Iodine
Health Benefits

Benefits of Iodine for Health

Iodine Powder

Posted by Nimo (Taipei, Noidea, Taiwan) on 02/10/2010

I finally found the Iodine but it's not liquid..it's like a powder..do I just need to put some alcohol and mix it? can anyone help me with the proportions? I try to find on the internet but nothing that I could understand. How I do If i want to take internally?.

they write on the bottle.
Iodine
L2=253.81
Assay.................................99.8%
Appearance............................Prill
Chloride and bromine (as chloride)...<280ppm
Identification.......................Pass test
Non-Volatile matter..................<0.05%

Thank you in advance for your help.

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Replied by Nimo
(Taipei, Noidea, Taiwan)
02/17/2010

(question) I have Iodine in prill and I don't know how to mix with alcohol, I mean the quantities...Please can anyone help me? I asked before but no feedback so I write again my question hoping someone can help.

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Replied by Sid Davis
(Springfield, Mo)
06/02/2010

People commonly use Lugol's solution as a source of iodine. To make Lugols you need iodine (I2) which you have in prill form and potassium iodide (KI) which is readily available on the internet. You can do a search of Lugols and find the formula.

I made mine by mixing 1 oz. of Iodine with 2 oz. of potassium iodide and two cups of distilled water. Use something wooden to stir it (I used a tongue depressor) and mix it in a glass jar with a plastic lid (not a metal lid). Keep it in a dark place for a few days while the iodine dissolves in the water, stirring or shaking occasionally.

After it is completely dissolved, carefully transfer it to amber dropper bottles. It stains if you get it on things, but baking soda and water might clean up some stains.

The liquid you have is considered 5% Lugols and each drop will contain about 6.25 mg of iodine. This is safe for internal consumption and external use in the proper amounts. For internal use people commonly put the drops in a glass of water or eat it with a small amount of saturated fat such as butter. For external use you can just swab it on with a q-tip type product.

There is a good deal of information on the internet covering its use internally, and the need to detoxifying when using it since iodine causes your cells to release toxins like bromine, fluorine, mercury, lead, and arsenic.


Iodine Research

Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Luzon, Philippines) on 12/21/2010

Hi Everyone... For all those interested in why Iodine is so important and useful, the following mp3 audio by Dr Flechas from The Iodine Project Research Team is definitely worth a listen. Here is the link to the audio:

http://curezone.com/upload/Audio/Iodine/IodineDrFlechasDrStanTwoHour.mp3

This is a two hour audio that covers a huge amount of ground explaining the latest surprising research and findings on the very positive effects of iodine regarding the following:

Thyroid problems
Fibrocystic breast disease
Uterine Cysts
Prostate Problems
Preventing Cancer
Improving Intelligence and IQ in children
Schizophrenia
Depression
Overweight Problems
Removal of heavy metals
Removal of Flourine and Bromine
Atrial Fibrillation - Arrythmia
Diabetes
Skin Problems
Allergies
Asthma

This tape also explains the many added benefits of using Vitamin C(as Ascorbate) as well as natural Sea Salt together with lugol's iodine.

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Replied by River
(Mission, Bc)
01/05/2011

Thanks so much for that great link. I listened carefully to the whole 2 hr talk, and it was EXCELLENT.... Much thanks....


Iodine Side Effects

4 User Reviews
(4) 
  100%

Posted by J (Fla. ) on 09/17/2017

I plan on starting the Borax treatment- I have RA, allergies, An Autoimmune disease. Whatever.

6 mo ago, I started iodine therapy- did whole protocol- salt, vit. B's, everything for my thyroid. I gained 25 lbs! in 1 month. This is not an exaggeration. I cannot get it off. So I am hoping the Borax will get rid of the chronic fatigue etc. I had no BO on the iodine but I sure plumped up. Any idea why? Especially since it's supposed to help the thyroid, which is why I had put on weight before and had no energy?


Iodine Side Effects
Posted by Anne (Midwest) on 01/18/2014

My doc said that I'm hypothyroid, and rather than put me on Armor (which she is willing to do), she suggested that I try iodine supplements. I had a bottle of Iosol, and I have been taking one drop of this in water, for about 3 -4 days this week. I felt nothing, until yesterday while in line at the local store. Whammo! A wave of dizziness swept over me. Thankfully, today is Saturday so I can hole up at home and try to recover. I stopped the Iosol, have been drinking lots of water w/ lemon, taking B-complex and plenty of vita C, but still have some waves of vertigo if I move too quickly or duck my head too quickly. Has anyone else had weird dizziness when taking Iodine drops? Thanks to you all!

