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 Introduction: 

The 2010 nuclear power plant disasters in Japan alerted people throughout the world that iodine can be used as a medication for persons poisoned by radiation.  Now many persons are suddenly embracing iodine in hopes that it will save them from possible nuclear radiation exposure.

The truth of this panic is that they do not need to take iodine if they have not been exposed to radiation.  And if they have been exposed then they should be taking potassium iodide under a medical doctor's care. 

Prior to the March, 2011 Japanese nuclear plant disaster, iodine was a most forgotten nutritional requirement. Derry: Iodine forgotten weapon  Iodine was added to table salt in 1924 in an effort to prevent goiter.  Goiter occurs in areas where the soil is deficient in iodine.  When there is too little iodine in the diet for the thyroid gland to produce enough thyroxin hormone, the gland swells up trying synthesize thyroxin while at the same time trying to capture what little iodine is available. The gland becomes a goiter, a visible, noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland.  Some goiters become quite large, as illustrated in the photo. 

The emission of iodine radiation particles into the air from Japan's nuclear power plant disaster has added to the confusion about nutritional iodine and radiation iodine.  This article explores the both types of iodine and iodine's role in maintaining health.  Back to top 

 Iodine as a health requirement 

 What is iodine? 

Iodine from the Greek word "iodes," means violet or purple; is a chemical element that has the symbol 'I' and the atomic number 53. Iodine and its compounds are primarily used in nutrition, the production of acetic acid and polymers. Iodine has low toxicity, and the ease with which it attaches to organic compounds have made it a part of many health analyses tests in modern medicine. There are many forms of iodine.  Back to top 

 What's wrong with iodine in America? 

Today iodized table salt has been the chief source of iodine in a Western diet. But 45 percent of American households buy salt without iodine, which grocery stores also sell. And over the last three decades people who do use iodized table salt have decreased their consumption of it by 65 percent. [ These buying-using trends may be a public reaction to the salt scare by medical doctors ]  Furthermore, the much higher concentrations of chloride in salt (NaCl) inhibits absorption of its sister halogen iodine (the intestines absorb only 10 percent of the iodine present in iodized table salt). As a result, 15 percent of the U.S. adult female population suffers from moderate to severe iodine deficiency, which health authorities define as a urinary iodine concentration less than 50 µg /L. Women with goiters (a visible, noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland), due to iodine deficiency, have been found to have a three times greater incidence of breast cancer. A high intake of iodine is associated with a low incidence breast cancer, and a low intake with a high incidence of breast cancer.   Miller: iodine for health  Cousens: Iodine

We have a continuing medical-health dilemma! We have conflicting information about iodine ... we are told that too much salt causes cardiovascular problems on the one hand but, on the other hand, that in reducing salt intake we also reduce much needed iodine intake!  We are afraid of iodine causing health problems on the one hand and, on the other hand, hesitant in using it to prevent breast lumps [ fibrous tissue ] and cancer and become healthier!  While these health issues incubate, our wellbeing stagnates and gets worse and worse!

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 New Iodine health benefits: 

Iodine [ tincture of iodine ] has been known as a universal antiseptic for 150 years and has few side effects except in high doses. Iodine is an instant universal killer of microorganisms. Iodine [ none tincture ] was introduced into our diets with iodized salt by David Marine in 1920 - 1924.

A miniscule amount of iodine has, to a large extent, effectively eliminated goiter, cretinism, and mental retardation; which were caused by inadequate iodine in our diet.  Derry: Iodine forgotten weapon

Iodine was classified over 50 years ago as an essential trace element for life. Trace implies that just a very little iodine is needed to activate a gland.  Most of us, including the medical community, have been lulled into accepting the idea that iodine is needed in very small amounts to prevent goiter. While it is true that a trace amount of iodine prevents goiter, the equally important role of iodine in maintaining the proper function of mammary and other glands, tissues and cells in the body  have been overlooked.

Oh yes, our grandparents used tincture of iodine as a germicide!  And this is the extent of our knowledge about how iodine affects the human body.  If you are one of these persons with this ancient information, then you are living in the past!  There is new information that iodine is an essential nutrient and that all body cells need iodine. 

  UPDATE:  Iodine is found in every cell of the body in trace [microgram ] amounts, but .... many organs in the body require iodine in magadoses to function normally. Fleisher: Deficiency iodine NHANES  Cousens: Iodine

Iodine plays a number of important health roles in the body. The thyroid gland uses it to make thyroxin, with 4 iodine atoms, and triiodothyronine (T3), with three. The active form, T3, regulates metabolism, thermogenesis, and protein synthesis.

Iodine is found in every cell of the body. It is concentrated in the glandular tissue which includes the thyroid, ovaries, uterus, breasts, and probably the prostate. We are having epidemic problems with the thyroid, ovaries, uterus, breasts and the prostate gland. All of these tissues require and utilize iodine for proper functioning.

Other tissues and glands require iodine to function normally, including stomach mucosa, salivary glands, and the thymus gland. Iodine functions as an antioxidant, strengthens the immune system, and suppresses autoimmunity. And it triggers apoptosis, destroying cells that become cancerous and cells infected with viruses. Iodine also removes toxic chemicals from the body – fluoride, bromide, lead, aluminum, and mercury. Iodine is essential for health.  Miller: Iodine for Radioactive Fallout

Whole body sufficiency and Orthoiodosupplementation:  These are two new terms that are used by the experts on iodine; but for most readers, these terms do not have much meaning.  What is whole body sufficiency?

Thyroidologist Dr. Guy Abraham points out that whole body iodine sufficiency occurs when the body is saturated with sufficient iodine to supply all the tissues.  Abraham: Orthiodinesupplementation

Whole body sufficiency is the amount of iodine needed to provide adequate amounts of iodine to all body cells and organs so these can function optimally and prevent tissue disorders and diseases. New research points out that preventing goiter with a minimum amount of iodine may prevent goiter but it does not provide additional iodine to the other cells of the body.  This would result in iodine deficiency. When the entire body receives all the essential iodine that all tissues and organs need, then the body becomes sufficient in iodine.  Abraham concluded that whole body sufficiency exists when a person excretes 90 percent of the iodine ingested [ iodine-loading test ].  Miller: iodine for health

Iodine sufficiency has been associated with a sense of overall well being, lifting of “brain fog,” feeling warmer in cold environments, increased energy, needing less sleep, achieving more in less time, experiencing regular bowel movements and improved skin complexion.  Abraham: Iodoral therapy& wellbeing 

Orthoiodosupplementation is the daily amount of the essential element iodine that the entire body needs. 

