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Iodine for Hypothyroidism: Crucial Nutrient or Harmful Toxin?

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This article is part of a special report on Thyroid Disorders. To see the other articles in this series, click here.

In a previous article I showed why, when used alone, thyroid hormone replacement often fails. In this post I’ll explain why optimizing your iodine intake is so crucial, and why both too little and too much iodine can be harmful.

Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of hypothyroidism worldwide. Once researchers realized this, health authorities around the world began adding iodine to table salt.

This strategy was effective in correcting iodine deficiency. But it had an unanticipated—and undesired—effect. In countries where iodine has been added to table salt, the rates of autoimmune thyroid disease have risen. The following is just a sample of studies around the world demonstrating this effect:

Why does this happen? Because increased iodine intake, especially in supplement form, can increase the autoimmune attack on the thyroid. Iodine reduces the activity of an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase (TPO). TPO is required for proper thyroid hormone production.

On the other hand, restricting intake of iodine can reverse hypothyroidism. In one study, 78% of patients with Hashimoto’s regained normal thyroid function with iodine restriction alone.

However—and this is a big “however”— it appears that iodine may only pose a problem for people with Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune thyroid diseases in the presence of concurrent selenium deficiency.

In the study above where rats developed goiter while receiving excess iodine, when they were given adequate selenium they did not develop the goiter.

Other studies have shown that selenium protects against the effects of iodine toxicity and prevents the triggering and flaring of autoimmune disease that excess iodine without selenium can cause.

In my practice I always test for both iodine deficiency and Hashimoto’s when a patient presents with hypothyroid symptoms. If they are iodine deficient, I will start them on a trial of iodine and selenium together. In most cases, patients see a significant improvement. In a minority of cases, they cannot tolerate supplemental iodine even with adequate selenium intake.

Unfortunately, the blood test for iodine that your doctor might run is not very accurate. The best way to determine iodine status is with a 24-hour urine loading test. This involves taking a large dose of iodine and collecting your urine for 24 hours afterward. If you are iodine deficient, you’ll retain more of the ingested iodine than you should and the level of iodine excreted in the urine will be lower than expected. The two labs I recommend for this test are Doctor’s Data and Hakala.

That said, if your doctor or health care practitioner won’t order these tests, you can simply begin an iodine protocol. This involves starting with a low dose of iodine (I start my patients with kelp tablets that contain 325 mcg of iodine per tablet) and increasing very slowly over time. As I’ve described in this article, it’s crucial that you also take 200 mcg of selenium per day during this protocol to protect against the potentially adverse effects of iodine supplementation, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease.

Physicians that specialize in treating hypothyroidism with iodine (such as Dr. Abraham and Dr. Brownstein) suggest doses as high as 50 mg per day may be necessary to restore iodine levels in those that are deficient. I have used doses this high in my practice, but it’s imperative that patients build up to such high doses very slowly, and I don’t recommend doing it without the supervision of a clinician experienced with iodine treatment. Be aware that high doses of iodine can lead to a transient increase in TSH levels, which can be mistakenly interpreted as a sign of hypothyroidism.

Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that a minority of patients with Hashimoto’s confirmed by biopsy (the gold standard) never test positive for thyroid antibodies. This is probably because their immune systems are so depressed they can no longer produce antibodies. If you have a combination of hyper- and hypothyroid symptoms, I would still suspect Hashimoto’s even if your thyroid antibody tests are normal. It’s wise to be cautious with iodine if you have any signs of autoimmune thyroid disease, even without a confirmed diagnosis.

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558 Comments

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  1. Hello, I have been underactive for about 1 year officially, amsure i was before as had so many symptoms. I am fed up with taking the synethetic tablets from the doctor, where I get side effects and still have symptoms, have tried the alternative real thyroids where I still feel ill, and am now considering just taking iodine as I get no side effects with it. Would appreciate hearing from anyone who can support, advise, swap history etc. You can email me at r y c h h m o at ao l do t c o m without the dots. Thanks.

  2. I have been taking 25 mg of an Iodine/iodide/sellenium supplement for a few months and am feeling much better. However, when I went back to the doctor to check my medication levels (hashimotos) my TSH was up to 4.25 and he increased my medication. Was that the right thing to do? Your article said TSH would increase. How would a doctor know what level of levothyroxide was the correct dosage? Are there other numbers to look at?