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Replied by Mike62
(Denver)
01/20/2014

Anne: The iodine is releasing stored toxins into the plasma. They are accumulating there because they are not being removed through the elimination channels. This is why the sudden dizziness occurred and why it continues, despite taking lemon. The vitamin supplements are not effective because they are not from whole foods. For b take nutritional yeast, dessicated liver, and green smoothies from organic baby greens. B vitamins work for less than 5 hours so take every 4 hours. For c take 90g organic strawberries. For insoluable fiber make smothies from 3 organic banana peels. For soluable fiber take organic apples and black chia. For chlorophyll take Hawaiian spriulina and chlorella. The above items should open the elimination channels. Search raw food and super food videos for more beneficial products.

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Replied by Cheryl
(Pa)
08/22/2017
2 posts

I am trying to figure out why I have had so much vertigo as well. It happens mostly when I am moving quickly or laying down or getting up from laying down. I also have had numbness in my face and right eye twitches. I was taking potassium iodide 225 mcg because my urine iodine was low and then it became very high so I went off it for about a month and retested and my urine iodine was too low. For the last month and a half I have been taking 225 mcg every other day. I have noticed brain fog, lots of headaches and some nausea and periods feeling like low blood sugar. The last couple of weeks I noticed my face was numb and then I noticed the vertigo and the eye twitching. The only thing I changed in my supplement regime was to add oregano oil. I stopped the oregano oil, the licorice root and the iodine on Sunday and am feeling better. I am not sure what the culprit is? I also was bitten by a deer tick in late June but as I have chronic Lymes and have had several active infections, I think I would have demonstrated symptoms sooner than this. I still have the brain fog and a mild headache but it does go away at times. The eye twitching seems less and the vertigo is about the same but the numbness feels somewhat better. I am going to the lab today to get another urinary iodine done so I am curious to see what it shows. I am also having thyroid antibodies tested as well as my TSH, and other thyroid tests seem to be in range. I am also wondering if I need my nature throid increased. I am currently at 3/4 grains or about 44 mg and started treatment in April when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's. Any thoughts on the side effects of too much iodine? I do use a lot of Himalayan sea salt and am eating grain free. I have not lost any further weight which is good and am maintaining my weight. Any thoughts would be appreciated!!!!

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Replied by Iowama
(Usa)
08/22/2017

Hi Cheryl,

You have different reasons for supplementing Iodine than I do, but when I first started using iodine drops, I also suffered severe vertigo as a result. I still don't understand what makes me different from the others who use the supplement protocol and salt loading and have things go well. What I finally did, and it worked, was to take the companion nutrients that I had purchased, and for a full year, I used them without supplementing iodine at all. I did use pink salt at the table, which contains iodine, and I cut way back on cruciferous vegetables during that period. My thyroid nodules shrank visibly during that time and I stopped having a rash across my neck as well. I've never been certain what caused that intermittent rash. This year, I have started iodine drops when I know I am about to eat cruciferous vegetables and I have no bad side effects whatsoever. None. I don't even count the drops; just take a small swig from the Logul's bottle. Is it possible that some of us are just ancestrally and genetically different where iodine is concerned?


Iodine Side Effects
Posted by Heidi (Sierra Nevada Foothills, Ca) on 03/29/2013

Every time I take one drop a day of iodine from seaweed for a few days, I start to feel congestion in my chest. Could this be a cleansing reaction and if so what is the best course of action for improving my lung health? I am physically active and have a strong cardio vascular system.


Iodine Side Effects
Posted by Ecfan99 (Everywhere, , Usa) on 03/02/2013

I've been taking Lugol's steadily for about three or four weeks - slowing building. I'm at six drops of 2% per day. Also taking C and selenium. Experiencing some symptoms, and am wondering if the intense menstrual cramps I am feeling today could be related? Thanks for any insight.

I'm taking the iodine for my thyroid nodules and fybrocystic breasts, by the way.

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Replied by Mmsg
(Somewhere, Europe)
03/03/2013

Ecfan99, if you suspect iodine for the cramps, why not try it externally?


Iodine Side Effects
Posted by Von Butz (Santa Ana, Ca) on 02/16/2013

Ok EarthClinic, I'm counting on you for some kind of answer. I have been taking Lugol's 5% iodine for the past 6 months and I have had such a terrible time with my skin. I have never, ever, in all my years of illness had bad skin. In fact, it was the one thing I had left that was wonderful and beautiful and I was frequently complimented on. Not so much the case anymore.

