The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Skin Cancer
Posted by George (Cave City, KY) on 02/07/2009
★★★★★
skin cancer: Have been using 10 percent iodine on basil cell carcinoma on my face. It is working fantastic. Just remember apply many times per day. One of mine was the size of 1 plus inches in diameter and has gone down to 1/2 in in 3 wks, no soreness, no bleeding and no scarring as of today. I will continue until they are gone. Iodine is the best I have seen, having had moh's surgery, 11 hrs on my nose, they did a wonderful job, but this is a lot less painful, and is working wonders. Keep up the good work....I am 67 years old.
Skin Cancer
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 01/10/2013
Hi YoungLady1975... Yes iodine stength certainly does matter. As an illustration -- here is a table which should make it clearer. A higher percentage concentration means that you get a higher dose per drop. For some clarity -- have a look at the table at this link:
Iodine % Strength to mgs Conversion Table
It is very important to understand these conversions and also important to take the correct dosage of lugol's Iodine in mgs as recommended. Most Lugol's Iodine sold in America today is 2% strength or less -- which therefore means that you will have to take over double the number of drops (of 2% LI) because most of the older LI remedies assume that people still use the 5% strength Lugols.
As an example, if you are taking say 8 drops or a 50 mg daily dose of 5% Lugols Iodine per day -- this will translate to you taking 20 drops of 2% Lugols iodine for the same daily 50 mgs dose as the 8 drops of 5% LI.
Also, 7% Lugol's Iodine is much more effective on external melanomas and warts than LI of lower percentage strength.
Sore Throat
Posted by Brian (Michigan) on 08/01/2026
★★★★★
Our family did the same thing, painting our throats with iodine at first sign of sore throat. I still do it and it works great!
Sore Throat
Posted by John (Panama City, FL) on 01/20/2008
★★★★★
re: Iodine for Sore Throats/Ear Aches. I'm trying this for the very first time. Let me add this word of caution: KEEP TOWELS HANDY! Wherever you normally sit - say, a couch or favorite easy chair - place towels where your wrists and hands would normally rest. This is especially important if, like me, you sweat profusely even when still. I also suggest wearing clothing that you won't mind possibly getting stained, as the iodine WILL get all over.
Anxiety Attacks
Posted by Anne-Marie (Palm Coast, FL) on 02/04/2007
★★★★☆
While I would not consider myself "cured" of anything, I have found that Iodine..or the lack thereof...causes me to have panic and anxiety attacks. This is a recent (within 3 months) development for me as I have never had panic and anxiety attacks prior. And although I now take Kelp in a Thyroid supplement (for my newly developed Hypothyroidism), My Iodine test (painting a 2x2 in sq on my abdomen) still shows a regular Iodine insufficiency. Interestingly, I also drink protein shakes that contain 30% FDA Iodine each. I drink 2-3 of these each day. Yet, my Iodine is consistently depleted.
Thyroid Issues
Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) on 01/21/2007 391 posts
Actually, the T3 method to measure iodine deficiency is not accurate. Another way is your body temperature.
I have seen instances that body temperature is low while T3 is good. In other instances I have seen none of these but a severity of fibrosis to occur. Fibrosis is actually a condition of iodine deficiency but the T3 is o.k. while the conditions was cured after taking iodine. So present medical practice in my humble opinion is primitive. Iodine quenches glycation of protein involved in aging and arthritis and this doesn't show on T3 but is a wonderful way to reduce arthritic pain by allowing the healing to process. Skin pores opening up too large is also cured with an iodine as it stimulates skin regeneration reducing the size of skin pores. I know, I have a huge one on my face and it is mostly cured that most people cannot see it.
So we really have to be practical about it. Analysis is just that, it won't cure your conditions and you will be lost forever in trying to figure out how the T3 is related to oversized pores, arthritic pains, fibrosis, asthma, clogged eustachian tubes, fallopian tubes (preventing pregnancy), where such fibrosis formation are due to abnormalities in skin metabolism. Figuring out why is one thing, getting yourself cured is what we all seek.
