Why Lugol's Iodine is Essential for Optimal Health

I wanted to update my success from use of Lugol's Iodine Protocol and other healthy ideas I have found on E.C.

I began using Lugol's and companion nutrients 7 month's ago. Starting with 1 drop of 2 percent until I reached 20 drops.(please read protocol here on E.C.) I tried to change my diet, but was injured and now at the mercy of my husband and children for purchasing and preparing most of my food. Anyway, I have been indulging a little in sweets, fried foods, and breads. I did eliminate diet soda. I only use the water purifier from the fridge. Hopefully, because we have city water, I will be able to get a good one for the entire house, soon.

I also use 1 tblsp. ACV (for weight control and kidney stones, which I have passed 3 pain free), lemon/lime in each glass of water, baking soda, and Borax (had a terrible anxiety attack 2 days ago from it and my face broke out, badly! ?). I take a borax/Epsom salt bath each day. I stopped taking P*x*l for anxiety and OCD, 4 months ago, after slowly tapering (1/2 dosage of 1 pill weekly, until completely eliminated), began using a non-fluoridated tooth paste, and switched to sea salt.

Results:

I am never tired during the day. I used to come home from work and take a nap, and sometimes sleep right through to the next morning!!!

My face is clear of acne. (except, that one day)

My seasonal allergies do not bother me, anymore.

Food allergies are not as aggressive. (Dairy)

No more breast fibrosis.

Goiter gone.

Toe nail fungus gone...fingernails not completely cured, but nails not afflicted, are long, strong, and healthy.

Frequent headaches gone.

Hand blisters gone (I believe a fungus).

Energy restored.

Gray hair (light amount) turned back to original color and thinning hair grew back healthier. It turned very dark/reddish for the first 3 months after beginning protocol(?) I was born blonde.

Eyebrows grew back to outer edges of eyes.

Several moles have disappeared. (external use of Lugol's)

Brain fog lifted most days. (I still suffer with bad weather)

OCD tendencies are reduced.

No need for reading glasses. Dr. said my vision actually improved!
Emotions in check, for the most part. (situational)

Avoided all colds/flu/viruses that my family suffered.

So as you can see...E.C. posters (THANK YOU)...I am restoring my health without the use of Modern Medical Doctors! Did I say thank you?

My 5year old daughter had a severe case of molluscum contagiosum. She started with about 10 of the warts on her buttocks, and they started multiplying and spreading very fast. Within a year she had I estimate over a hundred all down her legs. And my 3 other children started to get them too. I freaked out. Twice I went to the doctor, and both times he told me to let it run its course. Yeah right; that was what I did for a year and look what happened! And what if it spread to my newborn baby? My daughter was getting self conscious, you could see them on her legs under her school uniform. I had to do something. I tried ACV, clay baths, a product from the chemist for warts, Epsom salts and olive oil mixed with lemon myrtle essential oil, or even pulling them out with tweezers. Nothing worked.

I then tried Lugol's iodine, and the little buggers started to crust over after 3 days of applying Lugols twice a day with a Q-tip, and when the crust fell off, nothing was underneath!

You could actually see the white center (that is the virus) soak all the iodine up and look like a blackhead, YEAH! That's exactly where the iodine needed to go. Within one month all my children are Mollusum free. You cannot describe the relief I feel, I have to share that.

Hi, I'm a Chiropractor of over 22 years. I want to add a cure that I got from reading Dr. Donsbach, D.C.

My wife and I found as we got older that we were both starting to have digestive problems and really bad acid reflux at nite. The wholist concept is acid reflux is due to NOT ENOUGH acid! You can confirm if this is the case by taking a tablespoon of ACV when you are getting it, if it stops it, then you are LOW in acid.

The next step in the wholistic approach is to take digestive enzymes and HCl to substitute for the low acid. I always thought this isn't getting to the root problem of WHY isn't the body producing enough acid anymore. This is where Dr Donsbach came in.