I am up to 8 drops a day, split to 4 drops morning and night. I also take 2 tsp of macqui berry powder (vitamin c), 1 tsp MACA powder, 1 3/4 tsp magnesium/calcium powder (CALM), and spike every 16 oz of water with 1/4 tsp ACV and lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt. In addition, I am cleansing for systemic candida which I'm taking a yeast control product and 3 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil. I also take a very good daily vitamin (that has loads of goodies in it), vitamin d, astaxanthin, and ubiquinol. I even now use a cosmetic product that's made primarily with magnesium oil as well as many other good essential oils.

I have previously done extensive colon and liver cleansing. I have never cleansed my kidneys completely.

I exercise every day and go in my infrared sauna. I also try to do coffee enemas as frequently as I can to clean my blood.

The nature of the acne is quite odd too. They aren't actually bonfide pimples. They are usually a very hard sebum that more often then not I have to dig out of the skin because it won't come out on it's own. And when I finally get it out, I try to smash the sebum between my thumb nails (gross, I know) just to see how hard it is and sometimes it won't crush. Almost like a pebble. And then I'm left with a very slow healing wound on my face.

I'm trying to keep a positive disposition and look at it as a good thing because I know my body is detoxing and that's great. And I know that I'm doing a lot at once to detox but I feel as though I keep all of my pathways of detoxification flowing pretty well. Nothing is stopped up. So why the acne? And why such a weird form of the acne? Should I be doing something else in addition to my protocol?

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Replied by Anon
(Anon)
02/16/2013

Hi, check with Bill but it could be B3?

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Replied by Timh
(Louisville, Ky, Usa)
02/17/2013
2048 posts

Von Butz: Take a Cal/Mag/Zinc instead of the Cal/Mag. A mixed Caroteinoid complex seems appropriate here also. Take Vit-E and Selenium with your Ubiquinol (not same time as caroteinoids).

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Replied by Bill
(San Fernando, La Union, Philppines)
02/17/2013

Hi Von Butz... If you are taking larger dose lugols iodine then bromide detox causing skin problems is a known problem. This is not really because of a problem with the iodine -- the problem is that iodine is too efficient at removing bromine (too much bromine from food, drugs etc in the body). Thus iodine ends up dumping alot of bromine into the blood which the body cannot remove fast enough, so the skin, which is also an excretory organ in the body, tries to help excrete the bromide as well and the excess bromine being excreted through the skin is what causes the strange skin problems. The detailed reasons for this bromide detox problem with symptoms are given in this link:

http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/bromidedominancetheory.html

The solution to this problem seems to be to supplement Sea Salt, Vitamin C and Zinc. You can also pulse the dose (take the full iodine dose then stop taking iodine for two days) which will stop too much bromide being dumped into the blood -- causing excretion through the skin. Sea salt is key in helping to remove the bromide (causing your skin problem) more quickly and efficiently. The chloride from the salt binds to the bromide and simply excretes it safely and quickly through the urinary pathway. The bromide detox strategy is more fully explained here:

http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/bromidedetoxsymptomsandstrategies.html

This should help to get rid of your skin problems.


Iodine Side Effects
Posted by Natalie (Santa Ana, Ca, Usa) on 02/11/2013

Hello All, I am having an issue. I've been taking Lugol's 5% iodine for about 6 months now. I have finally reached the max dose and have been taking 8 drops a day, 4 in the morning and 4 at night for about 3 weeks now. I mix the the iodine with a few tablespoons of water and hold it under my tongue for 30 seconds.

This morning, I noticed a slight yellowing/browning on my bottom front teeth and upon checking the inside of my front teeth was horrified to find that they are "30-year-smoker" status. Simply, my bottom teeth (just in the front) are perfectly brown but only from the inside. Again, from the front, they are just yellowing/browning on a minor level.

After I calmed down and assessed the situation, I figured out that my permanent retainer was the culprit. I had braces for a few years in high school and as some of you know, orthodontists will put a permanent retainer in on the bottom teeth on the inside (I should probably just get the thing removed). I'm figuring that the iodine is reacting with the metal of the retainer, clinging to it, and as the day goes on, it slowly slides down the back of my teeth. I'm assuming idodine has metallic properties?

I am very particular about my teeth. I use a natural toothpaste, flouride-free, I swish with hydrogen peroxide after brushing. I floss everyday (maybe twice if need be). And I do still wear my invisalign retainer.

My only vice is I drink coffee but I don't drink nearly enough to cause this kind of staining.

From now on, I will be diluting the iodine in adequate amounts of water and shooting it as quickly possible. I would opt to paint the iodine on but my skin is very fair and it has a cool undertone. I fear the iodine would NEVER go away.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to whiten the teeth? Will it just go away over time? Could I possibly have permanently stained the teeth?

