giant sized rations!) The great lakes basin is the worst in the WORLD for iodine deficiency--we are the reason salt is iodized--only well enough to fend off goiter and mental retardation which were becoming a problem in the early 1900's in this area! The actual need for iodine by your body is 13.5mg a day and that's after fixing a deficiency. And that number does not take into account the other factors we are exposed to. (Halogens which replace iodine in the body everywhere around us--chlorine, bromine, fluorine--in bread, in toothpaste, in water) THIS IS EPIDEMIC!

Two days into my salmonella killing spree with iodine, I began my menstrual period without cramps. I have had such terrible cramps from my period that I have a stock pile of ibuprofen. (which makes your stomach bleed and hurts your liver) but what are we to do? IODINE! I have been on Iodine for 4 days now and each morning I wake up with cramps but almost as soon as I take my 6 drops of lugol's my cramps are GONE! It's like the cramps are there because my ovaries are begging me for much needed iodine to clean me out. I am so thrilled about this! By the way--my breast pain has diminished to almost none, and they feel like 16 year old breasts. No kidding. My energy level has sky rocketed and I am losing weight. (I should mention that I am taking the iodine with a liquid B complex supplement because Dr. Brownstein says it is possible to get heart palpitations and/or symptoms of iodine allergy if you are deficient in vitamin b2 and b3 since they are needed to transport iodine throughout your body. I can feel my metabolism normalizing--it feels GREAT!

For a long time I have wondered why my ears hurt--I thought maybe I was taking an autotoxic (something toxic to your ears) drug--I wasn't taking any drugs other than ibuprofen--so I wasn't convinced, but I was becoming afraid that I would eventually lose my hearing. I have also become slower in the brain over the last few years. I attributed it to the mercury in my fillings after reading Dr. Clarks book--but having seen the symptoms of iodine deficiency including hearing loss and cretinism I now believe I am severely deficient in iodine and I am so excited to not get any worse. I am getting better!

Great points Antonio!! also, in order to better utilize Iodine I understand that one needs Selenium and Copper as well as HCL. find a good source of liquid vitamins and minerals to achieve a baseline of these minerals.... i've heard the best natural source of Selenium is Brazil Nuts.

Brazil nuts contain very high levels of selenium. 100 g nuts provide about 1917 mcg of selenium which is 3485% of the recommended daily intake. This makes Brazil Nuts the highest natural source of this mineral. keep on researching!!!

No, it's NOT TRUE that "if you take too much Iodine, you can end up with hyperthyroidism", as Iodine is not powerful enough to make you hyperthyroid, if you're hypothyroid.

Further, you won't harm yourself, if you take too much Iodine, because Iodine is water-soluble, and your body will use what it needs at the moment, and very easily eliminate any excess through the urine.

Iodine is a very-very necessary supplement.

However, there are a few very powerful special interest groups that are hell bent for taking away your access to Iodine.

For many years since 1948 they sent us lots of fear messages based on the (recently debunked) "Wolff-Chaikoff Effect" that erroneously claims hypothyroidism is caused by excessive Iodine intake.

Those special interest groups have iodophobia, and iodophobia is contagious.

Their iodophobic bioterrorism is a real threat to our nation. While they're masquerading as guardians of our thyroid gland, they don't realize that one of the easiest and most effective ways to destroy a nation is through the removal of Iodine from the food supply.

Hi Leah,

A few thoughts about your situation:

1. When you say high antibody levels I am assuming TPO Ab (Thyroid Peroxidase Ab) & Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). If so, elevated levels of these antibodies are the definitive test for Hashimoto's, a serious autoimmune condition. Taking high doses of iodine with this condition are contraindicated, at first - it can make the condition worse.

Best to see a naturopath or holistic physician who specialize in thyroid conditions to help you resolve & navigate this condition. Often, a person starts out hyperthyroid and ends up hypothyroid with Hashimoto's.

Your symptoms may indicate iodine toxicity so I would definitely stop taking the 15 mg of Iodine - especially if you have Hashimoto's.

For those who are simply having iodine detox issues, one simply drops the iodine dose to low levels, wait for the symptoms to subside, and slowly build up the dose every other week or so.

In addition to the issues with Hashimoto's, many physicians who treat thyroid conditions have noticed that most Americans starting iodine have adverse reactions. This is because our toxicity levels are so much higher and the co-factors needed to utilize iodine are commonly deficient (e.g., Selenium, Zinc, B2, B3, Magnesium, Vitamin C, Sea Salt, healthy EFAs).