Iodine needed for immune system: Adequate iodine levels are necessary for proper immune system function. Iodine contains potent antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral, and anticancer properties. Iodine is also effective for treating fibrocystic breasts and ovarian cysts. Many medical doctors have also found that iodine, with an adequate dosage, can help prevent certain cancers. Miller: iodine for health  Brownstein lists some of the many benefits of iodine and some of the conditions that would benefit from adequate iodine supplementation.  Brownstein: Iodine epidemic   Cousens: Iodine

 Iodine needed against microbes:  Iodine circulating in the blood is captured by many tissue sites and ends up in mucus secretions. Specific immune tissues include thyroid and salivary glands, nasal secretions, stomach, and lungs. Collectively, these tissues and mucus products contain free iodine which defends against invasion by bacteria and viruses. Iodine enhances and activates the immune system of the body.  Such iodine activity, in turn, creates a much larger demand for iodine than previously assumed.  Derry: Iodine forgotten weapon   Miller: iodine for health    Schachter: Iodine role  Cousens: Iodine

 Dietary iodine insufficient: Dietary iodine found in iodized salt is below the amounts needed to fill mucus defense roles. To protect themselves against infection, people wishing to boost their defense against infections and diseases should supplement their diets with the "iodide" form of iodine in the form of Lugol’s solution, or the Lugol tablet [ under guidance of their health care provider ]. Most people will probably be protected by an amount of Lugol’s that provides the average amount of iodine ingested by Japanese populations for centuries. This amount is about 12 mg daily. Two drops of Lugol’s daily in the liquid of their choice will provide 13 mg.  Derry: Iodine forgotten weapon   Derry: Weapon against flu & viruses 

Nascent iodine has the "iodide" form of iodine that is recognized by the thyroid gland but lacks the "iodine" form of iodine that mammary and other glands need.  Those ingesting nascent iodine may not be able to provide enough iodine for optimal well-being.

 Iodine prevents cancer: Iodine prevents cancer by a process that induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death. This process is essential to growth and development (fingers form in the fetus by apoptosis of the tissue between them) and for destroying cells that represent a threat to the integrity of the organism, like cancer cells and cells infected with viruses. Human lung cancer cells with genes spliced into them that enhance iodine uptake and utilization undergo apoptosis and shrink when given iodine, both when grown in vitro outside the body and implanted in mice. Its anti-cancer function may well prove to be iodine's most important extrathyroidal benefit.   Miller: iodine for health   Cousens: Iodine

 The Body works orthobiotically:  Iodine works best when it is integrated and combined with other essential nutrients [ co-factors ] like vitamin C, magnesium, tyrosine, and selenium [ although this is an incomplete list of helpful nutrients ].  Like all other nutrients, iodine needs help to be absorbed, circulated and metabolized in the body.  Iodine works in concert with other nutrients and not by itself!  Researchers and medical doctors cannot get a clear picture of how iodine functions unless they view all the iodine co-factors as well. 

Summary of benefits from mega doses of Iodine:    [ Brownstein: Iodine epidemic, Derry: Weapon against flu & viruses , Miller: iodine for health   Quailwebb: Lugol's iodine  Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute  Cousens: Iodine ] 

Regulates body processes

n      Regulates body metabolism

n      Produces many other body hormones

n      Suppresses auto-immunity

n      May help insulin resistant diabetes to have a partial to full remission

n      Strengthens T-cell adaptive immune system

 n     Enhances mental alertness

n      Prevents depression

n      May minimize headaches and migraine headaches

n      Increases energy

n      Protects against abnormal growth of bacteria in stomach

n      Protects nose-mouth-sinus invasion of viruses

n      Prevents fibrocystic breast disease

n      Prevents cancers: breast, prostate, ovaries, thyroid and uterus.

n      Prevents ovarian and uterine fibroids

n      Regulates body temperature

n      Need less sleep

n      Improves skin complexion

n      More regular bowel movements

n      Improves fertility

n      Essential for the normal growth and development of children

n      May be related to attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

There is controversy as to the dosage required to help iodine become activated in the body, especially in maintaining a healthy immune system, prevent influenza and diseases such as cancer. Abraham: Thyroid fixation   Dr. Brownstein said he was using 200 to 300 mg with his prostate and breast cancer patients with those who have metastases needing the highest dosages. He also uses both Lugol’s and Nascent [ iodine ] reserving the Nascent for his more sensitive patients. There are the iodine tablet forms of varying dosage used by numerous iodine doctors.  Brownstein: Iodine epidemic  

For whatever irrational reason, doctors and patients fear iodine and thus, en mass, do not use or prescribe iodine to its fullest potential.  Abraham: Thyroid fixation  Fleisher: Deficiency iodine NHANES  Iodine doctor Dr. David Derry, MD, of Canada says that, “Dietary iodine found in iodized salt is below the amounts needed to fill mucus defense roles. To protect themselves, people wishing to boost their defense against infections should supplement their diets with iodine.” Derry: Iodine forgotten weapon  Back to top 

 Tincture of iodine: 

Iodine [ tincture of iodine ] was used as a very good disinfectant before WWII era, but has since been overlooked as a domestic germicide. 

Elemental iodine is used as a disinfectant in various forms:

  Tincture of iodine: iodine in ethanol, or iodine and sodium iodide in a mixture of ethanol and water. This is a popular germicide.
  Lugol's iodine: iodine and iodide in water alone, forming mostly triiodide.
  Povidone iodine (an iodophor)

Tincture of iodine is a disinfectant, usually 2-7% elemental iodine, along with potassium iodide or sodium iodide, dissolved in a mixture of ethanol and water.  Tincture of iodine is often found in emergency survival kits, used both to disinfect wounds and to sanitize surface water for drinking.  A 1% tincture of iodine will kill 90% of bacteria in 90 seconds, a 5% tincture in 60 seconds and a 7% tincture in 15 seconds.  Saunders: Iodine need   Wiki: Tincture iodine   Back to top 

 Thyroid function and iodine:   Medical schools focus on the relationship between iodine and the thyroid gland.  They depict iodine as a trace mineral and overlook iodine as an essential nutrient.  This is the extent of their understanding of how the body uses iodine.  refer to normal thyroid function,  Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute     Miller: iodine for health   Schachter: Iodine role  Back to top 

 Iodine Physiology 

The above section focuses on thyroid function while this section summarizes what happens to iodine in ALL of the body:

Absorption in general:  Research is skimpy about how iodine is absorbed into the body. We know that iodine may be absorbed through the skin and ingested through the mouth [ digestive system ].  When someone swallows Lugol's solution, we lack precise details about how much molecular iodine ends up in the blood stream and how much is excreted?   Similarly, when iodine is painted on the skin and it gradually disappears, how much is evaporating and how much is being absorbed?   Iodine Group: Iodine absorption

"Thyroid metabolism is controlled locally in the tissue by each organ. That is, the brain has one mechanism for controlling the amount of thyroid available to the brain but it is different from other tissues such as the liver. There are many mechanisms by which each tissue controls the amount of thyroid hormone which gets into the tissues. But to discuss one: there is an enzyme in the tissue which deiodinates (takes one iodine off the thyroxine T4) and makes T3 or triiodothyronine. These enzymes are called deiodinases. Every tissue has different types of deiodinases. To just give you one example: If you starve animals and study the deiodinases in the brain and liver you find that the activity in of the brain deiodinases go up by 10 times while at the same time the liver deiodinases go down--not up. This mechanism is obviously meant to preserve the functioning of the brain under starvation conditions and not metabolize too much thyroid hormone in the liver. Therefore the control of thyroid metabolism is in every individual tissue. The problem with this is-- if a tissue needs more (such as the brain with depression) there is no way for the brain to signal the thyroid that it needs more sent up to it. The thyroid merrily goes on putting out the same amount of thyroid hormone. So the patient can have symptoms related to low thyroid in the brain (for example) but the thyroid doesn't do anything about it. But if you give thyroid hormones in an adequate dose the brain symptoms will disappear. Meanwhile the other tissues and organs adapt to the increased circulating hormones that you have used to fix the brain with. The adaptation of the tissues to different levels of circulating hormones has been shown in the literature."  Shomon: Derry interview

Because different tissues concentrate different forms of iodine, using a supplement that contains both iodine and iodide is preferable to using a supplement that contains only one form. For example:  breasts concentrate iodine while the prostate gland concentrates iodine. The thyroid gland and the skin primarily concentrate iodide. Other tissues, including the kidneys, spleen, liver, blood, salivary glands and intestines can concentrate either form. With different tissues responding to different forms of iodine, it would make common sense that a greater therapeutic benefit from iodine will be achieved by using a COMBINATION OF IODINE AND IODIDE.  A combination of IODINE/IODIDE (e.g., Lugol's or Iodoral) is much more effective than an iodide only supplement (e.g., SSKI and most other liquid iodide formulations)."  