*Fair warning to all those taking iodine with permanent retainers or braces: Take heed and keep an eye on your teeth! *

Thanks!

-That 28-year-old with smoker's teeth (or Natalie)

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Replied by Gerrit
(Abbotsford, Bc, Canada)
02/11/2013

Hi, Perhaps you should change the way you take the Lugol's 5% Iodine solution, I was doing it like you internally and was up to 35 DROPS a day in divided dosis and sometimes I felt water running out of mine nose meaning stop you have reached the limit. At the beginning of the month I started to paint it on the inside of my forearm and use only 7 drops in the AM with the dropper I drop the dropplets about a inch apart and then with the side of the dropper I smear or roll it on, than the next day I use the other arm. Works for me. I'm Hypothyroid (83 yr male) and in the AM my temp is slowly coming up to 97.7. I would like to get it over the 98 mark.

If you look at the bottle it probably says for external use only. Take care and do your own DD


Iodine Side Effects
Posted by Elizabeth (Nashville, Tn) on 09/09/2010

Iodine and Acne link?

I'm concerned about acne and iodine intake. I have fatigued adrenals and try to get my hands on anything that can give me energy. I've come across diatomaceous earth and have been taking that to clear myself of impurities. I also take one Iodoral pill a day to support my thyroid and provide energy. I've noticed a rash or acne flare up on the left side of my nose. Also, I've noticed my face wanting to break out more than usual (usually only 1 or 2 pimples a month.. Now I have 3 cysts and 2 whiteheads)

Does anyone know of an iodine/acne connection or I wonder if this could be a detox reaction? I do feel better and hope I can continue to take the Iodoral.

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Replied by Kevin
(Grand Rapids, Michigan)
12/18/2010

You are most likely detoxing from Bromine. Flour Is Brominated which is a toxin which the Evil FDA insists is good for you, just like the lead and mercury that is used to fill your cavities. The Mercury in your Vaccinations. If you feel your having a reaction to Iodine. Chew ten 500mg Vitamin C tablets. Your symptoms will disappear soon enough. Do not use Vitamin C from Sams Club. These evil F---s sweeten them with Nutrasweet which is deadly toxic If too much is consumed and counter-productive to taking Vitamin C.

Spend a little Time reading Human Race Get Off Your Knees by David Icke. It will be money well spent. I am currently taking 50-100mg of Iodine from J Crows 2% Lugols Solution. I had acne appear and now its disappearing. Every person reacts differently to Iodine, depending on several factors. Mine aren't the benchmarch... Do more research, and remember Vitamin C will stop heart palpitations most of the time If you've ingested more Iodine than your used to.

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Replied by Veghead7
(Warner Robins, Ga)
07/19/2012

The acne breakout is caused by the iodine pushing the bromide away from the iodine receptors in the body and into the blood stream. But this can cause other problems, such as acne breakouts, if the bromide remains in the bloodstream. To completely push the bromide out of the body through the urine, 1/2 to 1 tsp /day of unrefined celtic salt needs to be taken. If you want to know how to properly supplement with iodine, join the iodine group on yahoo and read their article - "The guide to supplementing with iodine."

Supporting Nutrients for taking Iodine.

These are required to support the body while supplementing with iodine:

Vitamin C 2,000- 5,000 mgs / day supports the symporters and assists as an antioxidant to detoxing.

Selenium 200- 400 mcg / day needed for detoxification and thyroid hormone creation.

Unrefined salt (Celtic) ½ tsp / day supports adrenals, binds to bromide and assists in removal, supports symporters (sodium iodine symporters or NIS)

Magnesium 400 mgs / day critical for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body.

Optional ATP CoFactors

-1 tablet 2x / day when individuals continue to feel fatigued or have autoimmune thyroid disease this product can assist in increasing ATP (energy) within the cells. Riboflavin and no-flush niacin.


Iodine Warnings

Posted by Philthefluter (Pembroke, Wales) on 11/23/2010

Be careful when taking iodine supplementation, although it is needed by all body organs too much or the wrong type can be detrimental. I was advised to do the patch test and if low to use the iodine (lugols) on the skin. It will then be absorbed through the skin as required by the body. This way you will also know when you are iodine sufficient by the absorbtion rate.