  3. I recently had a thyroid nodule biopsy to rule out cancer. My TSH was 2.25 and my other thyroid panel tests were all normal however my Thyroglobulin Antibody tested at 46.

    You say the “gold standard” to diagnose Hashimoto’s is via biopsy. Would they have tested for it alongside testing for cancer? My endo said I have Hoshi’s based on the antibody test. No mention of the biopsy.

    Thanks.

    • When a biopsy is done with hashi it has high risk of being scanty. Meaning lymphocytes are seen in sample and cant be determined if from nodule or surrounding tissue which has lymphocytes from hashi assault. They are indistinguishable from cells looked for in sample. I myself had done and confirmed hashi but leaves you in same boat before biopsy not knowing if nodule is malignant. Only options them are watch or remove part of thyroid for pathology exam

  4. why dosn’t anyone talk about the horrible diet most people eat? That can greatly affect every single cell in your body! I can not rely on 90% of these “reactions” of women on here because 90% eat processed s… food, and YES, this does affect your health, your thyroid problems and every system in your body. It is exaspertating.

    • Totally agree. I get fed up with people who smoke moaning when they cough and wheeze, or those who eat loads of junk food moaning that their ankles hurt because they are a size 30, since I have been diagnosed and trying to feel better I have started to drink my own distilled water, also make smoothies and juices every day which I drink religiously to make sure I get enough veg/fruit in my diet. Cut out a lot of sugar, cut out a lot of salt.

    • Just quitting sugar and eating whole grains instead of white breads, white rice has dramatically changed how I feel.

  5. Ummm, what about all of the valid research that shows kelp has unacceptable levels of arsenic and other heavy metals?

    • We ingest more heavy metals and toxins from Chemtrails and other chemical dumping in the skies above us than from any other source. All of our food, water, and supplements are excessively contaminated in some form. The only protection we truly have from what we’re being poisoned with from every possible angle, is our mind. HOWEVER, we must know how to use our mind and how our mind works for it to do us any good at protecting us from the poisons and contaminants that we can under no circumstance avoid consuming…. That said, don’t question the arsenic and heavy metals in kelp if it must be taken. Simply acknowledge there is arsenic and metal content, then take Chlorella while consuming kelp to give your body what it needs to cleanse and remove the arsenic and metals from your body as its being deposited by the kelp. Approaching all consumption from this standpoint is the only method for achieving a state of health in today’s toxin saturated environment.

      • Chemtrails have been debunked on metabunk.org, fyi. For a while I was on the fence about chemtrails until I read all the classic arguments put to the scrutiny of reason , and through the cross examinations of many individuals on the site, came to conclusion that there are no chemtrails in the sense that they are generally talked about.

        • Please read some of what is said on GeoEngineeringwatch.org about the aerosols being sprayed from planes. It’s all part of climate “control” and is harming all of us and everything on Earth. The evidence on that site is very hard to refute… many good videos/discussions about it… has everything to do with astronomically high aluminum levels worldwide.

        • You better keep researching because they are VERY real. Put “weather modification”, Solar Radiation Management” “weather warfare”, aerosol spraying”, “geoengineering” “HAARP”, “CERN” in your search engine and for cryin out loud realize that there are paid trolls from that industry specifically to debunk it! Lastly LoOK at the sky! You can see planes that leave short contrails and there are those who leave obvious trails that linger for hours then turn the sky overcast. There are patents for aerosol technology and many documents from NASA, military, Environmental Defense Fund, The Royal Society, etc that acknowledge it also. Al Gore spoke of the dangers of geoengineering on Ellen’s show and there are people that have spoken about it to the UN… Also scientists and solar radiation experts that have been interviewed and are on You Tube. Don’t deny just because you won’t spend the time to research this further.

          • You can google anything and come up with websites supporting it. You can also cherry-pick expert opinions to support pretty much anything. There are professional physicists that think the world is 6000 years old. If you’re going to cite expert opinion, the correct procedure is to cite published work, not youtube videos where Professor X can say anything at all without being peer-reviewed, and also to consider what the experts at the top of the field think and what the majority of experts think.

    • It only has these dangers in it when it is taken from the sea. Most kelp that is sold now is harvested in an organic farm and kept pure.