Menstrual Issues
Posted by Heidi (Troup, TX) on 12/07/2006
★★★★★
I had been menstruating for 7 weeks straight (very heavy) and went to my family doctor. She wanted to put me on birth control. I am 37 and I smoke so I didn't think that was a good choice. I decided to see me chiropractor who put me on the iodoral iodine and my menstrual period stopped in 3 days and has been regular for over 7 months. I also feel better and have more energy. I can tell if I haven't taken them. I start to feel "blah".
Thyroid Issues
Posted by Lorraine (Charlotte, NC) on 03/27/2006
★★★★★
I am using iodine for hyporthyroid. Feel better and am losing weight after consistantly gaining weight for over a year. Iodine cured my fatigue, hypoglycemia, dry skin, brain fog. I feel I still have a ways to go. Does anyone know if iodine taken internally or painted will cure acne? My son has tried everything and still no cure for his severe acne. He is 25 yrs old and it's killed his self esteem. Thanks for any help! Lorraine.
Burns
Posted by Carolyn (Woodlawn, IL) on 03/08/2006
★★★★★
I got a large burn from a motorcycle exhaust. I did not blister or scar with iodine on it. I keep a bottle in the kitchen by the stove, and in bathroom for curling iron burn. And ammonia for insect bites, stings.
Skin Ailments
Posted by Dorinda (York, NY) on 01/30/2006
★★★★★
I used Iosol Iodine for 4 days on a skin tag and it disappeared. :)
Broad Benefits
Posted by Brenda (Bear, DE) on 01/18/2006
★★★★★
Iodine is excellent for toenail fungus, ringworm, fever blisters, moles and skin tags, hangnails, etc. Just a few drops on a q-tip is all it takes. Use daily until the "boo-boo" is gone.
Thyroid Issues
Posted by Joanna (England) on 01/17/2006
★★★★★
hi, i suffered with weight gain and thinning hair, although blood tests showed borderline hypothyroidism i started taking sea kelp and at last my weight has slowly started to come off and as a plus my hair grows much thicker and quickly. i will take this supplement for life.
Ringworm
Posted by Catherine (Laval, Quebec, Canada) on 01/07/2006
★★★★★
When I was 21, I came back from the lake with what we call 'ringworm'. It is not a worm but a fungus. An older man I showed it to told me to put iodine on it. The red skin cleared within a few days. Ever since, I have been using it on abandoned cats that come in from the cold with various states of the fungus. It clears within days. Vets panic at the sight of ringworm because of the possibility of contagion to humans. Some will even suggest to put the animal to sleep. They have a tendancy to give chemical pills, I have no idea if they work. Apply the iodine on the rim of the spot as it is where the fungus lies and multiplies.
Catherine, researcher
Lost and Found Pet Network
www.rapt-lfpn.org
Broad Benefits
Posted by Anonymous (Tallahassee, FL)
★★★★★
Iodine is my drug of choice. I use it for EVERYTHING. I raise my kids and now my grandkids on iodine. My son was due to have his tonsils removed and I decided to paint his tonsils and he has never been had any more problems with his throat. I took a spray bottle and poured some iodine into the bottle and sprayed his tonsils. As you may know iodine dries quickly, so he didn't really swallow any. It worked within 24 hours after spraying the throat. I have done it for my sore throat and it clears it right up.
Menstrual Issues
Posted by Donna (Aspen, CO)
★★★★★
I totally cured my PMS, as I used to have severe anxiety, temper flare ups and acne. I paint myself with 2% tincture of iodine every AM & PM. Noticed the change within 2 days! Also, my allergies went away, my teeth weren't sensitive anymore.
Recipe: Paint about a 2" X 2" area on your stomach area, always moving the spot around to different locations (or the skin gets dried out and itchy). Just two days ago I forgot to paint in the morning, by evening I had a acne starting to form on my chin, I quickly painted my tummy, and when I awoke the next day it was gone!