Iodine Warnings
Posted by Lana (Ormond, USA) on 11/13/2007

Ingesting ACV has long been used for medical treatment and is sometimes very effective.. HOWEVER, one should also take an iodine supplement, such as kelp tablets or kelp extracts while using this therapy. Extended ACV consumption can remove iodine from the body, and can result in thyroid problems. (Salt also causes the same problems which is why commercial salt has added iodine.) I learned all this back in the early 1970's, and have not found this important information on iodine/ACV interaction in any articles or books recently. However I have not covered your entire site. So in case no one has mentioned this yet, it really needs to be addressed.

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Replied by Sharon
(Valdosta, GA)
02/11/2008

Lana from Ormond wrote that ACV inteferes with Iodine consumption. This confuses me and causes some concern as the bottle of Lugol's I'm using has this instruction printed on the bottle: "take on an empty stomach 20 minutes before eating in an 8oz glass of distilled water with a teaspoon ACV for slight acidification". So does ACV interfere or help????

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Replied by Pamela
(Houston, Texas)
12/04/2008

I thought I would add my 2 cents. There is an article on the internet by Dr. DeForest Clinton Jarvis, from his book Arthritis & Folk Medicine of him recommending using avc and iodine together. See attached link on article: http://www.jcrows.com/MaryJoFahey_IodineRemediesSecretsFromTheSea.pdf

It is a good read all about iodine very informative. Thanks for your input. It takes all of us working together and sharing information. Keeping looking for where you got your information so we can get the whole picture.


Iodine, Iodide, Triiodide

Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 11/29/2011

Dr Brownstein has written an interesting review of his own clinical experiences using lugol's iodine. His work illustrates the necessity of taking both iodide and iodine in lugol's form -- which contains both iodide and elemental iodine. Here are some extracts:

One and a half years ago, I began testing my patients for the [iodine] loading test. Although I expected lowered body iodine levels, I was not ready for the magnitude of the results. After testing over 500 patients, I found that 94. 7% of my patients are deficient in inorganic iodine. Many of these patients were already being treated by me for thyroid and other endocrine imbalances, including SSKI. When physiologic doses of iodine/iodide were added to their regimen, many of these patients showed dramatic improvement in their condition, especially patients who were non-responders, even though some were taking SSKI.

Iodine deficiency is often thought of as synonymous with thyroid malfunction, particularly with the development of goiter. The research is clear that iodine deficiency can lead to cysts and nodules of the thyroid gland. David Marine reported the benefits of treating school-aged children with iodine/iodide (Lugol's solution) nearly 70 years ago. Marine looked at two groups: a control group and a treatment group, which received 9mg/day of iodine/iodide. The iodine/iodide treatment group had a 0. 2% incidence of goiter while the control group had a 22% goiter 110x difference. This was the first U.S. Iodine study showing the decline of goiter formation with the use of iodine. Shortly after this study, iodized salt was initiated which was a great success in eliminating goiter in the U.S.

In medical school, little was taught about iodine. Specifically, we were taught that the iodization of salt was implemented to prevent goiter and therefore no further iodine was necessary in the diet. After studying the literature on iodine, I realized what I was taught in medical school was incorrect. The iodization of salt was adequate to lessen the prevalence of goiter, but it did not address the rest of the body's need for iodine.

I was initially hesitant to use higher (>1mg) doses of iodine due to my concern about causing adverse effects. In reviewing much of the literature there was concern about larger doses of iodine causing hyperthyroid symptoms. However, a further, more exhaustive review of the literature failed to prove that iodine, in milligram doses ever was shown to cause hyperthyroid symptoms. In fact, as iodine levels have fallen over 50% in the last 30 years in the United States, autoimmune disorders and hyperthyroid symptoms have been increasing at near epidemic proportions.

After testing individuals and finding low iodine levels, I began to use smaller milligram amounts of iodine/iodide (6.25mg/day). Upon retesting these individuals 1-2 months later, little progress was made. I therefore began using higher milligram doses (6. 25-50mg) to increase the serum levels of iodine. It was only with these higher doses that I began to see clinical improvement as well as positive changes in the laboratory tests.

Why would people need the larger doses of iodine? Why have iodine levels fallen 50% in the last 30 years? As I pondered these questions, I came to the conclusion that the toxicity of modern life must be impacting iodine levels. It is well known that the toxic halides, fluoride and bromide, having a similar structure as iodine, can competitively inhibit iodine absorption and binding in the body.

Source: Clinical Experience with Inorganic Non-radioactive Iodine/Iodides

Clearly, from the above research, not all forms of iodine will have the same beneficial effect and smaller dosages seem to be insufficient for whole body iodine/iodide sufficiency. SSKI contains only Potassium Iodide(I-) but lugol's contains KI(I-) as well as elemental iodine(I2), so they are not the same thing -- the former is the antioxidant ionic form and the latter is the pro-oxidant molecular form. Furthermore, although SSKI is extremely beneficial, lugols has a more widespread beneficial effect on the body because of the added elemental iodine(I2).