He discussed that the body needs IODINE to produce the stomach acid. That made sense in that since becoming a Vegetarian, I don't get much seafood and I keep my salt intake down.

So I ordered Lugol's Solution from Amazon and began taking 2 drops a day in a glass of warm water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, monday through friday with the weekend off. My wife did the same. Sure enough within a few weeks my digestion is back to where it was as a teenager, and acid reflux is gone! My wife had the same results as well as a friend that tried it.

If you go to take the iodine, first make sure you aren't allergic. I think a drop on the inside of the wrist or arm and see if it gets swollen or itchy, is a good test. After that, if no reaction, then you can start with one drop in water and see how that effects you. If you have no problems then you can proceed to the 2 drops.

I've been trying to get this information out there, because when people take antacids and medicines that decrease acid production in the stomach, it greatly limits the bodies ability to digest the food,and starts a process that ends up greatly harming your health.

If the word can get out about this cure, it will help millions to improve their health for less than a penny a day and prevent them from ruining their health as they are trying to help it.

Good luck and please write your feedback here so others can see.

Best wishes for health and happiness,
David from H.B.

Iodine for Fibrocystic Breast Disease, uterine fibroid, ovarian cysts and hypothyroidism

Hello wonderful people, I was officially diagnosed with Fibrocystic Breast Disease (FBD) about 2 years ago. I also was diagnosed with a uterine fibroid the size of a grape and one cyst on each ovary and hypothyroidism. I have had FBD since I was 19 years old. My breasts were so lumpy I was afraid to touch them. My breasts would become so painful before my period that I was forced to sleep wearing a bra. I have been on the iodine protocol for about 14 months now. I am a 42 year old woman who exercises like crazy (I am a triathlete). I eat very healthy now. I have eliminated dairy products, soy, caffeine, preservatives and processed sugar. I eat 95% organic and grass fed beef.

I started taking 100 mg of lugol's iodine for the first 3 months, then I was taking 150 mg for 4 months. After that, I went back to 100 mg. Now I am back to 150 mg. I believe my ovarian cysts have dissolved because I don't feel nauseous anymore and I don't have pain in my ovaries like I used to. And at some point I bled and it wasn't time for my period so I am assuming the cysts burst. Regarding the uterine fibroid, I am not sure if it has dissolved completely, but I know for sure it has shrunk because my period isn't painful anymore and I don't get lower back pain either like I used to. In terms of my breasts, they are almost free of lumps. I haven't done an ultra sound yet, but I can feel the difference in texture and pain. I can say pain is 95% gone during pms. My thyroid is working well now. I have energy and I don't feel tired anymore.

I have added castor oil packs on breasts and put an ice pack afterward. I alternate the castor oil pack on each breast every day and I am also taking a homeopathic tincture my naturopath recommended.

I read on this site how people have felt a difference with small amounts of iodine in a short period of time, but it has taken a while for me to see great results. I have read Dr. David Brownstein's book and I was surprised at how his patients improved with smaller amounts. It took 3 months (100 mg per day) after starting the iodine protocol to notice my hair wasn't falling out so much. I thought it was normal to lose so much hair. I read somewhere on the internet that people used to take between 300 mg to 1,000 mg of iodine to treat diseases before drugs.

In the nutshell:

Lugol's iodine (5%) 150 mg a day

Magnesium taurate 500 mg a day

Selenium 500 mcg a day

Sodium ascorbate 2.5 to 5 grams a day

B complex

Himalayan sea salt about 1 tsp a day

I take St. John's Wort, apple cider vinegar and baking soda in small amounts most days of the week. I am in the road to being completely healed and I am grateful for this site and the people who post their experiences. Thank you all and remember BE PATIENT.

I posted previously about this subject. I got an old eye drops bottle - tiny. Cleaned it and put 1/4 of Lugol's (I used 7%) but 5% will be ok. Fill up the rest of the bottle with cooled, boiled water and then stick the dropper bit back on. I put 3 drops, into the ears 3 times a day for the next 4 days and the pain from a severe ear infection, tinnitus and deafness all vanished, never to return. That was several years ago and it still hasn't returned, and had suffered every year, for many years, and it was untouchable by antibiotics. It should work against a fungal infection, too. Lugol's is always in my cupboard. I also got rid of a urine infection last year with it.

