Re: What happened to my fertility?

Why, exactly, you're not ovulating I don't know, but yeah, I'm sure that Iodine has something to do with it. If I were you, I would get my hormone levels tested. And it sounds as though you should perhaps quit taking Iodine if you want your hormone levels to normalize.
BTW, this is one of those long, boring posts that I'm known for. Please try to make it all the way through:)

The good news is that this side effect of excessive Iodine is reversible, in chickens, anyway. I wasn't able to find anything on humans. Follow the link for complete text of this study, I've cut and pasted the first and last paragraphs:


http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/92/3/325.pdf


"Iodine as potassium Iodide was fed to sexually mature pullets and
hens that had completed one year of lay, to study the effects upon egg production,
fertility, hatchability, embryonic mortality and incubation time. Dietary intakes at
levels from zero to 5000 ppm iodine were fed in a practical-type diet for 6 weeks.
Measurement of egg production was continued following the iodine feeding period.
Egg production decreased with increasing levels of iodine and ceased with intakes of
5000 ppm. The decreases were greater for hens than for pullets. Production com
menced and increased rapidly within one week after change to control diets and was
equal to that of control birds during a 27- and 18-week subsequent feeding period for
pullets and hens. Molting did not accompany the cessation of lay in pullets but some
mature hens molted. Mature ova were present in birds not laying but ovulation did
not occur. Weight of eggs produced during the period of iodine feeding was reduced
but returned to normal within 3 weeks. Fertility of eggs was not affected but high
embryonic death, low hatchability and delayed hatching were observed.

...A specific effect of iodine in causing these and other effects in poultry and in rats and rabbits (5, 6) has not been identified. The rapid return to normal egg production and normal reproduction and lactation in rats and rabbits after removal of iodine suggest some temporary interference with hormone production or action. The pres ence of many follicles without ovulation in hens suggests an inhibition of luteinizing hormone. Pullets which had received 5000 ppm iodine for 15 weeks laid as well as controls after removal of the iodine."

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http://biologyofkundalini.com/article.php?story=Thyroid


"When women stop ovulating (anovulation) this means they are not producing adequate progesterone each month, leading to progesterone deficiency. This is also a similar condition that occurs for perimenopausal women. The main causes of the cessation of ovulation include an poor diet, nutritional deficiencies, skipping meals, emotional and physical stress, and over-exercising. Thus low progesterone levels in young women interferes with thyroid efficiency and is also one of the most frequent causes of infertility. One study showed that 94% of women with PMS were hypothyroid. Progesterone deficiency in perimenopause or menopausal years can predispose a woman to hypothyroidism during this time of her life.

Estrogen dominance, that is an excess of estrogen in relation to progesterone, inhibits thyroid function and can result from taking birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, or exposure to environmental estrogens. A poorly functioning liver, exhausted adrenal glands, insulin resistance, compromised digestion and candida can also contribute to estrogen dominance. There are receptor sites for estrogen and progesterone in every cell throughout the body. Thus the immune system, the nervous system, the circulatory system, the digestive system the vascular system, the respiratory system all are effected by the flow and proper balance between these two hormones. Thyroid hormone is required to convert cholesterol into the vital anti-aging steroid hormones, pregnenolone, progesterone, and DHEA. Pregnenolone converts to progesterone and DHEA in the body. Progesterone and DHEA are precursors for more specialized hormones, including estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol."

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and Julia Chang on infertility, hormones and liver function:


http://www.sensiblehealth.com/Journey-06.xhtml


Infertility, Hormone Imbalance and Chinese Herbs


Infertility is a common problem with sufferers of endometriosis
or other woman's problems. It has become increasingly common with
the use of birth control pills and environmental estrogens in our
foods. They often cause hormonal imbalance (excessive estrogens
relative to progesterone) and anovulation (failure to ovulate).
According to the Canadian Medical Association Home Medical
Encyclopedia [editor: Peter Morgan, The Readers Digest Association
(Canada) Ltd., Montreal, 1992], "anovulation is the most common
cause for female infertility. Failure to ovulate often occurs for
no obvious reason. It can be caused by hormone imbalance, stress or
a disorder of the ovary such as tumour or cyst".


Infertility and estrogen, progesterone


Other than anovulation, another common cause for female
infertility is excessive estrogen. The following quotes are from
the book "Physiology" [Selkurt, E.E. (editor),
Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1966)]:

"Estrogen
administration can lead to failure of implantation of the
ovum." (p. 757).