Here is some research by Eskin and Ghent et al (1995):

Biol Trace Elem Res. 1995. Jul;49(1):9-19

Different tissue responses for iodine and iodide in rat thyroid and mammary glandsby Eskin BA, Grotkowski CE, Connolly CP, Ghent WR. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19129, USA. This research describes the effects of short-term elemental iodine (I2) and iodide (I-) replacement on thyroid glands and mammary glands of iodine-deficient (ID) Sprague-Dawley female rats. Iodine deficiency causes atypical tissue and physiologic changes in both glands. Tissue histopathology and the endocrine metabolic parameters, such as serum TT4, tissue and body weights, and vaginal smears, are compared. A moderate reduction in thyroid size from the ID control (IDC) was noted with both I- and I2, whereas serum total thyroxine approached the normal control with both I- and I2, but was lower in IDC. Thyroid gland IDC hyperplasia was reduced modestly with I2, but eliminated with I-. Lobular hyperplasia of the mammary glands decreased with I2 and increased with I- when compared with the IDC; extraductal secretions remained the same as IDC with I2, but increased with I-; and periductal fibrosis was markedly reduced with I2, but remained severe with I-. Thus, orally administered I2 or I- in trace doses with similar iodine availability caused different histopathological and endocrine patterns in thyroid and mammary glands of ID rats. The significance of this is that replacement therapy with various forms of iodine are tissue-specific.

Editor's Note: As cited above, for iodine-deficient rats, iodine was more beneficial than iodide for the mammary gland. Similarly, for humans with fibrocystics breasts, the patients incurred more benefits from supplementing with iodine rather than iodide. The benefits included a reduction in breast size and remission of disease symptoms.

Source: http://www.breastcanceralternatives.org/iodineref.html

Therefore what becomes plainly apparent form all the above research are the following points:

* Iodide and elemental iodine do not have the same beneficial effects on the body because certain areas and organs of the body may specifically uptake only the iodide or only uptake the elemental iodine or even perhaps an intermediate form -- Triiodide(I3-) -- arising from a combination reaction between the Iodide and Iodine forms to resolve problems. So both forms are therefore needed for proper whole body sufficiency.

* Larger doses of both iodide and iodine are needed to resolve major problems in the body. Microgram amounts will only ever satisfy the thyroid, whereas larger milligram amounts are unquestionably needed for whole body iodine/iodide sufficiency.

* A paradigm shift in the thinking needs to occur regarding the human body's requirement for iodine/iodine. The body needs 100 times more iodide/iodine than the thyroid -- which only requires the iodide form. Therefore medical thought should more correctly consider this iodine/iodide need as a whole body deficiency rather than just as a singular thyroid deficiency.

As to why Lugol's Iodine causes probems with some people can perhaps be put down to the elemental iodine content in the lugols which can be harsh on the stomach. Both Lugol's Iodine and Nascent Iodine both contain the Triiodide form -- the most biovailable and friendly form for the body which is also not harsh on the stomach. However, Nascent Iodine, because of its electromagnetic formation, contains far more triiodide than lugols. Because of this and whereas one drop of Lugols Iodine contains 6.25 mgs iodide/iodine, Nascent Iodine only contains about 0.6 mgs iodine per drop -- but because most of it is in the triiodide form, this form is absorbed into the body ten times more efficiently than the lugol's form. Triiodide can also easily be absobed sub-lingually or in the stomach and has a much faster action on the body than Lugol's Iodine. The one drawback here is that Nascent Iodine is much more expensive than lugol's iodine because it involves a more complex electromagnetic process.

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Replied by Mike
(Denver, Colorado)
03/19/2012

iosol contains ammonium iodide take 50 drops per day for 1 month as a loading dose after that take 7 drops per day as a maintanance dose take plenty of water kelp contains potassium iodide for the thyroid take 1 gram with a pint of water 5 times a day monday thru friday on the weekend dont take any so the body can flush the excess potassium iodide from the thyroid


Iodoral Iodine

2 User Reviews
4 star (1) 
  50%
(1) 
  50%

Posted by Sedaray (Los Angeles) on 10/26/2021
★★★★☆

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.

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Replied by GertJr
(Madison)
10/27/2021

I started ioderal because I am always cold and, looking at my diet, figured I didn't get iodine otherwise. I'm still always cold. I still don't sleep. but my skin is no longer dry and flaky, so go figure.