If your paintings don't absorb then you can put off painting, maybe every other day. It means your iodine level is okay, maybe you really don't need any. However, I read that 80% of Americans are iodine defficient. They used to put iodine in all of our flour products (before 1966), then they discovered bromide, it is easier, cheaper, less messy and makes ingredients mix well, so it's in all of our bread, flour products (except "sprouted grain" breads/products & 100% organic) cakes, even Gatorade and Mountain Dew (it was found in Dansani water too)!
Fluoride, chlorine, bromide & iodine are all halogens, their atomic weight determines which one deletes the other, fluoride being the winner (doesn't that make you happy). Iodine is the loser, so all three delete iodine. That's why we are all deficient, we cannot escape fluoride, chlorine and bromide! So, paint paint paint, you only absorb what you need!
EC: We asked Donna for more information...
Menstrual Issues
Posted by Aimee (Tampa, Fl) on 11/08/2012
Sara- I, too, went through the same run-around with the Thyroid: prescription drugs for Thryroid, anti-depressants, etc.. Nothing they gave me worked and they would not listen to me. I felt like I was going crazy.
Fast forward to 2012, I became VERY sick and tired of feeling horrible alll the time. My long list of symptoms became so numerous, I felt like I was losing my mind and came close to quiting life.
So, I started researching my signs, symptoms, and possible causes. Through my research, I discovered that the thyroid and the entire endocrine system (metabolic system) is all linked together like a house of cards or dominoes. If one falls, they all fall. If one is off, others are off. The hypothalmus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, thryroid, liver, kidneys, etc... are all controlled by the timing of hormones/glandulars. Learned women have many different glands and hormones in their body that are vital to life which involves more than just estrogen and progesterone. If you go to You Tube, start researching all things related to the endocrine system and metabolic system. Look into Adrenal Fatigue/Adrenal Failure (convinced that is what happened to me after many years of hormonal and metabolic system chaos). Through trial and error over the last year, I finally found some very simple "remedies" that have worked for me the last few months.
**Trust yourself and your instincts. Question and research your symptoms. You know your body best. You know what feels normal... And what doesn't.
1- High protein diet
2- Low sugar
3-Vitamin B-100 tabs
4- Iodide and Iodine Painting (b/c of this blog)
*5- Adrenal Caps-I took for a few weeks to build up my adrenal glands.. BUT please research. You may not be as bad off as I was. I only take when I need them now.
6- Women's Multi-vitamin
**Thank you to all on this post and blog for this wonderful Iodine tip. Sounds stange, but I literally felt it work. Took about 15 minutes after painting on iodine/iodide. Was as if someone was adjusting a fuzzy channel on a TV(my brain before) then "zip" adjusted to a clear channel... The fuzziness in my head was gone. Weird!!
Again, I tried many natural items like natural Thyroid glandulars and natural female hormones. However, they did not work for me long term. The items listed above have made me a new person. Just wish I started researching a long time ago. Now, I have another ovarian cyst that is definately related to the endocrine/hormonal break-down.
Just started ACV and L-Lysine today for the cyst and to further supplement my metabolic health. Thanks to all for the wonderful tips.
Aimee:)
Detox Bromides
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 03/21/2023 563 posts
I've been doing doses of iodine every once in a while but I REALLY don't like that bromine backlash. They gave me valium when I was in the hospital so I'd be rested for surgery and it is NOTHING like that. The valium was more like a happy sleep and drowsiness but that bromine crap - crikeys. It's just plain horrid.
I'd kinda like to get my hands on whomever decided it's okay to spread such monstrous concoctions all over the place...which makes me even more angry because I'm not that sort of person and the very idea that I can be made to feel that way is extremely unsettling.
Detox Bromides
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 03/23/2023 563 posts
Crikeys! Getting rid of bromine is like a Catch-22 thing. It's like dislodging a sedative with a bad edge to it but, at the same time, you want it out of you - I'm going to bed. And hope I can just sleep through it.
I cut the dose way back but just used straight KI. I think it might be speeding things up a bit so - THAT would be good. Yuck.
Iodoral Iodine
Posted by GertJr (Madison ) on 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.
Iodoral Iodine
Posted by MissM (NY) on 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.