Before taking Iodine it is very important to first "prep" the body so that your thyroid can use the iodine which means taking the Iodine co-factors for a month. Then, start taking iodine at very low doses, under 1 mg, and slowly build up every week or two until you reach the desired dosage level.

And, it is fine to only take low daily doses of Iodine because the levels gradually build up in the tissues over time though, it will take longer to become iodine "sufficient". In general, it will take about a year to become iodine sufficient taking the standard dose 12.5 mg/day.

Detoxing the body during the "prep" is also very helpful.

Some people are very sensitive or allergic to iodine so they take Atomadine. Again, starting at a low dose and slowly increasing it.

Many have cleared Hashimoto's by eliminating all gluten, taking daily doses of selenium (must take the right form and dose), taking a special thyroid hormone preparation, taking the Iodine co-factors and eventually incorporating iodine into the regimen where they start with very low doses (under 1 mg) and slowly build up the dose.

Others have had other complications involving E. histolytica, mold and other infections that can cause or exacerbate Hashimoto's so these conditions need to be addressed.

Also note, there are many iodine formulations on the market that are toxic or adulterated. So, it is very important to find a high quality brand with a proven record (e.g., compounding pharmacy, etc...).

See the websites: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com

https://whyiodine.com

Wishing you the best in your health journey

Hi Share, Thank you so much for your reply. It is only my TGAB that are high, TPO ab are normal. I actually embarked on this whole journey because I want to start a family, so I wanted to do a detox, but that is when I found out about being iodine deficient and having high TGAB. This was 2 years ago now. Since my GP said I shouldn't worry, and the whole covid thing, I put it all aside as I was overwhelmed with the whole situation. But now, I am back on track, and my husband and I wanted to continue where we left off. Before that I want to be sure that my body is ready to bear a child and that my child will have all the necessary nutrients to grow strong and healthy. So, I've redone the thyroid test, and TGAB are lower now than they were 2 years ago, so I am hopeful. I am taking all the companion nutrients, however probably not for long enough. So for now, I have stopped with iodine few days ago (I was using Lugols Iodine 2%). But will include it maybe once per week in small dose for now and track my thyroid levels and antibodies. In my research I have come across lots of conflicting info when it comes to iodine and antibodies. Some people say stay away, while others say it helped them with Hashi and other thyroid issues. There is even one source which I found on this very site, says in case of antibodies, we are harming the thyroid with small iodine doses and should take higher doses to create iodolipids https://steppingstonesliving.com/hypothyroidism-hashimotos-iodine/, but I was too scared to try that. Maybe if I could find a doctor who could track all my hormones and everything, would be a different story, and I might be up for the high dose, but no luck in finding one so far. Thanks again and I will keep you updated. Cheers from sunny Dublin

I had a great doctor who recommended Iodoral. She had me take a test where I swallowed a handful of iodine pills and peed in a big container for a few days, then sent a sample for testing. The results said I needed the iodine.

I took it for several years, initially I was much less affected by cold, and had less dry mouth and nose. Gradually my sleeping schedule cut down to 8 hours from 12. Yay!

A few years later I began getting bad colds regularly. After gradually cutting down and noticing an improvement, I quit the iodine; if I took 1/2 pill, within hours I had a stuffy runny nose.

At that point I figured I didn't need the iodine any more, I keep it in case I feel as bad as I did years ago and so far so good.

So: pay attention to your body, make small changes and if necessary keep a record of your progress.

On 10/27/2011, David (Lubbock, Texas) posted the first post:

> ...I noted someone had problems with burning eyes from taking iodine. I have taken 250 mgs daily for about eight months, luv it. It has fixed all my ailments, My eyes burn, if I don't wash well, scrub my face twice a day, I believe the iodine is loading up in the skin oils, and making it alkaline, which burns the eyes if it contacts them. Anyhoo, scrub your face, keep the oil off and you will live long and healthy taking iodine. david lubbock tx...

-------------------

We haven't heard from David, lately. Is he missing because he was really taking 250 mg every day? I wonder if he meant 25 mg, instead? Or maybe he forgot to include the Selenium?

So far, I've read pages 1 and 16 of theseiodine comments. I have to go back and see if "Atomidine" is mentioned in any of the other 14 pages. I'm attached to Atomidine, because I'm stocked up on it. But it doesn't have the combination of elemental iodine and compound iodide, so maybe it's not the best supplement.

