Re: Lisa's Journey: Iodine Safety

I have some thoughts and questions about Iodine safety.

I can't find it right now, but I read somewhere that elemental Iodine is two molecules of bound iodine, and that it is highly corrosive == oxidative. Also that potassium iodide, being potassium and Iodine bound together, can only be unbound through an oxidative process. So, the 5% elemental iodine in Lugol's causes oxidative damage on contact with tissue and the 10% potassium Iodide in Lugol's must go through an oxidative process before the body can use it.

While I understand that the body needs iodine, and in larger quantities than public policy acknowledges, does the oxidative nature of iodine in these forms not suggest that these forms should not be ingested?

It is my further understanding that bound iodine requires twice as much energy to process that monatomic (nascent) iodine does. Does this not suggest that people with metabolic disfunction, like MTHFR, hypothyroidism, or adrenal insufficiency should not take bound iodine? Maybe this is one reason that some people tolerate Lugol's better than others.

My first experience with high-dose iodine (burning sensation in gut and back that has persisted for about 2 weeks so far) suggests that I had some tissue damage. I am not convinced that bromine and other displaced toxins are entirely to blame. It seems highly probable that since I consumed more iodine than the toxins it displaced that my symptoms should be directly attributed to iodine.

I think I read in a couple of books that Lugol's is recommended for supplementation because the two forms of iodine are used in different tissues. Since however, the bonds must be broken for the body to use it, the end-result in the body is monatomic (or nascent) iodine. Even if some people can tolerate it at high doses, does it not make sense to avoid increasing the body's burden of oxidative stress by taking nascent iodine to begin with?

My nascent iodine hasn't arrived yet, but it would be nice for me to have the immediate sense of improved health and energy that Doc A says many people have with it. After reading one of Dr Abraham's reports about his iodine studies in which he stated that only 2% of the study participants experienced my symptoms, I wouldn't be surprised to find that I need to stay low and slow for a while, even with nascent iodine.

One sticking point for me with this study (http://www.optimox.com/iodine-study-8) is that iodine safety was assessed at 12.5mgs, not at the 50mg recommended dose. "Pre and post-supplementation evaluation of blood chemistry, hematology, thyroid function tests and ultrasonometry of the thyroid gland were performed. The results obtained in these female subjects using a tablet form of Lugol solution (Iodoral), Optimox Corporation, Torrance, CA) at 12.5 mg/day for 3 months confirmed Ghent’s observations, and the safety of the Lugol tablets."

This is the beginning of my iodine story. It will be interesting - for me anyhow - to see how it plays out! ;-)