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MissM
(NY)
10/29/2021

You should get your thyroid checked, and see what your levels are. You can find out more at stopthethyroidmadness.com. They have a list of symptoms, which tests, how to interpret. It's best not to treat Willy Nilly.

There are a number of natural thyroid replacements available. You can use iodoral but best to be thorough and get a reading if you are very depleted or mildly depleted.

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Ruqayya
(Pennsylvania)
10/29/2021

I find Iodoral the best for iodine supplementation, one tablet every day. I don't do any tests. I can tell by the way I feel and I don't do very well with the cheaper substitutes nor plain kelp.


Iodoral Iodine
Posted by Ecfan99 (USA) on 12/29/2013

Hello - I have been taking iodine for over a year to help with goiter / cysts on thyroid, as well as fibrocystic breasts. I had been taking 75mg of Lugol's. About two months ago I switched to Iodoral because of ease of taking, and the Lugol's was staining my teeth. I started at 50 mg of Iodoral and didn't notice any detox or side effects. I bumped up to 100 mg a few days ago. I take the companion supplements as well (magnesium, selenium, C, B, sea salt).

Throughout the night last night I woke up feel very nauseated. Still feeling pretty queasy today. So much so that I've canceled my plans for the day.

Could this be the iodine doing further detoxing, and more halides being released into my system? I have taken some sea salt in water this morning, and may continue to do that. Just want to be sure I'm approaching this correctly. Thanks.

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Replied by Mike 62
(Denver, Colorado)
12/29/2013

Ecfan99: Like a world class symphony that has excellent musicians and finely tuned instruments in the proper ratio, the body requires dozens of nutrients and hundreds of co factors to function at peak performance. Cooked regular food and isolated supplements do not provide these. The best nutrients come from raw, organic, grass fed, soaked, sprouted, fermented, and wild harvested whole foods. I was like you a short while ago. Today I am a lot better.

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Replied by Bill
(San Fenando, Philippines)
12/29/2013

Hi Ecfan99...What you are probably experiencing is the Herx (die-off) or Detox side-effects of supplementing Lugol's Iodine. If you have large amounts of heavy metals or halides(fluorine and bromine) in your body, then iodine removes them from the cells and dumps them into the blood and then it is up to the liver to get rid of them. The liver becomes overwhelmed and stressed -- hence you fell sick and nauseous.

Although a good detoxer, iodine removes these poisons from the cells and just dumps them into the blood -- so there is a danger of redistribution of these heavy metals and halides in the body. Secondly, when these heavy metals and halides are excreted into the intestines from the liver -- they can also be re-absorbed back into the body from the colon.

Perhaps your best course of action for removal of heavy metals is to take Chlorella. Dr William Kelly, well known for his anti-cancer Metabolic Protocol, advised Chlorella in his own protocol because chlorella contains alginates. Alginate is a huge molecule. When alginates bind to heavy metals, the alginate molecule is far to big for it to be re-absobed into the cells of the body and too big for it to be re-absorbed into the body via the colon. Hence, heavy metals are excreted even quicker and more efficiently by the chlorella

If you have poisons like fluorine and mercury already in excess in your body then these poisons can be absorbed in areas of the brain as well as the glands. The thyroid relies on its hormone regulation in the hypothalimus (TRH -- Thyroid-releasing Hormone) and the pituitary gland(TSH - Thyroid Stimulating hormone) -- so if these two regions of the brain have excess mercury or fluorine then this will also cause gross mis-regulation of the thyroid. You are already taking selenium, which helps to remove mercury from the body but I think adding borax to your protocol will help to more quickly eliminate the fluorine. See Ted's borax water protocol here.

Another thing you can do is just get a simple hair analysis -- this will tell you exactly what heavy metals, halides and other poisons are in your body in excess, so you will be able to employ a much more focused protocol to get rid of all these poisons from your body.

And for now, perhaps it would be best to reduce your iodoral protocol to just 50mgs per day -- or at least to a level where the effects of the detox are not so severe.