Iodine has wonderful health benefits and you must take the companion nutrients along with it in order for it to be beneficial -- otherwise you will most probably have health problems. It is imperative to add this information and information on the salt loading protocol to the main description of iodine on this earth clinic site, to avoid people having problems with iodine and perpetuating the myth that iodine is bad for you. Please, if you have privileges to do that, do your research and add information on the the hyper-importance of the companion nutrients and salt loading to the description of iodine.

The companion nutrients are: selenium (200 to 600 micrograms); magnesium (400 - 600 milligrams); Vitamin C (3,000 to 10,000 milligrams); 1/2 teaspoon unrefined salt per day. If a person has autoimmune thyroid disease they would add Vitamins B2 and B3 - 100 mg riboflavin and 500 mg niacin, 1-2x per day. (People with autonomous nodule (toxic nodule) of the thyroid should not take iodine, so it is important for people with thyroid nodules to find out if the nodule is caused by Graves' Disease or a toxic nodule (Toxic Multinodular Goiter) -- see Grave's remission case report on jeffreydachmd.com).

If you want to avoid the flush from niacin (the flush is not a health problem, but some people prefer not to experience it), then go with the niacinimide form (inositol hexanicotinate); stay completely away from the "timed release" or slow release forms of B3 as they have caused problems.

Iodine, which is very good for health, is in the same category of elements as bromide, chlorine, and fluoride, which are toxic to the human body. This category is called halogens -- they all go to the same receptors in our cells. We are surrounded by the toxic halogens, contained, for example, in our water supply and in things like flame retardant on mattresses. If a person has toxic halogens stored in their cells, when they take iodine, the iodine will begin to displace the toxic halogens, kicking them back into the bloodstream, and then the kidneys will excrete them through the urine. If the toxic halogens start hanging out in the bloodstream for a while before the kidneys can excrete them, they can cause a whole host of detox symptoms, so it is important to know that taking half a teaspoon of unrefined salt in 8 ounces of water, followed immediately by 12 ounces clear, filtered water will help the kidneys flush the toxic halogens right away (the sodium binds with the halogens). See breastcancerchoices.org for the salt-loading protocol as well as a list of bromide detox symptoms and iodine-literate practitioners. This is one reason why some people get confused and think they are "allergic" to iodine -- they take iodine without companion nutrients or without doing the salt push should they experience bromide detox.

One way to avoid detox symptoms altogether is to take one drop of 5% Lugol's solution per day, along with the companion nutrients, for one week. The next week increase to 2 drops per day, and so on, until reaching 16 drops per day, which is 100 milligrams of iodine. Another way, which I am less familiar with but which is described at curezone.com, is to start right away with 16 drops of Lugol's 5% (100 milligrams iodine) or iodine in pill form, per day. Some people have experienced freedom from asthma using that dose. See curezone for that info as well as the other conditions that have iodine has affected positively. It can take quite a while at 100 milligrams (or more) per day to reach a state of iodine sufficiency. The length of time it takes depends on how ill a person is, for example it might take 6 months for a healthy person, or 3 years for someone with cancer. Once sufficiency is reached, the protocol is to drop down to a maintenance dose of, say, 50 mg per day.

Good sources of information on iodine are optimox.com (lots of medical articles), steppingstonesliving.com, which has a free download guide to supplementing with iodine, curezone.com and the iodine yahoo group. Hakalalabs.com offers iodine testing.

Hi there,

I used to get horrendous ear infections a few years ago. After 3, ineffective, courses of antibiotics and 4 months of near complete deafness, pain and tinnitus, I decided to use my Lugols 7%. that I had used orally a year or so previously.. I got an old eye dropper and cleaned it out with boiling water. I filled it 1/4 full of Lugol's and the rest with the boiled, cool water. I put 3 drops, into the ears 3 times a day for the next 4 days. The pain vanished completely, my hearing returned and the noises went away, never to return.