Iodine Interactions
Posted by Bill (San Fenando, Philippines) on 03/12/2014
Hi Lin...Your friend Jackie can take liquid kelp extract if she prefers. Just ensure that the kelp extract is organic and make sure that it has not been chemically standardized. If it has, then other chemicals will have been added to it and the synergicity of its natural nutrients will have been altered for the worst.
On the good side, liquid kelp extract will also contain many other beneficial minerals and vitamins for the body. The other thing is that if Jackie is taking kelp just for its health giving aspects then thats fine. But if she is taking it for a specific reason like low thyroid or candida then kelp may not be as effective as lugol's iodine because it contains far less iodine as an extract. It takes about 3 months, at a higher dosage of 50 mgs iodine/iodide per day, to bring back proper levels of iodine in the thyroid gland and the rest of the body. This is why I prefer lugol's iodine at 50 mgs a day.
Iodine Side Effects
Posted by Iowama (Usa) on 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?
Margarita
Posted by V (Mt Grove Mo) on 11/26/2013
★★★★★
One word to all suffering from Lyme: Margaritas.... Not kidding. Something about the combination of lime salt and tequilla works against parasitic infections. Think about it. Mexico, Margaritas, and the worst parasitic water ever but the Mexicans aren't suffering from Lyme. I tried it 3 times a day and no more Lyme.
Iodine Side Effects
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, La Union, Philppines) on 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 Deficiency
Posted by Mms (Somewhere, Europe) on 07/24/2012
Bjornbjorn, first try adding water to your menu. More than you usually drink, up to 2 liters daily.
General Feedback
Posted by Lisa (Rabat, Morocco) on 06/12/2012
Also, Maggie, are you following the full iodine protocol? You should be taking Vitamin C, magnesium, selenium and unrefined sea salt (should be grey or pink in color). If you are having detox you can try taking 1/2 tsp. Of unrefined salt in 1/2 cup warm water and then follow with a full glass of water. You can repeat this every 30-45 minutes until urination. Before I started iodine I took lots of liver support. That might help you with detox issues.
General Feedback
Posted by Had (White River Junction, Vermont) on 06/15/2012
Cramping, muscle pain is likely mineral deficiency, like magnessium, potassium, B vit..... It is so important when taking iodine, I. E. Lugol's, that you follow the rest of the protocol (supplements). Iodine is awesome for your body, but in order for detox(cleaning out) and saturation to work, your pathways have to be nourished as well. All these things work together. There is lots of info on this site about iodine therapies. Also, David Brownstein, a Dr., has many books about using Iodine to treat disease, and again the kicker to having much success, the support supplements so your body works harmoniously for a less symptomatic healing. be well.
Skin Ailments
Posted by Gavin (Manganui, Northland, New Zealand) on 02/16/2012
I read somewhere that skin tags were a sign of to much sugar, like a warning of a prediabetic condition it might pay to check for sugar in the urine. Otherwise keep doing the ACV thing and they will fall off.
Wounds
Posted by Larry Forsyth (Norwalk, Iowa, Usa) on 02/06/2012
From your iodine page:
https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/iodine.html
Having been trained as a medic in the U. S. Air Force many years ago during the Viet Nam era, I have a working familiarity with Iodine. Back then, the antibiotics we used most for field use were Penicillin and cloromycetin (not sure about the latter's spelling). Cloromycetin was great for surgery in less than sterile conditions but it could have serious drawbacks, frequent or long term use being some of them.
For surface wounds iodine seemed to work for nearly everything since it would absorb "beneath the top skin layers". That was what separated it from other germ killing agents popular back then.
When using Iodine on a wound, it was never placed on the open wound itself, only around the edges of it. Hence its absorption usefulness.
How to Take Lugol's
Posted by Lisa (Rabat, Morocco) on 02/06/2012
Francisca, the iodine yahoo group recommends taking it with food. This helps improve absorption and avoids any possible stomach upset. It is also recommended to take before 2pm as it can sometimes disturb sleep, though for me, if I have taken it later in the day, it hasn't affected my sleep.
