Should I use liquid or tabs, and should I use kelp or regular iodine sup? Any superior brands?
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Hi Bia,
Did your doc reccomend Iodine, or is it of your own initiative?
Iodine supplementation seems to be one of those controversial topics here on LN.
There is a good website, stopthethyroidmadness, that explains different iodine supplements.
Liquid iodine tastes yucky.
Iodine tablets tend to contain extra fillers.
I have tried Trophic Iodine drops (low dose, a good place to start), Kelp tablets (didn't do a whole bunch, just cost me a lot), Lugol's (one drop per day...very strong, tasted terrible, burned my throat), Iodoral 12.5 mg dose (same amount of iodine as someone from Japan would consume daily), Iodoral 50.0 mg dose (do this under the supervision of a doctor only).
When doing iodine supplementation, it is important to remove all sources of fluoride from your life (toothpaste, mouthwash), chlorine (filter drinking water), and bromine/ide (preservative in bread and grain products), otherwise you will be spinning your wheels.
It is also important to start low and see how you feel.
When I went to the tablets, I cut the Iodoral 12.5 mg into quarters and started with a quarter of a pill each day and worked my way up.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Also, a very important point, some folks are VERY allergic to Iodine.
DO NOT take iodine supplements if you happen to be one of those folks.
Posted by bla (Member # 42361) on :
I don't think I'm allergic to it, and yes, it is doctor ordered. He didn't tell me about the fluoride, chlorine, or bromine. He didn't go into any details about the sup, just suggested I take it. So, this is helpful.
What is the controversy? Is it possible that this is bad to take? Do you still use it?
Posted by lax mom (Member # 38743) on :
My husband's Iodine level is quite low. His LLMD recommended that he take 1/2 of Xymodine every other day.
It doesn't take alot to get you back where you need to be.
Posted by Carmen (Member # 42391) on :
Ive been instructed that iodine allergy is a fallacy. Humans cannot live without iodine. We must have it or disease overcomes us.
Some people get a rash when they start taking iodine. Most likely this is bromide coming out of the skin as iodine starts to fill up the iodine receptor sites and a bromide is released.
Bromide seems to have an affinity for detox through the skin on some people. If you are allergic to shell fish it most likely is the protiens in it that you are allergic to, not the iodine. True iodine allergy is rare and some doctors think nonexistant.
Iodine will also help to detox heavy metals.
The thyroxine molecule (your thyroid hormone) is built around an iodine molecule. It is necessary for proper brain function. It keeps cysts from forming in the body. It is essential to healthy breast tissue, and this is why Japanese women living in Japan have little breast cancer due to their signficantly larger daily doses of iodine.
My doctor said that she will not prescribe for me bio-identical hormones unless I take iodine. Iodine helps process out the bad estrogens. I use liquid Lugols, potassioum iodide.
You can easily hide the iodine in a glass of red wine, in a soup or stew, in juice. I take about 25 mg a day. You dont have to take it all at once. You can also take it topically as it is readily absorbed through the skin.
The thyroid function needs to be checked in about week 5 after the start of supplementation. Many people can reduce their thyroid supplements... best to start iodine before thyroid issues arise. If you are healthy and have no cystic disease, no thryoid issues, and otherwise healthy, probably 12.5 mg a day is enough. If you have issues much more will be needed.
It can take months of supplemention to get past the deficiency as the other halogens in the iodine receptor sites don't leave willingly. It is a natural attrition process. You want the iodine there and ready to fill the site as soon as the bromide or fluorine, or chlorine leaves.
Iodine deficiency is the reason that we have a hypothyrodism epidemic in this nation.
PS.. I'm concerned about kelp due to Fukashima. Make sure you know the source location of the kelp. Anywhere from the oriental seas and pacific is a concern.
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
And be sure to also supplement with Selenium... Otherwise the iodine isn't as helpful for the thyroid...
I've been using Tri-Quench topically...each drop gives 19mg of Iodine (from Potassium Iodide).
Good to know about avoiding fluoride, chlorine, & bromine...thanks!
Posted by Carmen (Member # 42391) on :
yes, selenium is important! but I had good results before I new about selemium and started taking it. Without selenium I got rid of thyroid cysts and fibrocystic breast disease with iodine alone. The thyroid specialist said that they would never go away. I fooled him.
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
Do not take more than 200 mcg of selenium per day.