When is the body prone to pick up radiation iodine?  Answer: It does so when the thyroid gland is deficient in iodine!  But to fully understand this possible happening, you need to understand how the human body gets, stores and uses iodine.  The thyroid gland preferentially concentrates iodide whereas the mammary gland favors iodine.  So this means that the human body needs both kinds of iodine for optimal health. 

Iodine transport:  Iodine in the form of iodide is actively transported with sodium to the thyroid cells.  Movement into the thyroid gland takes place by way of the sodium-iodine pump [ referred also as the sodium-iodide symporter or iodine pump ].  Iodine in high concentration in the blood passes into a lower concentration in the thyroid cells.  This is essentially diffusion taking place through a permeable membrane.  The NIS symporter is found not only in thyroid cells but also in non-thyroidal tissues which concentrate iodine, including salivary glands, gastric mucosa, and lactating mammary glands.   Iodine Group: Iodine absorption

Dosage: The normal daily requirement of the body for iodine has never been determined. In this absence, the optimal daily requirement for iodine has been estimated at 6 mg of iodide for the thyroid gland and 5 mg of iodine for the mammary glands.  Abraham: Orthiodinesupplementation  Cousens: Iodine   The medical perception of body requirement for iodine is based on the amount of iodine needed to prevent goiter.  As pointed out elsewhere, this amount will not provide sufficient iodine to the rest of the body; hence this perception is an outdated one!

Iodine Storage:  The thyroid gland has the ability to control the amount of iodine in its storage depot.  The optimal daily requirement for iodine has been estimated at 6 mg of iodide for the thyroid gland and 5 mg of iodine for the mammary glands..   Abraham: Iodoral therapy& wellbeing   When the amount of iodine in the thyroid storage depot falls below its normal required amount, the thyroid gland seeks to get more iodine.  This gives the thyroid gland a protective mechanism, limiting the uptake of peripheral iodide to a maximum of 0.6 mg per day when 50 mg or more elemental iodine is ingested.  Such iodine demand can be any form that is available to it, including radiated iodine or I-131. 

Iodine circulation:  Now, the thyroid gland will reject Iodine -131 when its storage depot is full and when the rest of the organs and cells also have fulfilled their requirements for iodine.   That is why those deficient in iodine need to be given a safe form of iodine [ under the care of a health care professional ] before being exposed to nuclear fallout radiation like iodine 131.  This amount therefore would serve as a preventive measure against radioactive fallout   Abraham: Iodoral therapy& wellbeing   

In addition to the thyroid and mammary glands, other tissues also possess an iodine pump (the sodium/iodine symporter). Stomach mucosa, the salivary glands, and lactating mammary glands can concentrate iodine almost to the same degree as the thyroid gland (40-fold greater than its concentration in blood). Other tissues that have this pump include the ovaries; thymus gland, seat of the adaptive immune system; skin; choroid plexus in the brain, which makes cerebrospinal fluid; and joints, arteries and bone.  Miller: iodine for health 

Iodine excretion:  Almost all iodine is excreted in the urine.  However, iodine can also be found in feces and sweat.  Excess iodine that is not used by the thyroid gland is circulated throughout the body, making the excess iodine available to other body organs and tissues, like mammary breasts,  prostate gland and every cell in the body.  The adult body retains approximately 1.5 gm iodine at sufficiency or maximum load. At such time, additional ingested iodine, [ now in excess ] may be quantitatively excreted in the urine as iodide.  Abraham: Iodoral therapy& wellbeing  Such urine may appear to be a shade of yellow-orange color.  This excess iodide in the urine is the basis for the urine loading test.  Urinary iodide levels are considered the best index of iodine intake.  Abraham: Iodoral therapy& wellbeing 

Iodine detoxification:  Maximum iodine loading of all organs results in automatic but gradual detoxification of toxic metals: aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury from the body over varying periods of time.  In addition to detoxifying these metals, maximum iodine loading also increases urinary excretion of fluoride, chlorine and bromide, thus decreasing the iodine-inhibiting effects of these halides.  Such simultaneous occurring detoxification may cause one to temporarily feel sick for a short time [ a natural process of cleansing ].  Abraham: Iodoral therapy& wellbeing  Back to top   

 Co-factors of Iodine:  Iodine needs other nutrients to help it work in the human body.  These helper nutrients are referred to as co-factors.

Information in medicine and nutrition about nutrients that affect absorption, circulation and utilization of iodine in the body are missing or poorly organized. Numerous researchers mention nutrients as these were observed in their research. Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute But not on a total understanding of cofactors.  

Scientists do not have a clear picture of just how each of the co-factors work in helping iodine do its job.  Neither have scientists identified all the cofactors.  So although the list below is incomplete, it is a good starting point:  [ compiled by Walter Sorochan ]

Co-factor	Amount estimate	Function
Vitamin C	3000 mg/day	Improves iodine transport Assists in detoxification of halogens
Magnesium	300-600mg	Helps iodine absorption
Selenium	200mcg	Converts T4 & T3 in thyroid, liver, kidneys
Niacin	500mg
Vitamin B2	200mg/day x2
Iron
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Zinc		Secretion of TSH hormone
Copper		Helps zinc
Chromium		Synthesizes insulin But Hi insulin hampers thyroid activity
Salt [ NaCl ]		Helps remove halogens out of kidney
Anti-oxidants
omega-3 and omega-6
Tyrosine
Water		Helps remove toxins out of kidney

Sources: 

-- Brownstein:  Brownstein: Iodine epidemic 
-- selenium Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute
-- vitamin A Higdon: iodine  Linus Pauling Institute
-- vitamin C Brownstein: Videos Healing powers of iodine  Abraham: Iodoral therapy& wellbeing
-- vitamin D
-- amino acids tryosine and histodine
-- iron Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute

Although the exact amount of each nutrient you should ingest is not known, you should rely on eating a balanced diet as the best source of the essential co-factors; and supplement where needed.  Each person's need for nutrients is a unique bio-chemical requirement and should be monitored by an informed health care provider.  

Excess calcium supplementation [ 2000-3000 mg/day ] has been the most common cause of poor iodine response.  So if you want iodine to be absorbed, you need to minimize your calcium intake.  And yes, this may be contradictory to what has been recommended by nutrition and medical experts [ to avoid osteoporosis ], but then who said that they have all the answers? 

Source:  (Feb 2008) Dr. Guy Abraham cautions that "excess calcium supplementation (2,000 - 3,000 md/day) has been the most common cause of poor response to iodine supplementation." Vitamin Research News Vol. 22. Number 2.

Goitrogens may have nutrients that can affect iodine function.
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 IODINE ABSORPTION 

Scientists lack a thorough understanding of how iodine enters the body.  There seem to be two primary methods:  the skin (transdermal) and the mouth (oral).