Nascent Iodine
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 08/09/2014
Hi Karenina...Detoxadine is nascent iodine which only contains triiodide. It's also fairly well known that triodide forms of iodine do not detox heavy metals very well. Lugols Iodine is much better for detox. So naming it Detoxadine is just a contradictory marketing ploy.
That's why I always prefer to use lugols iodine because it contains iodide, molecular iodine as well as triiodide -- all of which are useful for the body.
The reason you get strange side-effects from using any form of iodine is because you have probably been eating a supermarket-bought processed food diet all your life which is high in heavy metals and other poisons and hugely lacking in anti-oxidants.
So your body will be lacking in anti-oxidants and will also probably have an excess build up of heavy metals and halides. To check this you can get a simple hair analysis -- this will tell you all vitamins and minerals your are lacking in your body and will also tell you about the excessive heavy metal and halide levels in your body as well.
Lugol's Iodine will detox cadmium, aluminum, mercury, lead, arsenic, bromine and fluorine. So if you have high amounts of these heavy metals and halides already in your body, iodine will remove them quickly from the cells and put them into the blood and this puts a strain on the liver and kidneys, hence the strange hyper symptoms. So the problem here is really your diet and not the iodine.
And if you also have an extensive infection in your body(known or unknown), iodine may also cause a significant Herx reaction from the die-off with more strange symptoms.
I take 8 drops 5% lugols iodine(50 mgs) per day -- been doing this every day for 8 years -- with no side-effects at all because I always ensure to take the iodine companion supplements like selenium, vitamin C, Magnesium, B Vitamins, Zinc etc as advised in this document:
The Guide to Supplementing Lugols Iodine(or Iodoral)
You should never supplement any form of iodine without also taking the iodine companion supplements every day as well. With iodine, start small and go slow is the rule.
Lugols Iodine and Iodoral are equivalent and are the most useful iodine supplements for the body.
Iodine Painting
Posted by Debbie (Melbourne, Australia ) on 10/04/2011
Karenina, Dr. William Shevin, has developed a salt loading protocol to clear bromide detox symptoms that may occur while taking iodine:
Take 1/4 teaspoon of salt (unrefined sea salt) in 1/2 cup of warm water and follow immediately with 12-16 ounces of water. Repeat this twice in 30-45 minute intervals until urination begins.
General Feedback
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 07/04/2012
Hi Carl... It really doesn't surprise me at all that iodine gargling by your young daughter dislodged the tonsil stones. These tonsil stones will be infested with bacteria and perhaps even yeast or fungus. Iodine kills most pathogens in about 30 seconds. Perhaps more important -- iodine also acts to dislodge and prevent attachement of pathogens to host cell sites (like tonsils). Iodine is also useful for dislodging biofilms containing large colonies of pathogens. Another little known characteristic of supplementing iodine in higher dose is that it acts as a safe anti-histamine -- preventing both pain and inflammation in the body. And I've just read another piece of interesting research that confirms that supplementing smaller amounts of iodine with food helps to prevent food sensitivity reactions and allergic reaction because when the iodine coats the offending allergy-causing protein, it prevents or greatly reduces the allergic histamine-producing reaction.
I am still continuously surprised and astonished at iodine's potential health benefits and I am convinced that there is still much to be discovered on the benefits of iodine.
Kelp
Posted by Jarret (Calgary, Ab, Canada) on 03/09/2011
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
Seaweed, Kelp, are high in arsenic and mercury. I was doing research into taking these as a 'natural' form of iodine. I changed my mind after reading up on it. Liquid Iodine and Acv has been working well for me.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Bessie (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 09/19/2010
Many thanks Connie! I'm starting with Lugol's (1 drop twice daily) and virgin coconut oil (starting with 1 tablespoon and gradually working up to 2 or 3 tablespoons) for my hypothyroid problems. I haven't had too much luck with kelp in the past so I'll see how the Lugol's/VCO works. Many thanks for taking the time to explain your procedure! I've learned so many things from the Earth Clinic family - I'm very grateful :) Best of health to you!