I got the idea to try this from reading a clinical trial conducted on children in the remore African bush, obviously far from the nearest doctor. They administered the Lugol's neat, and 10 drops a day, but I thought that sounded a bit harsh, so adapted down. They had complete resolution of ear infections, even supporating inner ear infections; they all went away - the trial must still be on the internet somewhere.

Hope this has been helpful. I know that if I ever get a painful ear again, I won't be going to the doctor, I'll sort it myself.

I am happy to say that I have had fantastic results with using The Lugol's Iodine for my acid reflux. I have suffered for years with this ailment and I have had so many prescriptions and special diet restrictions. I can't believe all this time I have been iodine deficient and that was the cause. I took a few drops a day and slowly built up my dose, taking a few days off here and there. After a couple of weeks I realized I was doing better and about a month later I haven't had any problems with my stomach at all. I have had problems with stomach aches since I was a child. This is revolutionary for me. I am telling absolutely everyone about it!

I have been supplementing with iodine for almost a month. I started at 25mg and now I am at 100mg. Iodine has helped me lose my problem with cold legs in an 80 deg F. room when I was in bed. No more cold legs. Also a long time problem with postnasal drip is gone. My brain seems to be working in a clearer fashion and my vision is much better. It really seems that every facet of my health has been improved. I use Iodoral, Iosol, and potassium iodide now but will eventually use Lugol's (liquid iodine) at home and Iodoral (tablet version of Lugol's) when travelling.

BTW, I don't think I will go higher than 100mg as I am getting very good results now. I don't worry about ODing at all. Please Google "Dr.Brownstein and iodine" for more info. You do need to take companion supplements like magnesium, zinc, lipoic acid, vitamins B C D E K, selenium, fish oil, zeolite, chlorella, to help with the detox that high levels of iodine will force to happen. You will excrete lots of bromine, chlorine, and fluorine, that your body has been storing/accumulating for decades. I can smell the stuff when I pee. Join the Yahoo iodine group.

I just read your very informative article about Lugol's Iodine. Would I be able to get an answer if there is a difference between Nascent Iodine and Lugol's Iodine? ..... I went to 4 different Dr's to get my thyroid levels checked, about 2 years ago, and all the test came back normal. But after researching it, I realized there was something wrong with my thyroid I had all the classic symptoms of a low thyroid. After more research I bought the Nacsent Iodine and started taking it, but found that taking it orally was not possible for me, too many side effects. I started applying it to my skin which worked much better for me. I started out with 4 drops, 1 each to my inner thighs, and the other 2, one each to my inner wrist. The first 6-8 months they disappeared rather quickly, sometimes within 2-3 hours. I used this method for about 2 years and have never felt better. After that, I only used it on my wrists, and now it depends, most times one drop will do it. But after reading your article on Lugol's I am wondering if it would be better if I used "it" instead of the Nascent Iodine. I very much would appreciate your help. I would use it in the same manner. Thank you very much. Kitty.

I began taking Lugol's iodine 2 percent last week (5 days ago) under the tongue 2 drops a day. I began using this this because I have a load of skin issues and other ailments I will address. This is what changes I have experienced so far...

I have blisters all over my palms and fingers and finger nail fungus. My hands exploded with tons more painful blisters and sensitivities/ fungus went rampant (getting worse before better for 3 days)... then all of them dried up. Now my hands look really dry like I used bleach to clean without gloves. I keep finding little spots all over my body like I dropped Elmer's white glue and they flake off. Not sure what was there to begin with that needed to go away.

I also have had many ailments described as what iodine deficiency does to some people and this is a small list of issues I have had: Fatigue, weight gain, sugar cravings, enlarged thyroid (no prescription meds), cysts, yeast, pimples, irregular women's cycles heavy or none, to mention some. Through research on Earth Clinic, Iodine should fix this, hopefully.