Much of our early information about iodine absorption and bioavailability has been derived from animal studies and then inferred to humans.   Abraham: Skin application

Miller reports that only 10 % of iodine present in iodized salt is absorbed into the blood stream; with the rest excreted in the urine.  Miller: iodine for health   Abraham reports that iodine evaporates rapidly from the skin in the first few minutes, Abraham: Skin application    with about 50% of the remaining iodine on the skin being available during the first 24 hours following skin exposure to iodine. Iodine Group: Iodine absorption    But other than these expert opinions, very little is understood about how iodine absorption takes place.  For example, what happens to the various iodine products as they enter the mouth, the stomach, the intestines, the blood stream?  When someone swallows a drop of Lugol's solution, how much molecular iodine ends up in the blood stream? What other iodine forms are created?  Iodine Group: Iodine absorption  Researchers need to simplify this information so the general public can understand the fate of iodine in the body.

The interplay of iodine co-factors, food synergy, drug interactions and biochemical individuality on iodine absorption is not fully understood.  It is assumed that dietary iodine (I2) is reduced to iodide (I-) in the stomach and gut, is rapidly absorbed into the blood stream and circulates as iodide.  When iodine transport damage occurs, it can be corrected, in part, by administration of reasonably high doses of ascorbic acid or more natural Vitamin C.

It should be obvious from the comments above that in spite of lacking information and research about iodine absorption, this should not stop us from ingesting iodine. 

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 Dietary intake RDI/RDA 

The normal daily requirement of the body for iodine has never been determined. Abraham: Orthiodinesupplementation  The recommendations by the numerous advisory boards are based on preventing goiter in the thyroid gland.   

The Recommended Dietary Allowance/Reference Daily Intake   Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute

The Reference Daily Intake (RDI), previously RDA, for iodine was reevaluated by the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the Institute of Medicine in 2001. The recommended amounts were calculated using several methods, including the measurement of iodine accumulation in the thyroid glands of individuals with normal thyroid function. These recommendations are in agreement with those of the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF. 

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Iodine  Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute
Life Stage	Age	Males (mcg/day)	Females (mcg/day)
Infants	0-6 months	110 (AI)	110 (AI)
Infants	7-12 months	130 (AI)	130 (AI)
Children	1-3 years	90	90
Children	4-8 years	90	90
Children	9-13 years	120	120
Adolescents	14-18 years	150	150
Adults	19 years and older	150	150
Pregnancy	all ages	-	220
Breast-feeding	all ages	-	290

In order to minimize the risk of developing hypothyroidism, the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the Institute of Medicine set a tolerable upper level of intake (UL) for iodine at 1,100 mcg/day for adults. Very high (pharmacologic) doses of iodine may also produce thyroid enlargement (goiter) due to increased TSH stimulation of the thyroid gland. Prolonged intakes of more than 18,000 mcg/day (18 mg/day) have been found to increase the incidence of goiter. The UL is not meant to apply to individuals who are being treated with iodine under medical supervision.  Author's comment: The board appears to either disregard iodine's maximum loading impact on redistribution of iodine to other organs and tissues of the body or the board lacks complete understanding of the pharmacology of iodine in the body and iodine's impact on thyroid function.  

The UL values for iodine are listed by age group in the table below:  Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute 

Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for Iodine
Age Group	UL (mcg/day)
Infants 0-12 months	Not possible to establish*
Children 1-3 years	200 mcg/day
Children 4-8 years	300 mcg/day
Children 9-13 years	600 mcg/day
Adolescents 14-18 years	900 mcg/day
Adults 19 years and older	1,100 mcg/day (1.1 mg/day)

**Source of intake should be from food and formula only.  Higdon: iodine   Linus Pauling Institute

The tolerable upper limit was assessed by analyzing the effect of supplementation on thyroid-stimulating hormone.    Wiki: iodine

The thyroid gland needs no more than 70 micrograms per day to synthesize the requisite daily amounts of T4 [ thyroxine ] and T3 [ triiodothyroxine ]. The higher recommended daily allowance levels of iodine seem necessary for optimal function of a number of body systems, including lactating breast, gastric mucosa, salivary glands, oral mucosa, thymus, epidermis, choroid plexus, etc. The high iodide-concentration of thymus tissue in particular suggests an anatomical rationale for this role of iodine in the immune system. The trophic, antioxidant and apoptosis-inductor actions and the presumed anti-tumor activity of iodides has been suggested to also be important for prevention of oral and salivary glands diseases.  Wiki: iodine    Back to top 

Precautions:  There is controversy about iodine deficiency versus iodine excess and the dosage for optimal wellbeing.  Is the glass half empty or half full? Until these differences are settled, it is deemed prudent to provide words of caution!  Sudden, large doses of iodine may impair the production of thyroid hormones, causing hypothyroidism temporarily in someone with otherwise normal thyroid function. Excessive iodine intake can also increase the risk for other thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto's, Graves', certain thyroid cancers, and thyrotoxicosis (a dangerous condition due to an excessive amount of thyroid hormones in the bloodstream). For these reasons, iodine supplementation is not recommended for people who live in areas where iodine levels are sufficient. Those with a history of thyroid disease or iodine allergy, the pregnant and the very young, may be advised against using iodine for water purification. It may be harmful to take more iodine than is typically consumed per day (160 to 600 micrograms [mcg]) from table salt. Daily intake of 2,000 mcg iodine may be toxic, particularly in people with kidney disease or tuberculosis.  Quailwebb: Lugol's iodine  However,  this dosage issue is controversial and needs to be dealt on an individual basis.  Since people of all ages have different bio-chemical bodies, you should take iodine supplements under the guidance of a health care provider.   Back to top

 Are you allergic to iodine? 

Studies show that a person with any type of allergy is also more likely to have iodine allergy.  But persons most likely to be allergic to iodine are those who are also allergic to sea foods [ which contain iodine ]. Those who are allergic to shellfish can display symptoms from eating, touching or smelling seafood.  Here is a list of possible symptoms:

1. Allergic reactions happen within thirty minutes after ingesting the reactive protein
2. Swelling the person's soft tissues. Examine their lips, mouth, tongue and throat
3. Internal irritation or swelling, such as coughing, wheezing, vomiting or diarrhea
4. Runny nose and itchy, watery or red eyes
5. Whole-body allergic reaction known as anaphylactic shock: difficulty in breathing, tightness of throat, increased heartbeat and other reactions similar to heart attack. Anaphylaxis attacks are so fatal that if left untreated, these allergic attacks can result to death.
6. Other symptoms of iodine allergy are dizziness, fever, flushes and asthma.
Symptoms set in within minutes of eating or even touching the shellfish. Call 911 if someone is highly allergic and get medical help immediately.  Nesbit: Diagnosing for Iodine allergy  Nesbit: Iodine Allergy Symptoms

Iodine Allergy Treatment: Get person with allergic reaction to a medical doctor as soon as possible. Back to top 

 Iodine deficiency: 

Symptoms of iodine deficiency include goiter, mental retardation, sleeplessness, extreme fatigue, muscle cramps, cold hands and feet, proneness to weight gain, poor memory, constipation, depression and headaches, agitation, sudden hot flashes, increased body temperature, edema, myalgia, weakness, dry skin, and brittle nails.   Wiki: iodine  Miller: iodine for health  Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute  Bhattacharyya: I test

More independent research is needed to identify the vast role that iodine plays in the body.