Iodoral Iodine
Posted by Rsw (Uniontown, Oh) on 03/29/2013

Hi Bill, I started taking Iodoral a few times a week after reading how valuable it is. My doctor told me not to take more than one tablet a day or it would "blow out" my thyroid. Now I find I have hypothyroid. I am in the process of using Armour thyroid supplement at 30 mg. , with the intention of increasing it every 6-8 weeks until my TSH is 1. I bought some kelp capsules to take instead of the Iodoral. But after reading your article, I wonder if I should take the Iodoral again? We are going to monitor the thyroid nodules in a year for increase instead of doing a biopsy now. From what I've read, there is only a very small chance of a cancer that is aggressive in these cases, and many are diagnosed with papillary cancer but there is no increase in mortality, indicating either a cancer that is slow growing and not harmful or an outright misnomer. In order to stop the growth of the nodules, however, it seems to me to be important to increase iodine. Is this correct? Should I wait to see the effective Armour dose first, or take the iodine and probably get a good effect on a lower dose of Armour? I read a book on this but I'm still not familiar with all this. Thank you for any advice you may have.

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Replied by Bill
(San Fernando, Philippines)
03/30/2013

Hi Rsw... As I've said many times before, TSH is a highly inaccurate test for the measurement of thyroid hormones. The better option would be, at the very least, to get your Free T3 and Free T4 levels and certain other body paramters measured instead. Free T3 and Free T4 are the active thyroid hormones that are important to your body whereas TSH is secreted from the Pituatury gland. For a more detailed explanation of this aspect, see these links:

TSH -- Why It's Useless

Recommended Lab Work

Armour thyroid used to be a good form of natural thyroid, but in 2009 they were taken over and they changed their formula and included more cellulose -- a caking agent that helps form the tablet. Any caking agent will inhibit the proper absorption of nutrients. For a list of other natural thyroid options with explanations, see this link:

Natural Thyroid Options

As to the question of whether higher dose iodine is beneficial for the thyroid or not, here are two pieces of incontestable evidence which proves outright that higher dose iodine is not a poison:

* Before WW2 and for over 100 years medical doctors widely prescribed 5% lugols iodine supplemented in dosages of 50 to 300 drops per day -- that's a daily dosage of 300 mgs to 2000 mgs of LI per day!!

* For thousands of years, the Japanese have eaten seaweed (which contains iodine) in their diet -- and it has been found through research that they have an average daily iodine intake of 13. 8 mgs per day(the RDA for iodine is currently 150 micrograms per day). The Japanese are one of the healthiest populations in the world as a result of this diet.

The reason for thyroid nodule formation with higher iodine intake in the West today is not due to the iodine -- but is due to a very poor western food diet that hugely lacks anti-oxidants -- lacking Selenium and Magnesium in particular (with a high calcium diet which acts to inhibit the proper absorption of iodine into crucial areas of the body). That's why anyone in the West who has thyroid problems or, indeed, any other problem requiring supplemented iodine, should always follow The Iodine Protocol without fail.

For a more detailed explanation from independent research which explains all the reasons why you get thyroid nodule formation with higher iodine intake -- see these links:

Iodine and Your Thyroid

Facts About Autoimmune Thyroiditis

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Replied by A
(Southern , Ca)
03/30/2013

I do believe you on the T3 & T4 testing. But unfortunately, last month when I went to retest my TSH level, I mentioned to the doc that I wanted to test the T3 & T4 also. Actually, I tried to demand that they test it, stating that the TSH level is an incomplete indicator of the thyroid. She wouldn't hear such talk. She said something like - no, this is how we test. And acted as if she'd never even heard of the other tests! They are "the authorities", and will not do what a patient asks if it's not in their agreeable scope of "knowledge".

With my TSH level just inside the normal range, they would definitely not do any further testing.

And being on the state health-care system, I do not have a choice of doctors, nor could I ever afford a doctor that I would actually intentionally choose myself. So I only go to the doc minimally, like for a blood test or an asthma inhaler.

Any suggestions on how to get the proper tests done for an affordable price, without a referral? (I'm in southern California).

Thanks for all that info and links, even though I wasn't the one who asked. (I'll continue to eat Brazil nuts for selenium, but do I need to eat a few every time I take a drop or 2 of Lugol's? Also, there's no knowing whether the source of the nuts is depleted or not. So might it be better to take a supplement on and off?)

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Replied by Rsw
(Uniontown, Oh)
03/31/2013

Thank you, Bill, for all the useful links you have given, and also the info on Armour. In reading "Solved:The Riddle of Illness" by Stephen Langer, MD, which was recommended to me earlier, it seemed to say a lack of iodine could cause nodules, so I was confused as to why I would avoid iodine if the goal was to reduce or maintain what is already there. I will continue with the iodine and the other supplements, as explained. I am so surprised to see how many illnesses can occur as a result of low thyroid. Ohio has the lowest level of Selenium in it's soil, which can apparently lead to cancer, so I will be eating a few Brazil nuts daily, too. Thanks so much for all you do to help people everyday, and for answering my questions so I can understand the answers.



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