The Atomidine does seem to provide a de-toxifying effect. After taking it the previous day, I wake up around 4 AM with a racing heart. (Maybe 75 or 80 beats per minute when it would normally be less than 60, but with a bit of a pounding sensation, too.) Usually, that was my cue to stop taking the Atomidine, but now that I read from y'all that the racing heart is a symptom of detoxifying, then I'm sticking with it.

Last week, I took one drop later in the afternoon, and it woke me up before sunrise with a racing heart.

Two days ago, I took one drop in the morning, and it didn't wake me up the next night, so taking it in the morning seems to be a good strategy. Yesterday, I took two drops in the morning, and it didn't wake me up. Today, I took three drops in the morning, and I'm still alive.

Last year, I went through a couple of bottles of RLC Labs iThroid -- 12.5 mg capsules, which contains a combination of iodine and iodide, and certainly smells like the real thing. And it's dark, dark green. It didn't create any detox symptoms, even though it has hundreds of times more iodine than Atomidine. I don't know if it helped, but it didn't hurt.

So, my first guess is that the Atomidine is a better detoxifier than iThroid. However, detoxifying is a different process than taking sufficient supplementation, so there's still a need for the iThroid.

Without guidance, I would stop taking one if I were taking the other.

When I went shopping [on Amazon], I don't remember why I chose the iThroid over the Lugol's. Maybe iThroid was less expensive per mg. Maybe it's because iThroid liquid is in a capsule, and that seemed more convenient than spilling iodine all over the place. I mean, I'm not a messy person, but I have my moments. I'll have to check again; it would be intuitive that a simple bottle of liquid should cost less than putting it into capsules.

Don't forget; if you take iodine -- whatever size dose per day, then take a standard 200 mcg capsule of Selenium also. Selenium is an inexpensive supplement.

Or, one of the google returns say:

> Brazil nuts are known to include as much as 95 mcg of selenium per nut. Given that the RDA for selenium is 55 mcg and we recommend getting 200 mcg daily, just a couple of Brazil nuts could have you set.

Brazil nuts, however, can be a nuisance to remove from their shells, eh?

http://www.health-science-spirit.com/iodine.html Good info, I use use it & it has done wonders for me.

WARNING!

I want to warn people that not all kelp powder is safe to take due to its heavy metal contamination. My husband and I have supplemented with powdered kelp at the suggestion of our naturopath, for 28 years. Although I had a hair analysis done about 10 years ago in the USA, nothing showed re the arsenic levels. Fortunately this product was safe. However, after returning to Australia, we started consuming King Island kelp from 'pristine waters' south of Australia. Less than twelve months later, our hair started to fall out, we had mental confusion, lack of energy and failing memory, to name a few symptoms. Our son suggested another hair analysis and the results were horrific - both of us were off the chart with arsenic overload. Blood and urine tests confirmed this. Lab testing of a kelp sample found considerable arsenic - organic and inorganic. We bought what was advertised as organic kelp, which means nothing, we now realize, as it was not certified organic. When I see kelp mentioned as an alternative to iodine, I shudder!!!

Kelp grows on rocks at the bottom of the sea, some of which contain arsenic. If heavy metals drain into the waters, the kelp naturally absorbs them readily. You may even be consuming one of the nasty brothers, such as cadmium, mercury, etc. without realizing it.

We are now taking Lugol's Iodine (2%) among other supplements for detoxing and have found Dr. Brownstein's experience and knowledge of great assistance.

I hope this saves someone the misery we have gone through over the last five years.

I started using iodine/iodide and my hyperhydrosis disappeared. I no longer suffer from excessive sweating on my hands and feet and I no longer have cold extremities.

The Lugols you can buy in the US is the weaker stuff so take ten drops a day for three months to get your iodine levels up then drop down to five drops a day as a maintenence dose. It took me about four hours of searching to find this info online. Also, there was info on using it for cold, flu, congestion, and bladder infections but these were higher doses and if you have too much in your system its gets washed out and causes you no side effects. My mom gave my grandmother (who is 90) about 20 or more drops and it cured her of congestion and the cough that goes with it.

The one subject that doesn't come up in the whole iodine subject is the fluoride in our water displaces iodine in the body. What all of us have to do is stop using fluoridated water for bathing, cooking, dishwashing, and drinking. I was diagnosed as hyperthyroid. After 2 months of no meds and taking iodine with distilled water I have absolutely no hyperthyroid symptoms.