Today over 13 million Americans are iodine deficient.  Bhattacharyya: I test  Medical doctor David Brownstein MD found that 94.7% of his patients were deficient in inorganic iodine.  Brownstein: Iodine epidemic  Iodine deficiency affects about two billion people in the world and is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation.  Wiki: iodized salt   Back to top 

 Treating Iodine Deficiency:   This section is relevant for health care professionals. Dr. Michael B. Schachter says, “The treatment dose when a person is iodine insufficient is generally between 12.5 mg and 50 mg daily. Preliminary research indicates that if a person is iodine insufficient, it takes about 3 months to become iodine sufficient while ingesting a dosage of 50 mg of iodine and a year to become iodine sufficient while ingesting a dosage of 12.5 mg of iodine daily. However, the patient needs to be monitored closely for possible side effects and detoxification reactions.” This is quite a bit of iodine and if his statements can be substantiated then most people are using dosages which are much too low. Brownstein: Iodine epidemic  Back to top 

 Goitrogens: 

Goitrogens are substances that decrease iodine uptake. Goitrogens   Most goitrogens are not of clinical importance unless they are consumed in large amounts or there is coexisting iodine deficiency. Recent findings also indicate that tobacco smoking may be associated with an increased risk of goiter in iodine-deficient areas.   Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute   Cousens: Iodine

Certain beverages can interfere with iodine absorption.  Such beverages are goitrogens. Common goitrogens are:  Hol hea: Iodine deficiency

• Chlorine in pools
• Splenda
• Fluoride in water supplies
• Bromide in soft drinks (Mountain Dew & Gatorade)
• Radioactive testing 
• Foods that prevent the body from using iodine are: turnip, cabbage, mustard greens, cassava root, soybeans, peanuts, pinenuts and millet. Cooking usually inactivates goitrogens. 
•  
Bromides in commercial baking
• Bromides in medicine                  Back to top 

 Iodine and the Halogen robbers 

Iodine as a nutrient has difficulty helping us stay healthy.  This difficulty is due to iodine being easily replaced by its relatives fluoride, bromide and chlorine that act as goitrogens.  The periodic table helps us understand how this can happen.  Abraham: Orthiodinesupplementation  Miller: Halogens Iodine and Fluoride

The periodic table [ below ] organizes earth elements into groups that have common characteristics.  Iodine is in the red colored group [ column 17 ] in the table below.  This group is referred to as the Halogen g group or "salt formers."  Their outer shells lack one electron, making them very unstable and very active  ... wanting to combine with other metals and elements [ e.g. NaCl or common salt ]. 

This halogen group has an hierarchial behavior.  Fluorine ["F"] replaces any other halide ion below it in the red colored column 17. Chlorine replaces those below it but not fluorine: bromide, iodide, and astatide ions; while bromine replaces only iodide and astatide ions.  halogen elements

"There is 30,000 times more chloride than iodide on a molar basis in iodized salt. Due to competition for intestinal absorption between the halides chloride and iodide, only 10 percent of iodide in iodized salt is bioavailable."  Abraham: Iodoral therapy& wellbeing

Iodine is next to the bottom of this family.  This means that it can be replaced by those above it.  Thus bromide and chlorine can easily replace iodine in the body.  Bromide and chlorine can be referred to as goitrogens. 

The significance of this information about how halogens behave in the periodic table is that the industry and health professionals are continuing to neglect the health risks of using bromide, chlorine and fluoride. 

Bromide disables the body 

The significance of this halogen hierarchy is that iodine as an essential nutrient can be displaced in the food chain by bromide compounds used as pesticides in agricultural crops, by chlorine in chlorinated water and fluorides used to prevent dental decay.  When iodine is replaced by the more active halogens, the body absorbs less iodine and the population is then at increased risk to goiter and other diseases and disorders --- including silent health problems.  Abraham: Orthiodinesupplementation

Bromides are a good example of how iodine in our diet is being displaced by industrial and agricultural use of bromide. Bromide is toxic to the human body.   CDC: toxic effects It is used:

n      in pools and hot baths as an antibacterial agent. 

n      as a fumigant to kill pests in fruits and vegetables

n      as a fumigant to kill termites

n      in foods and soft drinks

n      in medicines

n      in bakery products

Bromide level in the ocean can affect the differing amounts of bromide and iodine in different seaweeds.  Alan R. Gaby, MD., quotes research-doctors Abraham and Brownstein: "There are many kinds of seaweeds that evolved over billions of years into different types. Some are more selective in concentrating iodide than others. For example, the oceans contain 1400 times more bromide than iodide. To keep toxic goitrogenic bromide out of seaweed, the iodide uptake mechanism must be very selective. The levels of heavy metals in seaweed vary, depending on the kind of seaweeds and on industrial dumping of toxic waste in the areas where seaweeds are harvested."   Gaby: debate_ortho  Thus, although most seaweeds contain both bromide and iodine, bromide may be absorbed by some seaweeds in amounts so great as to minimize iodine absorption.  All seaweeds are not the same!

Fluoride is found in drugs such as Prozac and Paxil, and Flonase and Flovent. Saunders: Iodine need  Current careless use of bromide and fluoride interferes with iodine absorption; thereby creating iodine deficiency.

There is real controversy about adding fluoride to drinking water.  Many states like California have legislated for this.  Unfortunately, most politicians are ignorant of the health hazards of fluoride.

People who live in non-fluoridated communities consume, on average, 4 mg of fluoride a day. It is in toothpaste, fruit juices, soda pop, tea, and processed foods. People living in fluoridated areas consume twice as much fluoride, 8 mg/day as those in non-fluoridated areas. Fluoride is absorbed through the skin, bathing and wearing clothes washed with fluoridated water. It is also possible that you could inhale aerosolized fluoride and absorb it through the lungs when taking a shower with fluoridated water. It is estimated (no direct measurements have been done) that two-thirds of the fluoride people take into their bodies using fluoridated community water comes from bathing and wearing clothes washed in it. Athletes and people working in hot climates who drink a lot of water, people with kidney failure, and infants who are fed formula with fluoridated tap water are at particular risk for being subjected to a potentially toxic daily dose of fluoride.  Miller: fighting fluoride

Iodine as detoxifying agent

Iodine, in adequate amount, is a detoxifying agent for halogens, heavy metals and mercury.  It chelates heavy metals and can gradually remove them from the body. Abraham: Orthiodinesupplementation   Cousens: Iodine  Back to top  

 Natural sources of iodine: 

Food sources

The iodine content of most foods depends on the iodine content of the soil and water. Seafood is rich in iodine because marine animals can concentrate the iodine from seawater. Certain types of seaweed (e.g., wakame) are also very rich in iodine. Processed foods may contain slightly higher levels of iodine due to the addition of iodized salt or food additives, such as calcium iodate and potassium iodate. Dairy products are relatively good sources of iodine because iodine is commonly added to animal feed in the U.S. In the U.K. and northern Europe, iodine levels in dairy products tend to be lower in summer when cattle are allowed to graze in pastures with low soil iodine content. The table below lists the iodine content of some iodine-rich foods in micrograms (mcg). Because the iodine content of foods can vary considerably, these values should be considered approximate.   Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute

Food	Serving	Iodine (mcg)
Salt (iodized)	1 gram	77
Cod	3 ounces*	99
Shrimp	3 ounces	35
Fish sticks	2 fish sticks	35
Tuna, canned in oil	3 ounces (1/2 can)	17
Milk (cow's)	1 cup (8 fluid ounces)	56
Egg, boiled	1 large	12
Navy beans, cooked	1/2 cup	32
Potato with peel, baked	1 medium	60
Turkey breast, baked	3 ounces	34
Seaweed	1/4 ounce, dried	Variable; may be greater than 4,500 mcg (4.5 mg)

*A three-ounce serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.
Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute

Garlic, lima beans, sesame seeds, soybeans, spinach, Swiss chard, summer squash, and turnip greens are also good sources of this mineral. Bakeries may also add iodine to dough as a stabilizing agent, making bread another source of iodine; however, most bakeries in the USA now use bromine instead of iodine.  Quailwebb: Lugol's iodine

Check your food stores for iodine enriched food items like sea kelp-pasta. 