I did notice some improvement in energy, my skin seems to be clearing. I have also used it topically on a row of 5 moles on my neck, no bandaid just putting it on each morning. They are shriveled up a little so I know it is working. I am just going to keep applying. I will update soon.

I have lost 3 moles. They have shriveled and felt off (while I am asleep or in the shower?) I never saw it happen. Thank goodness, for I am weak when it comes to things like that. I have began treating many more now, various sizes and locations.

My cold has almost subsided now and feel pretty well this afternoon. I had horrible pressure in my sinuses and forehead and woke late last night from barometric pressure headache from the dropping due to the storm that was coming from the hurricane from Texas. I have had to blow my nose all day and it was terrible green. Loads of it. I think I am cleaning or detoxing. (I am usually not this graphic, but you may experience these things and should know this is normal)

I never mentioned my fibroid breast tumors that the docs want to do images for every year (I have refused for the past 4 years to have mammograms and furthered images due to the amount of radiation and money in their pockets with the same results... no cancer). I began evening primrose from GNC for bad breast pain in May and had no pain 2 days after beginning that regimen but I ran out so I bought a brand from a local grocery store and wound up with terrible heartburn. So, I stopped taking it and the pain and lumps came back. Since using Lugol's, I have no more breast pain. I would purchase the primrose from GNC again because, upon further research the grocery store purchased one contained many ingredients not found in the GNC brand.

I know the detoxing is hard to go through, I work full time and went everyday. I wanted results and although I was completely miserable, it was and will be worth it, in the end. I have not bought any Brazil nuts, I understand we need Selenium but they are not sold at my grocery store. I will continue to look for them. I have been taking Cod liver oil for a couple of years now because the doc wanted to put me on Statins for cholesterol. I asked her to give me six months on fish oil, first. My numbers greatly improved and she told me to keep it up.:) I began taking Zinc about a year ago and magnesium about six months ago. I am taking baby steps and adding things that I know my body needs from research on E.C. Thank you Earth Clinic, I never really thought about my body needing minerals, only vitamins. I wish the doctors and schools would get together and learn for themselves so they may teach young people the vital importance of health through all of nature. I guess as we get older and we see life slipping away, we try to better ourselves. I suppose this is why I have turned to this site. I will share the love. God bless.

I've been taking Lugols solution of Iodine, 1 drop in 1cup of water every morning with my morning meal for the past 35 years. I am 85 years and 5 months old and I believe Lugol has kept me fairly healthy in those years and will continue taking it until the Lord calls me home

Iodine ( lugol's solution 2%) : i have been drinking 16 drops of lugol's solution in distilled water daily for over 2 months. my blood pressure has dropped from 145/90 to 120/70 and lower. i also had acid reflux but that is gone also. my allergies have improved greatly (non-existent ). i also have better energy as well.

i gave it to my dogs when they had the parvo virus and they regained their health. i also gargled with provodine iodine when i had strep throat, 3 times a day and that was cured.

Like Michelle from Ohio, I too have been cured of horrendous acid reflux with Lugols iodine. I was using it for other reasons and after a few months I realized my acid reflux was completely gone. I have had problems eating oranges, bacon, onions, OJ, etc all my life and now I can eat or drink what ever I want. Glad to hear of someone else getting well with it. I read once that the body needs iodine to make stomach acid that actually stops the reflux.

I have used lugols Iodine for many years, for different ailments such as skin tags, detox for all unwanted chemicals in my body, keloids removal, cuts, grazes, and other wounds. I also use it if I feel a bit out of sorts, down, lacking in energy. I use non-ingestable Iodine for all other ailments and have done sine I was a child and learnt from my mother. I am 66 yrs old and am still working. If I find I may have eaten or drunk stuff with nasties in it I detox and use 6 drops of lugols in a glass of water daily for a couple of days. That does the trick for me, other wise I have a glass of water with 2 drops daily for good health.