"Estrogens stimulate the smooth muscle of the oviduct to
increase the peristaltic action in the direction from the uterus to
the ovary. This may be of benefit to sperm transport but if the
activity is too great, it prevents the passage of the ovum down the
tubes to the uterus" (p.757).

"Progesterone acts on the reproductive tract and mammary gland
in such a manner as to prepare the tract for implantation of the
fertilized ovum and to maintain gestation and lactation." (p.
758).

"Pregnancy can be established and maintained only if adequate
amounts of progesterone are secreted prior to and throughout the
course of pregnancy." (p. 765).


It is clear that excessive estrogens and insufficient
progesterone play an important role in the failure of implantation
of the ovum and maintenance of pregnancy because progesterone
secretion is necessary for attachment of the ovum and securing of
the fetus to the uterus.


Infertility and liver health


Since the liver is the most important
organ for estrogen removal and hormone regulation, liver health is
important for fertility. We have observed many cases where the use
of the Liver Cleansing and strengthening product "Chinese
Bitters" has apparently helped conception. "Chinese
Bitters" is also helpful in inducing menstruation for women who
suffer from amenorrhea (absence of periods).

According to Chinese medicine, Chinese Gentian (the main
ingredient in Chinese Bitters) exerts "downward pressure"
in the body. This probably explains why it helps the fertilized ovum
to travel down and get implanted in the uterus. However, once
pregnancy starts, the use of Chinese Bitters should be
stopped as the "downward pressure" may be too strong for the
pregnancy. In general, Chinsese Bitters should be taken only
during the first half of the mentrual cycle. Once conception has
been ruled out, it may be continued in the second half of the
cycle. We have good success in helping conception by the following
regimen:


1. Take Chinese Bitters (if no conception has taken place)
until the period starts;

2. Stop taking Chinese Bitters during the period;

3. Start taking Chinese Bitters again for 5-6 days, as soon as
the period is over, and then stop again (just before ovulation starts);

4. If conception takes place, the use of Chinese Bitters is
no longer needed. If there is no conception, the period will start
again. Then repeat step 3 above.


We have good results with taking Chinese Bitters and
Coptis for at least one whole cycle, then followed by
liver and gallbladder flush just before the next period or on the
first day of the period. After the period, follow Steps 3 and 4.
Many women became pregnant after their first flush. Estrogens are
in their highest levels shortly before menstrual bleeding.
Liver and gallbladder flush during this time can bring down
estrogens significantly.

Surgical intervention may also cause blockage in the oviduct. In
this situation, the blockage may be formed by scar formation which
is not supported by estrogens and it would be difficult to unblock
it.

Dietary sources of estrogens may also play some role in
infertility, especially when the liver is already weak. Both dairy
products and meat (especially animal fat) have estrogen contents.
Pesticide sprays (xenoestrogens) also contribute to our estrogen
intakes. In addition, many herbs and foods have
estrogenic
activities. Some of these herbs and foods are given in Section 4
above. It is advisable for anyone with infertility problems to
watch her diet and minimize estrogen intakes.


Success Stories


Case 1

A woman in Toronto who used birth control pills for her
dysmenorrhea for 6 years starting at the age of 16 wanted to start
a family in her late twenties. She tried for more than one year
without success. She found out she was not ovulating by measuring
her temperature for 10 months. The first month after she started
taking Chinese Bitters, she had ovulation (measurable
temperature rise) and she became pregnant. She had a second child a
couple of years later, again with the help of Chinese
Bitters. Incidentally she had her gallbladder removed after
her first child. She told me that her ovulation and menstruation
are still irregular if she does not regularly take Chinese
Bitters (cleanses the liver; regulates hormones) and
Coptis (stimulates bile flow).

Case 2

A 34-year old woman in New Jersey who already had a 5-year old
girl and had tried for another child for more than one year with
the aid of traditional Chinese medicine without success. It did not
work because traditional Chinese medicine lacks understanding of
hormones. Her situation appears to be hormone-related because she
became pregnant the first month after she took Chinese
Bitters.

Case 3

A 35-year old woman in New Jersey was on fertility drug for more
than half a year without success. She became pregnant the first
month after she took Chinese Bitters. In this case,
failure of implantation of the ovum was most likely the cause of
her infertility.

Case 4

A woman in North Carolina was told by her doctor that she would
never get pregnant because her fallopian tubes were blocked. By
reducing her estrogens with Chinese Bitters and Coptis in addition
to daily morning exercise and Taheebo tea, she became pregnant in 3
months. It appears that her fallopian tubes were blocked by
estrogen supported growth. When her estrogens were reduced due to
more efficient liver, the growth shrank and her tubes were
unblocked.

~hope you find something helpful here:)