Fish and Iodine.  Eating fish won't give you iodine in mg amounts.  To get 13.8 mg iodine, you would have to eat 10-20 pounds of fish per day.  Miller: iodine metabolism

Foods containing chlorophyll have long been known to protect against radiation.  This includes all chlorophyll foods: cabbage, leafy green vegetables, spirulina, chlorella and wheatgrass. 

As the table above illustrates, it is difficult to get adequate amount of iodine from a daily diet. That is why the governments of the world added trace amount of iodine to salt in 1924.  But even this addition has not been working for the past 30 years.

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 American vs. Japanese Iodine Consumption   The Japanese consume 100 times more iodine than Americans.  95% of the iodine they consume comes from seaweed, which includes kelp, brown algae, nori sheets, red algae, chlorella and green algae.  In a 1964 study, the Japanese ate 4.5 grams of seaweed per day, equal to 13.8 mg of iodine per day.  In a 2001 study, the consumption of seaweed had increased to 14.6 grams per day, equal to 43.8 mg of iodine per day.  The Japanese are very healthy.  This is clear evidence that large amounts of iodine cannot be very bad for a population.  Miller: iodine metabolism  Dr. Miller's iodine presentation as PowerPoint Slides only. 

According to public health officials in Japan, people in Japan consume 14.5 gm of seaweed a day. They don’t need to take potassium iodide tablets for radiation fallout. They consume enough iodine in the seaweed they eat.   According to Miller, [ a cardiac surgeon and Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle ] the iodine level in the bodies of Japanese is at maximum level and will not absorb I-131.  Miller: iodine for health  This is information that has been withheld from the American population. 

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 Iodine in Supplements: 

Iodine is included in vitamin-mineral supplements, usually in amount containing 150 mcg iodine or 100% of RDA requirement.  A multivitamin-mineral supplement, that contains 100% of the daily value (DV) for iodine, provides 150 mcg of iodine. Although most people in the U.S. may consume sufficient iodine in their diets from iodized salt and food additives to prevent goiter, an additional 150 mcg/day in a supplement is unlikely to result in excessive iodine intake.  Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute  The extra intake may be beneficial in activating other metabolic processes.

Iodized Salt:  Iodized salt (also spelled iodised salt) is table salt mixed with a minute amount of various iodine-containing salts. Potassium iodide as well as potassium iodate may be used to iodize salt. In the U.S. and Canada, iodized salt contains 77 mcg of iodine per gram of salt. In other countries, salt commonly contains 20-40 mcg of iodine/gram of salt; the iodization level depends on variables such as iodine intake from other sources and daily salt consumption. Annual doses of iodized vegetable oil are also used in some countries as an iodine source.  Higdon: iodine Linus Pauling Institute 

You should be aware that iodized salt may slowly lose its iodine content by exposure to excess air over long periods. Iodine can oxidize [ evaporate ] over time and iodized salt loses its potency for providing minimum iodine to the body. 

Lugol's solution:  Other iodine supplements are Lugol's solution [ liquid  form ] and Iodoral [ tablet form of Lugol ]. 

Both Lugol's solution and Ioderal are one-third molecular iodine (5%) and two-thirds potassium iodide (10%). Studies done to date indicate that the best iodine supplement is one that includes molecular iodine, which breast tissue prefers.   Miller: iodine for health

"When Lugol's is made, an aqueous solution of potassium iodide (LI) is prepared by dissolving KI in water, say ten grams KI in 85 grams water. Then, once dissolved, five grams of iodine crystals are added to the potassium iodide solution. The diatomic iodine adds to the iodide ions in the KI solution to form potassium tri-iodide, which is what Lugol's solution REALLY is. Tri-iodide is stable, but when diluted it disproportionates back to iodide ions and elemental iodine. So, by ingesting diluted Lugol's iodine, a test subject will be provided with both iodied and elemental iodine."  Curezone: iodine forms

Lugol's solution may be not available over the counter in the USA as of January 2007, as the DEA is considering a public ban on all iodine solutions of greater than 2.2% [ because iodine is required for the production of methamphetamine ]. Lugol's is available over the counter in Canada.

Both of these supplements can be ordered online or from the internet; health food stores usually do not sell these supplements.  Back to top 

 Iodine Supplementation:

There are two ways to get a maintenance amount of iodine into the human body  ----  absorb it through the skin or ingest it orally.  Both approaches need to be done in a proper and safe manner. 