  6. Gluten maybe more a problem than we will ever agmit. I researched this web for my dogs health years ago w.dogtorj.c .This covers human issues too and goes into great depth of cell damage and mental issues caused by grains .I later learned wheat was sprayed with glyphosate before harvest (round-up) .This weed killer is designed to stop mineral uptake in weeds but seems to have a simular effect in u s .All our minerals have reached critical levels and I fear Iodine is only one so we need to check all our mineral levels .I would suggest eating organic foods and supplementing with minerals and trace minerals .I use w.bodybio.c mineral liquid kit ……..

    • I agree. My daughter’s doctor told her to stop eating wheat. She feels much better, and in the course of a year, slowly lost 20 pounds. I stopped as well, and i just feel less puffy and slow moving.

  7. Hello all,

    Heres our experience (for what its worth – bear with me, it has a happy ending (so far))… in the hope that it might help someone else going through the same thing. Sorry for the long post.

    My wife has had pretty horrendous periods for a number of years since she came off the pill.

    Roll forward to 2009, she found a large lump in her breast that seemed to appear overnight (thankfully turned out to be a cyst). Had some scans done and she had a number of cysts in her breasts.
    (and suffered from painful breasts each month (fibrocystic breast disease for years).

    She went to see a specialist (at first private and then , (the same one) at the NHS). All she offered was an ablation (burning away the lining of the uterus – or fitting a mirena coil.
    (or much later -as my wife was deemed too young, the option of a hysterectomy was mentioned)

    This ‘specialist’ (head of department – supposedly an expert) – was an absolute idiot. Between the first (private) visit and the second (at NHS hospital) We had found a book at a jumble sale by Dr John Lee about bio-identical hormones.

    This book seemed to be very relevant to my wifes situation.
    On the second visit to this ‘specialist’ she mentioned bio-identical hormones and this ‘specialist’ told her that ‘we don’t deal in hormones, they’re not relevant’ – For one, what a stupid thing to say given that reproductive health is determined by hormones and secondly, this ‘specialist’ had recommended a mirena coil (which is an inter-uterine device for administering progestrogen – a synthetic version of progresterone (synthetic hormones are best avoided!). –

    Absolutely stunning.. My wife walked out that office crestfallen – we didn’t realise at that point how staggeringly out of touch many NHS specialists are – we do now and have witnessed it on a number of occasions since.

    (allow me to post something from her (the specialists) section of the private healthcare hospital website we visited…

    Quote: Miss… [name redacted]
    Specialities: Gynaecology and/or Obstetrics Colposcopy, Hysteroscopy, Menstrual Disorders, Prolapse

    Special Clinical interests: Abnormal menstrual bleeding, post-menopausal difficulties, pelvic pain, vaginal prolapse and adolescent gynaecology.

    End Quote.

    So, you’d imagine she’d know what she was talking about when it came to ‘abnormal menstrual bleeding’.
    Wife also had a thing we now discover is called leucorrhoea which is caused by hormonal imbalance. Did this specialist have any idea what it was or what might have caused it ? – take a guess. Not a clue.

    Anyway, i digress..

    Having read the Dr John Lee book it she took a hormone test (spit test (not blood test, as blood hormone tests are very unreliable)) and was found to be estrogen dominant. She was basically producing half the progesterone she needed to balance the amount of estrogen (or twice the estrogen for the progesterone she was producing depending on how you look at it)

    So, she started using natural progesterone cream. This improved her hormonal balance and her periods improved markedly. Still not great but better than the normal monthly ‘crime scene’ – with her sitting around for two days a month in pain clutching a hot water bottle.
    She also found that cutting meat and dairy from her diet got rid of most of the pain, having read a book called Food that fights pain (or something similar) (dairy is obviously full of estrogens – you really want to try and limit them).
    Also stopped buying canned food (linings contain BPA and other endocrine disrupters – especially bad with tomatos / baked beans etc as the acid makes the BPA leech into the food) – dont use a microwave and certainly never eat anything out of plastic container that has been microwaved (scary studies been done on those)

    However she’d still have to get up every two hours in the night (during her period) because her flow was so heavy, sleeping on a towel etc. All pretty awful.

    She also had a scan in 2011 and found out she had a small 2cm fibroid.

    She also had a yellowish tinge to her skin at times, which we thought (initially,) was anemia caused by the regular blood loss

    Scroll forward a year or two later to discover she now had a tennis ball size cyst (8cm) on her ovaries which was a suspected endometrioma.

    We both take many supplements for a couple of years (magnesium, D3 (she takes 5000 iu/day (we had our levels checked periodically to find out balance), selenium, curcumin, k2, cod liver oil (small d3 + vitamin A) and a number of others and generally things had definitely improved somewhat.