I was taking iodine in the form of Lugol's solution until I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and then found that the iodine was making the Hashimoto's much worse, as it sometimes does.
The hashimoto's diagnosis was a surprise to me...never expected that one.
I learn a lot about all of this by following Dr Izabella Wentz, a pharmacist who has Hashimoto's. She reversed it after finding her root causes.
She posts a lot on facebook..."Thyroid Pharmacist Dr Izabella Wentz" and she also has a website with a good blog, and she wrote a book recently.
Dr Haskill, who does not treat lyme, is a Hasimotos expert. He has a book on amazon called "Help for Hashamoto's"
He told me that it is managable and iodine is a part of the solution but first things must be done to get the inflammation down. Not until that is done can iodine be approached.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
You might also consider quality magnesium for the Hashimoto's.
I take Iodoral myself. May switch to Lugol's. Not sure.
Posted by MichaelTampa (Member # 24868) on :
I am using TriQuench. I remember Dr. K. saying that it was better than Iodoral, which he said would mess with T3-T4-conversion (or something complicated like that).
My doc has me taking only 1/2 drop per day. He said taking more can turn off the thyroid (and has been used in cases of autoimmunity).
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
"What is the controversy? Is it possible that this is bad to take? Do you still use it?"
An acupuncturist had me take it for cysts, it didn't help and made me horribly nauseous for months. My current Lyme doc had me stop it immediately.
A friend became hypothyroid because of it.
As for allergy, whenever I've gotten certain CAT scans, sometimes you need to be injected with iodine. The tech always gives me a warning about the allergy and makes me sign a waiver that I understand the risks. It sounds like they've seen some really bad stuff happen.
quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo: I take Iodoral myself. May switch to Lugol's. Not sure.
Lugols and iodoral are the same thing you know, potassium iodide.
Posted by TNT (Member # 42349) on :
I didn't know taking iodine could be that dangerous! I had a natural practitioner who said that Magnescent Iodine is the next thing to the magic bullet.
She had me trying to take 15 drops 3 times daily. I coould only get a little over 5 drops two or three times daily, but I realized the "herx" was too much. She said it kills protozoa, and this is what they use in India for malaria, if I remember right.
I didn't know it could be harmful to the thyroid. I didn't think some of her things made a lot of sense. She seemed to be a little bit of a quack. I believe she has helped a lot of people, but I lost confidence in her simplistic approaches.
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
Some info about selenium from Dr Izabella Wentz-
Go to the website below, click on "blog" and then search "selenium" in the little search box. Read the first article that comes up called, "Nutrient Depletions in Hashimoto's, Part 1: selenium.
Many of us may have hypothyroidism caused by infections, leaky gut, food sensitivies and other factors, and we do not know it.
A question and answer from Dr Wentz's website: "What's your opinion about seaweed? Is it a good idea to take Chlorella or Spirulina to cleanse your body if you suffer from Hashi? Because I have read that you mustn't consume any iodine if you have Hashi because it can even more damage your thyroid."
Dr Izabella Wentz answers: "Spirulina and Chlorella have immune stimulating properties and can worsen autoimmunity and even cause new onset autoimmunity. Additionally, the iodine is problematic and can cause further thyroid damage. So I am not comfortable recommending them. Instead, for cleansing you can do green juicing (avoiding cruciferous vegetables)...."
Because infections, leaky gut/intestinal permiability, food sensitivities,etc can lead to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, it may be a good idea to ask to have your TPO antibodies tested.
There is so much info on her website that I would love to share.
I encourage everyone to go to her website and read through her blogs, FAQ's and other pages even if you do not have a thyroid disorder diagnosis.
She talks about finding the root causes of all the symptoms, which in my opinion, can apply to most chronic illnesses.....very helpful info. I have not read her new book, but I bet it's awesome.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I take one drop of Lugols per day. It is one of a handful of things I still take regularly.
Be very careful to start slowly!! I had to start with one drop PER WEEK because it would cause a UTI from the intense detox. I would get all the uncomfortable UTI symptoms with every drop. I'd wait until they were gone (started at a week) then take another dose.
Eventually, I worked up to a drop per day and weaned off my Armour Thyroid.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
I agree with sixgoofykids.
iodine supplementation makes me feel good. Helps my energy.
But starting slow and low is the way to go, in my opinion.
Posted by Littlesprout (Member # 7406) on :
I have Hashimoto's and use Lugols no problem at all
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