Nascent iodine  Iodine can occur in several forms; the two most often discussed are atomic and molecular.  There is a lot of confusion about both of these. We are interested in the atomic form of iodine or I.  This is the form that was found in the early stage when iodine was first discovered [ nascent ]. The atomic structure is illustrated on the left.  Starting from the yellow center, the inner most shell [ light blue ] or shell one has two electrons, then shell 2 has 8, shell three has 18, shell four has 18 and outer most shell, five, has seven electrons.  This form of atomic iodine lacks an electron in its outer shell. making it unstable, very active and electrically charged.    This highly active atomic form seeks another electron to fill in the missing electron in its outer shell, so as to make it more stable.  While in this atomic state [ missing electron ] it has an electrical charge.    IM, I1 or I  monotomic iodine. This is what is being talked about when the words "nascent" and "detoxified" are used. instead of a diatomic particle of iodine [ I2 ]. Iodine or I1,  can fill in the needed single outer electron by combining with another atomic iodine form.  This co-sharing or covalent bonding,  of an electron to link two iodine atoms, is referred to as diatomic.    Diatomic iodine would be two atoms of same element iodine in a bonded state [ as illustrated on the right ], the symbol would be = I2.  However, the thyroid gland does not recognize this form of iodine and cannot use it.  So we need to make an iodine form that the thyroid gland and the rest of the body can use.  How Nascent Iodine is made:  Scientists use a unique electromagnetic process to form charged up nascent iodine.  A 30 amp electrical current is passed through a solution of Diatomic Atomic Iodine in a discharging wet battery. This splits the two atoms of iodine, making each one electrically charged.   Electromagnetic stimulation breaks up the natural bond of I2  and  the single atoms of iodine are split from one another. Now the single forms of atomic iodine can be recognized by the thyroid to make T3 and T4. The single iodine atom has a missing electron in its outer orbit or shell. The missing electron gives the iodine atom an electric charge that can release energy when consumed and recognized by the person’s body as the same iodine which is produced by individual’s thyroid and effortlessly absorbed by the body.  This charging converts the iodine into a form that the body can most fully recognize and assimilate.  Atomic or Nascent Iodine is not dissolved in water but in alcohol.  Use in body: This “charged” state is held by the atom until diluted in water in the body and consumed, then it gradually loses energy over a 2-3 hour time span. During this time, nascent Iodine is recognized by the body as the same iodine that is produced by the thyroid and is absorbed effortlessly by the body. Iodine behaves like electricity in the body when it is in a monotomic state. This form of iodine in the excited state energizes the body first by being absorbed into the thyroid gland which almost immediately gets the other glands functioning properly.   Absorption: A claim has been made that nascent Iodine is more effectively absorbed and utilized than other forms of iodine, including iodine-containing foods such as seaweeds. Nascent Iodine by J Crowe  However, studies done to date indicate that the best iodine supplement is one that includes molecular iodine (I2), which breast tissue prefers.  Miller: iodine for health  There appears to be a lack of consistency in the scientific community as to which form of iodine is best for the body!  Dosage: Your body needs for iodine may vary depending on many factors, including your current iodine status, ability to assimilate iodine, sources of dietary iodine, health conditions or toxic exposures (e.g., halides) that may deplete iodine stores in the body (or prevent iodine uptake), and various other factors. Your optimal dosage also may change over time or depending upon lifestyle choices. After you [ and your health care provider ] have determined the best dosage for yourself, then you can begin to reverse any condition of deficiency. You thereafter can enjoy the many benefits conferred by having the abundant iodine status to carry out the many bodily processes dependent upon this mineral. Nascent Iodine, as all other types of iodine, should be taken on an empty stomach, an hour before or after meals. SMALL DOSES MORE OFTEN ARE BETTER THAN A SINGLE LARGE DOSE.  A CYCLIC USE WITH DAYS OF REST FROM USE IS RECOMMENDED. The US RDA for iodine is 150 mcg which is the minimum amount needed to prevent goiter. Iodoral contains 100 times (12.5 mgs) the RDAs requirement of iodine/iodide. One drop of Nascent iodine = RDA of 0.2 mg. If using for additional energy and general improved health take up to 5 drops daily. That would mean only one milligram. Sircus: nascent iodine  To boost the body systems may require very small amounts, a few drops once a day. The average dose is 5 to 10 drops in one-half glassful of cold water, repeated every two or three hours.  Therapeutic doses are much lower when taking a nascent form of iodine as compared to Lugol's solution.   Sircus: nascent iodine It is strongly recommended that you have an informed health care provider monitor your iodine therapy with relevant testing procedures. Detoxification:  Iodine in adequate dosage cleanses the body of  toxic poisons like bromide, fluoride, chlorine and mercury.  These substances accumulate in the body and make your feel sick.  Iodine acts as a strong chelator, that is, attaches to these toxic radicals, causing these chelated blobs to build up in the blood stream.  Detoxification is rapid when a large amount of iodine is consumed and such persons may feel toxic symptoms.  Such symptoms are a natural body response when the toxic wastes are not removed quickly.  This is referred to as the Herxheimer’s reaction, which is the experience of poisons being dumped into the blood stream from the cells faster than these can be excreted from the body. The Herxheimer Reaction is a short-term (from days to a few weeks) detoxification reaction in the body. As the body detoxifies, it is not uncommon to experience flu-like symptoms including headache, joint and muscle pain, body aches, sore throat, general malaise, sweating, chills, nausea or other symptoms. Herxheimer’s reaction This is a normal — and even healthy — reaction that indicates that halogens, parasites, fungus, viruses, bacteria or other pathogens are being effectively killed off.  Typically the death of these bacteria and/or the associated release of endotoxins occurs faster than the body can remove them.  The biggest problem with the Herxheimer reaction is that people stop taking the supplement or medication that is causing the reaction, and thus discontinue the very treatment that is helping to make them better. Although the experience may not make one feel particularly good, the Herxheimer Reaction is actually a sign that healing is taking place.  Herxheimer’s reaction The amount of detoxification symptoms can be most readily controlled with iodine in the atomic form simply because it is so easy to control and regulate the dose. On the other hand, detoxification is slowed down when the iodine intake is small; thereby giving the iodine a better chance to get rid of the toxic poisons it has chelated.  The symptoms of detoxification can be minimized by ingesting iodine in small amounts and gradually increasing the dosage as the body eliminates the toxins from the body.  Drinking an adequate amount of water helps to flush out the toxins out of the kidney [ where these toxins pile up ].  Refer to iodine co-factors for more information on helping iodine with proper nutrition and supplementation.  Monitoring iodine with a test: Having an iodine loading test performed can help guide you in the proper dosing of iodine. Supplementation:  When undertaking an iodine supplementation program, it is important to use iodine from a reputable company. Ask the seller to disclose all the ingredients in their iodine product.  A reputable company should be able to verify the contents of its products. Many online sellers of iodine supplements appear to be more interested in making money than helping people. Nascent iodone vs Lugols: Both Lugol's solution and Ioderal are one-third molecular iodine (5%) and two-thirds potassium iodide (10%). Studies done to date indicate that the best iodine supplement is one that includes molecular iodine (I2), which breast tissue prefers.  Miller: iodine for health   Researchers need to clarify this issue.  References: Brownstein David, "An Under-Recognized Epidemic," Immortal Hair, March 04, 2010.  Brownstein: Iodine epidemic Miller Donald W., "Iodine for Health," LewRockwell.com March 16, 2006.  Miller: iodine for health   Saunders Terri, "Indispensible Iodine,"  Saunders: Iodine need Sircus Mark, "Nascent iodine, Road to Health - Q and A October 9, 2009. " Sircus nascent iodine

Liquid Lugol’s solution can be taken orally [ the mouth ] as follows:   IMVA: Iodine dosages

n      add one teaspoonful of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water to make the water acidic.  

n      hold the medicine dropper horizontal in order to get a maximum drop, add one drop of the Lugol’s solution to the mixture in the glass. Stir the contents with a spoon and sip through the course of the meal, as one would drink a cup of coffee or tea.

n      take twice a week ---- e.g. prior to one meal on Tuesday and Friday of each week 

n      Prefer to drink, on an empty stomach, in the morning or before 4pm to avoid possible gastric reflux and use the refreshing energy during the daytime; and allowing you to have a restful sleep.

Diluting the drop of iodine in a glass of apple cider or orange juice helps minimize the unpleasant taste of iodine.

You can gradually increase iodine from one drop to two drops in a glass of water.  The daily maintenance amount of iodine intake for the whole, adult human body would be equivalent to 2 drops of Lugol solution.  Children and those weighing less than 150 pounds should take one drop.   In the USA, the initial implementation of iodine at this level would require medical supervision.  Abraham: Orthiodinesupplementation

You can also apply Lugol's solution directly to the skin.

Iodine Tablet: Lugol’s solution in a tablet form is known as Ioderal. Tablets are easier to take than Lugol’s solution.  To prevent gastric irritation and the unpleasant taste of iodine, the tablets are coated with a thin film of pharmaceutical glaze. 

It is important to keep in mind that people of all ages have different bio needs and that supplementation may need to be adjusted and supervised by an informed health care professional.