    A Pretty awful couple of years though….

    The NHS specialist (a different one from above) she went to see when we discovered the large ovarian cyst wanted to cut her open and perform an oophrectomy – which she refused (you really want your ovaries if you can keep-em – we’re not having any kids and any opportunity to have them has passed anyway – but your ovaries obviously produce hormones required for life (despite them malfunctioning at that time).

    The main reason she refused was because after a couple of years of reading books on these matters we finally found out about iodine and things started to suddenly make sense.

    We read Dr Brownsteins book – which I recommend, another excellent book by Dr Mark Starr called (type 2 hypothyrodism) and a couple of others.
    I also recommend as many have already, search out Dr Brownstein, Dr Jorge Flechas, Sherry Tenpenny etc on youtube and Dr Abrams (have a look at optimox.com)

    Given that we’d both been taking selenium for quite a while, we didnt have to be too slow in ramping up the iodine (although we were cautious).
    My wife started doing a couple of drops of Lugols a day, then we ordered some iodoral (which is only lugols in pill form, but what the heck). She got up to 50mg/day (4 x 12.5 iodoral) and held it there for 3 months. Every day she checks her temperature (basal , under the armpit for 10 mins before she gets out of bed) and charts her progression.
    After 3 months shes now come down to 1.5 iodoral tablets a day (just under 19 mg) .
    She also takes ATP cofactors (high B3 and B6), did salt flushing and vitamin C (to clear blocked sodium iodide symporters)

    So, turns out we (and everyone else) missed the obvious for years.

    She is/was hypothyroid and had low iodine (which probably caused the hypothyroidism). She’s been cold for years (hands and feet). She had thinning eyebrows. menorrhagia (heavy periods) – she has cysts in her breasts and on an ovary, had a recurrent gangion cyst, small cysts on her fingers.
    The cyst is now (we think) actually a cystadenoma (mucin filled).

    All of her symptoms are classic hypothyroidism/low iodine.
    Her yellowish tinge was carotanemia (inability to process beta-carotene into vitamin A (caused by hypothyroidism) – which also means that your thyroid becomes less able to absorb any iodine in your food).

    Turns out that after the thyroid the second and third most prolific users/requirers of iodine are the breasts and the ovaries. All endocrine functions require iodine. If it secretes… it needs iodine !

    Her mother also had symptoms and her sister had thyroid issues too.
    Glaringly obvious when you spot it, but no one else did. (despite doctors noticing the symptoms).
    Hypothyroidism runs down the female line (somthing to do with all mitochondria already being in the egg (ie coming from the mother) before fertilisation)

    Today 10 months after seeing the NHS doctor who wanted to operate – she still has the ovarian cyst – but its got a little smaller. Her monthly cycle is like night and day compared to how it has been – i’d say its ‘normalised’ – her cycle length has extended (still settling down, but used to be about 23/24 days (sometimes less), now averaging 28 in the last few months (varies between 26 and 32). Her breast cysts are shrinking (definitely – not just wishful thinking). Cysts on her hands have disappeared.

    I would caution against just diving in with iodine. You must have been taking selenium beforehand and during (otherwise you will cause thyroid problems) – you really should read some books about it first (i recommend brownsteins book if just thinking about iodine – again mark starr’s book is good too if you suspect hypothyroidism as well (especially if you have symptoms but your blood tests come back negative).

    I think the most telling thing is to get an alcohol (or old style mercury) thermometer (dont use a digital, they’re so innacurate they’re pointless) and put it in your armpit (NOT mouth, ear or rectum) for 10 to 15 minutes every morning before you get out of bed.

    If you are consistently below 36.6 degrees you are (99% likely) to be hypothyroid.

    My Wife (when started) was often 35.8 to 36.2 degrees C.
    Now almost always between 36.5 and 37.

    By the way, this is not medical advice (supplementing with iodine is not to be done thoughtlessly)

    If you’re gonna do it, read Up, go easy, monitor and chart your results.

    Curezone is a good resource to read others experiences.

    • Thanks for your story. It is truly amazing that given our advanced medical system and ‘civilised’ society that we still have to dig around for such basic yet life saving information. I have hashimotos and i’ve also been researching iodine. The willingness for medical ‘professionals’ to consider drastic surgery and synthetic medications before checking for basic mineral deficiencies is actually astounding. I’m very glad you had the good sense and knowledge to avoid the knife and start looking for the root cause…i hope that one day mainstream doctors will be doing the same!