Absorbing iodine through the skin:

When painted on the skin prior to surgery, tincture of iodine kills 90 percent of bacteria present within 90 seconds.)  Miller: iodine for health   Most of the iodine [ probably about 80 to 85 percent ] evaporates rapidly; the remainder is absorbed slowly into the body, thus forming an iodine depot [ storage ] in the skin for several days. This prolonged retention of iodine within the skin allows it to be absorbed directly into the blood stream and distributed to all organs and cells of the body usually within 48 hours.  Abraham: Skin application  Abraham: Update skin

There may be some discrepancy about the amount of iodine that evaporates from the skin and the actual amount that is absorbed into the body.  Research substantiates that only about 12 – 15 % of the iodine on the skin is absorbed and the remainder evaporates. Miller: iodine for health   Skin application of iodine is an effective, efficient and practical way for supplementation of iodine.   Abraham: Skin application

The evaporation of iodine from the skin increases with increased ambient temperatures and decreased atmospheric pressure due to weather conditions and altitude. For example, the yellow color of iodine on the skin will disappear much faster in Denver, Colorado at 5,000 feet above sea level then Los Angeles, California at at sea level, irrespective of the amount of bioavailable iodine. This variability in climate makes iodine/iodide loading test much more accurate than the skin test  Abraham: Skin application  Abraham: Update skin   Back to top     

 Iodine tests: 

TSH [ thyroxin stimulant hormone ] test is the test that most doctors use to diagnose hypothyroidism. Shomon: Derry interview  However this test has been perceived by several researchers as not the best test to determine the level of iodine in the body.  

Norman reviews numerous iodine tests used in medicine. Here is an example: "T4 by RIA (radioimmunoassay) is the most used thyroid test of all. It is frequently referred to as a T7 which means that a resin T3 uptake (RT3u) has been done to correct for certain medications such as birth control pills, other hormones, seizure medication, cardiac drugs, or even aspirin that may alter the routine T4 test. The T4 reflects the amount of thyroxin in the blood."  Norman: common thyroid tests

Iodine skin patch test:  This test was used extensively for iodine supplementation over 100 years ago. The test consisted of applying an iodine solution to a small skin area of the arm, leg, or abdomen.   The assumption was that the faster the yellow color of iodine disappears from the skin, the more iodine deficient the person tested; and vise versa, if the yellow color lingers, the more sufficient in iodine the person tested.  According to Abraham and his research conducted in 2008, the skin iodine patch test is not a reliable method to assess whole body sufficiency for iodine. Many factors play a role in the disappearance of the yellow color of iodine from the surface of the skin.  Abraham: Skin application  Hendrichs: Lugol's Iodine Test 

The iodine skin patch test raises another related question: Is the application of iodine to the skin an acceptable way to supplement iodine? Abraham's study of 2008  concluded that skin application of iodine is an effective, if not efficient and practical, way for supplementation of iodine with an expected bioavailability of 6-12% of the total iodine applied to the skin.  Abraham: Skin application

Iodine loading test:   Iodine clearance test urine normal values are based on seeing if the person is deficient in iodine or iodide.  A sample of urine is taken as an early morning void to measure the level of iodine before loading. This is known as a SPOT test and it establishes the baseline value for the person. Next the patient is given 50 mg of iodine as a loading dose. A 24-hour urine collection for the amount of iodine or iodide excreted is taken after this load dose. This test will also compare the urinary iodine values to the normal creatinine value that is excreted by the kidney in urine. Creatinine is a byproduct of muscle metabolism and is an indicator of kidney function. Clarke: Urine I clearance test  Sircus: iodine primer  Shomon: Derry interview    Iodine loading test

Iodine loading test, advocated by Abraham, Brownstein and Fleishner, is the best test to evaluate for the level of iodine in the body and also to determine the proper dose to prescribe.  Abraham: Iodoral therapy& wellbeing  Fleisher: Deficiency iodine NHANES   Brownstein: Iodine epidemic   Hakala Labe: iodine loading test  Saunders: Iodine need     Iodine loading test

Two labs that do iodine testing.  They know who the doctors are who are doing the testing:  FFP Labs:  877.684.3233 and Hakkala labs:  877.238.1779.

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 Conclusion 

This web-site attempted to simplify iodine information by reviewing all the iodine information and documenting it on one web-site for easy access.

There are inconsistencies in the information about iodine. While researchers describe iodine research in technical details, unsophisticated readers often find such information difficult to understand.  Several examples of note:

The controversy about the amount of iodine that is acceptable to the thyroid gland in preventing goiter on the one hand, but on the other, that an excess may cause thyotoxicosis and other thyroid diseases versus when is it acceptable to ingest more iodine than what the thyroid gland needs. 

Foods that are good sources of anti-oxidants but have been recognized as goitrogens. Is broccoli good or bad?

All the co-factors of iodine have not been identified; that is, co-factors that help iodine utilization in the body.  The co-factor ratios to iodine are sadly overlooked by researchers and medical doctors.

Need to clarify the discrepancy relationships between the Ca:Mg ratio and the relationship between iodine and magnesium.  How do we balance the nutrient ratio requirements?

Lack of focus on total nutrient and life style impact on iodine utilization in the body. There needs to be a balance between using iodine to prevent diseases versus iodine needed for optimal wellbeing.  

 There are two forms of iodine that the body needs: IODINE AND IODIDE.   Best supplements include a combination of both of these types of iodine. 

Iodized table salt (sodium chloride) is NOT a good dietary source of iodine, because the much greater amount of chloride in food-grade salt [ as well as bromide ]  competes with the iodide for intestinal absorption. Fleisher: Deficiency iodine NHANES

Iodine Deficiency related to cancer:  The National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES Study), undertaken by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) from 1971 to 2000, showed that iodine levels in the general population have fallen over 50 percent in the last 30 years. This iodine fall correlates with the high cancer rates in the western world [ and also commercial uses of bromide and fluoride. ]   Fleisher: Deficiency iodine NHANES

Iodine Benefits:  Oral administration of nonradioactive iodide/iodine preparations has been demonstrated to benefit the immune system, thyroid disorders, including goiter, nodules, cysts and thyroid cancer.  Abraham: Orthiodinesupplementation  Fleisher: Deficiency iodine NHANES

Stay healthy:  But ... you should make sure that you are ingesting adequate amounts of iodine. And ofcourse, it is essential to keep a healthy immune system by eating a balanced diet that includes chlorophyll rich foods and ingesting adequate amounts of vitamin D, vitamin C, calcium, selenium, anti-oxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and other nutrient supplements. It may be advisable to ingest calcium citrate to remove toxic substances from the body as a precaution.  Vegans and vegetarians may be most at risk for iodine deficiency. 

Thyroid fixation: Many medical doctors and medical schools are stuck on the out-dated view of iodine: "The reigning truth on iodine is that the thyroid gland is the only organ in the body that requires this micronutrient, and a daily intake considerably more than what the thyroid gland needs is potentially harmful. The new truth is that the rest of the body also needs iodine, in large amounts [ milligrams ], not small amounts [ micrograms ]."  Miller: iodine for health   Fleisher: Deficiency iodine NHANES  Abraham: Thyroid fixation

There is a lot of misinformation about iodine as well as suppression of information. Mostly, many are afraid of the unknown .... whether supplementing with iodine is dangerous! 

It is important for you, the reader, to do your own research and come up with your own conclusions about iodine. Once you understand the importance of this vital essential nutrient, you will understand why it is crucial to ensure adequate iodine levels in you and your family.  This web-site article provides documented references and should get you started. to top 

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