      • Thank you to all of the contributors to this site but especially yours. I have had all thyroid test in normal range for 4 years, but have a goiter and at least 11 of the symptoms indicating hypothyroidism (limited hair growth, dry skin, weight gain, brittle nails, depression, limited labido, muscle cramps, barely any eyebrows, constipation, bloating and difficulty focusing). My doctor’s response is to measure the growth of my goiter, I presume to cut it out eventually… American medicine is so frustrating. Anyway I recently purchased isodoral iodine, betaine hcl and selenium, but hadn’t connected the all the dots on how to use them, as well as considering a gluten free diet. I eat relatively healthy but I have gained over 60lbs and am frustrated and depressed. Hopefully I’ll be able to reverse this condition with your suggestions as well as adding two tablespoons of coconut oil and carefully choosing organic greens to juice daily. Although i have been taking isodoral for two weeks (No change) I will take them selenium for the next two weeks and then add the isodoral gradually. I welcome any other suggestions as well. What about adrenal fatigue? I have read I might need to address that as well… Any suggestions?

    • I sincerely thank you for sharing you and your wife’s story. I have learned so much. I am dealing with exactly the same things she was dealing with. You have just opened a great big door for me to go through. Many many thanks, Katherine

    • wow gug,this story is so close to my life,all the women in my family are and were hypo with nodules,through my years ive had systs,heavy periods that lead to an oblation,made my pain worse which lead to a hysterectomy and ovarian cancer..now after reading your story im convinced that my problem stemed from way back in my life,im luck to have fitted in four beautiful children in all that pain and suffering,My mother had radioactive iodine 2 years ago and is feeling better,she suggested to me that I get mine checked because I was feeling run down,i did and they found heaps of nodules,..im on the waiting list for a thyroidectomy but have postponed it three times now,im trying everything I can to avoid loosing it with diet and supps.my recient tests show a low tsh but everything else is in normal range oh and my selenium is high and my iodine is low haha so my new gp has recommended iodine drops,but before I take them im going to increase it in my diet see how I go,thankyou so much im so happy ive read you letter,Ann

    • HI,

      Very pleased to see that i may have helped a couple of people with my post – that was entirely my intention and its nice to be able to help.

      Some more ramblings…

      Enlargement, nodules, structural changes…. often often often iodine is the problem (lack of) – inc thyroid (nodules, enlargement / goiter), breasts (tenderness/cysts/fibrocystic breasts), overaries (cysts) and very possibly prostate (enlargement)

      Absolutely try and avoid thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine if you possibly can.

      Duff thyroid very very very often (I’d say nearly always but i’m no doctor (although many docs dont have a clue)) due to either low selenium (leading to auto immune problems) and /or low iodine.

      Often the person for some reason does not uptake iodine very well (maybe genetic, maybe poor sodium/iodide symporter action). My wife just dropped her iodine to 12/mg (from 50) in a short period of time and halfed her progesterone cream and she had a 17 day cycle and heavy period. It seems with my wife that at the moment, 12 mg doesnt seem to do anything at all, she’s now doubled it back to 24mg/day and touch wood things will improve again to back how they were.

      Cant stress enough ladies, if you’re having problems similar to my wife. Read Brownsteins iodine book, read Mark Starrs type 2 hypothyroid book and change your lives!
      Go to Youtube and search for Dr Brownstein, or Dr Jorge Flechas, or Dr Sherry Tenpenny etc etc and watch a couple of talks that are on there.

      Note all: Thyroid TSH blood tests are remarkable only in that they often entirely fail to spot someone who is hypothyroid !!!

      In the old days, they used to use Basal temperature and a doctor actually talking to you about symptoms to determine hypothyroidism. Now they give you a blood test that is almost entirely useless.

      My wifes mother had 18 separate symptoms of hypothyroidism and an entirely ‘normal’ TSH test result.

      A drop of lugols a day and enough selenium and she’s actually not got cold hands or feet for the first time in years. A mystery liver enzyme problem has myseriously(?) resolved (shes been discharged by the specialist), she has more energy etc etc.

      Of all the things i’ve seen over the years of being interested in health issues, i’ve never seen anything as remarkable as iodine (although cannabis oil for cancer comes a close 2nd) for fixing so many issues – but beware… again, dont just take iodine without reading up on it first and without having already started supplementing with selenium !

      Good Luck !

      • Im curious about the mysterious liver enzyme that went away. Im hypothyroid and had elevated alk phos for years and doctors are unable to find any reason for it.

        • HI, sorry i missed this.

          My Mother in laws liver problem was exactly that ! and now her blood results have improved each time she’s seen them and they have now discharged her.

          I’d say her elevated alkaline phosphotase (not sure of the spelling) was entirely caused by hypothyroidism.

          Remember, that hypothyroidism is known to suppress/affect liver function.

          My wife had bouts of carotanemia (where the liver cant convert beta carotene into vitamin A).

    • Thank you for sharing. I’ve been going through Thyroid tests the past 4 months and trying to get my numbers up via holistically before jumping into Thyroid medication. I have had period changes the last couple of years with my cycle jumping from 22-26 days… no change in flow, but definitely getting much more painful. This started after i went off birth control. I was only on birth control for a little over a year so I don’t know if that had anything to do with it.

    • Hi Gug if I give you my contact info would you possibly be willing to give me a call? Your experience with iodine leaves me wanting to talk to you if youre willing. Im about to start supplementing and detoxing with iodine and would sure like to have a friend to consult/confide in while going thtu it Good day to you Rick Talaska

      • Hi,

        I’d be happy to. Apologies for not replying earlier, I dont monitor the email address i used for this post.

        If you want to contact me, try thyroid (at) telepho.to

        I’m no expert though, i’m learning new stuff everyday.

    • Very helpful,ty for sharing.I to had bleeding issues when it took five yr to finally figure out I was hypo.been on meds for bout 20 yr.I started having panic attacks n decided to stop meds,now I hav a lump n soreness n I’m going for many.yuppie.I’m doing a home iodine test,u rub a three by three patch of iodine on lower stomach n see if it stays same or disappears in 24 HR period.crossing fingers.I know u loose iodine w pregnancies,I’ve had six kids so chances r I’m gone

    • Am seriously considering just taking iodine but I also have selenium and eat alot of brazil nuts which are rich in selenium and other minerals/vitamins. I am fed up with the side effects and lack of help from the normal tablets and the synethetic ones. You can get kelp tablets that are pure and organic, it is a myth that they contain all sorts of harmful things now.

    • Agree with everything! Turns out that iodine functions to excrete estrogens. Hence the lighter periods, etc . I too loved my bioidenticals, progesterone and now a little testosterone. But was missing the iodine, selenium, c, salt, etc… Estradiol also down regulates your NIS symporter – how the thyroid cells transport iodine into the cell to then create energy. So estrogens unmatched by progesterone and still being produced in fat tissues when women think they are too old and not making any , or too young to have hormone issues, shocks me. I visited an endochrinologist for my thyroid and rattled off a few things from all my reading, same books as you, think this will be good conversation. He had know idea what I was talking about. He was considered a top guy in the field. I thought he was kidding! At least he was honest and told me, “he was learning right now, in this conversation!” It scared me and then made me really happy I like to read this stuff! I want to send him a few books!
      Amy 🙂

      • Hi Yes… and to add to that, having hypothyroidism causes your liver to become sluggish meaning that it cant clear excess estrogen from the blood.

    • Great story..i believe we have to look after ourselves and sometimes even treat our own symptoms as we know our body more than anyone else does ..do lots of study .. we arent stupid and i believe doctors and even specialist have no clue past the obvious stuff…i have had some similar symptoms to your wife and have treated them similarly and agree that it takes time but i feel better than i have in years. Specialists offered me the mirena or hysterectomy for my heavy long periods( i am 52 and peri menopausal)..seems to be the easy answer for them..natural bio identical progesterone for 6 months and my period is back to normal …i have hashimotos ..my 2 sets of thyroid antibodies were 3000 and 2600…no treatment offered until my tsh was high enough to satisfy there policy..i put myself on natural dessicated thyroid. ..have regular blood test for my own benefit..my antibodies are down to 300 and 190..my ldl is down from 9 to 7 ..everything else is good also.. my doctor just says to keep up with what im doing and get blood tests every 3 months… so he supports but wont treat which is good enough for me..i took charge because i do not believe that i should just wait for my own immune system to destroy my thyroid before i get treatment which would have been levothyroxine anyway and i feel personally that the natural thyroid is better.

  8. Any information related to thyroid issues or iodine deficiency increasing blood platlette increase .?

    • Google : “thyroid and high blood platelets”

      I’m not sure if it is but hypothyroidism affects so many things (as it affects metabolism) that it wouldn’t surprise me.

      Anecdotally, my mother had Essential thrombocythemia – and now looking back over her life – i’m convinced she was hypothyroid – she was certainly always cold (hands/feet etc).

      I’d say, start taking your basal temperature (in armpit every morning before you get up using a mercury or alcohol thermometer (not digital) to determine if you’re likely to be hypothyroid (consistently below 36.6 degrees centigrade( (ignore the TSH test if you have it, its most often wrong it seems). Sort your thyroid out and then see if your blood improves.

      Good luck

      • Hello gug and everyone, is it possible to be iodine deficient even if I live by the sea and eat lots of tuna and eggs?
        Two months ago I started seeing hair loss, then pains and aches in the abdomen and lower back, I’d feel dizzy while working out (which I didn’t before), swollen ad dry lip, very tired, no concentration and overall feeling sickly, and now I take my temp and it’s usually around 36.6 – 36.7 Celsius, even in the morning. A couple of times it was lower, closer to 36. It is scaring me.

        I do have my strong suspicions about hypo. I’m going to have a blood test just in case, but I was thinking of starting supplementation with iodine and selenium just to see if it would help. Like gug mentions, I’d do it very gradually and I’d start selenium first.

        I went to a pharmacy yesterday looking for iodine and they looked at me like I was crazy. They didn’t even have it and said they’d have to order it; that living by the sea, there’s no iodine deficiency. Is this always true?

        • DO NOT TAKE ANY IODINE! DO NOT TAKE ANY SELENIUM! You first need to find out if you are hypothyroid and then if it is autoimmune type of hypothyroid. Get a comprehensive thyroid blood test and make sure they include the lab tests for antibodies to TPO and thryoglobulin. If you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimotos) and you take iodine (with or without selenium), you will likely make yourself much worse! I know, I’ve been there. Since you already have a diet high in iodine (like I did) you may find that reducing your intake of high iodine foods will help if you have Hashimoto’s. However, if you have Hashimoto’s, you will need a complete food and lifestyle change to get yourself into remission. Drugs won’t work. All of this assumes you get the proper diagnosis. You do sound like you have the classic symptoms of Hashimotos. If you have regular hypothyroid disease, get your selenium and iodine levels checked before supplementing. There are lots of free resources online to explain the natural ways to beat Hashimoto’s or regular hypothyroid disease, but be cautious. You have to heal your gut first and that usually means the complete elimination of gluten and dairy, usually a permanent change in lifestyle. It’s worth it because it works if you are dilligent – you’ll see results within weeks. Please look at Dr. Tom O’Brien online and read his materials as a start. Good luck!

          • I second this. Get thee to an endocrinologist and get tested! If you have thyroid autoimmunity, taking iodine could put you in a world of pain. I know because a doctor overdosed me with iodine.

          • Hi Linda,
            Do you have any thoughts/resources on what to do if you have Hashimotos and want to get pregnant? Every medical provider I’ve met with wants me on prenatal iodine supplementation even though iodine makes me feel terrible. I did a urine iodine spot test and I’m low normal. I’ve also tried selenium supplementation (serum plasma also low normal) and it makes me feel terrible too. Strangely, if I just don’t do anything (I’ve been paleo since diagnosis) I feel pretty fine.

        • Also, be sure to get your body checked for heavy metals. If you eat a lot of tuna, as you mentioned, you probably have an excess of mercury in your body. That can cause serious health consequences, as well as be a trigger for thyroid disease.

          • Thank you, Linda, I appreciate your thorough replies. I will do blood work and yes, I’ve worried about mercury in the tuna I eat everyday for a long time. Maybe they can check for it in the blood work as well.
            Two side notes:
            1- Yesterday, I had to stop my workout because I felt dizzy and cold. Came home, and my temp had gone down further, this time to 35.77 which is the lowest I’ve recorded. So now, my body temp is actually lower with exercise when it should be higher.

            2- Two nights ago, my temp was low (around 36.1 Celsius) and I felt cold. It just happened I had peanut appetizers near and I started eating quite a bit of it. Once a week I do this for the healthy fats in the peanuts even though I’m not crazy about the salt in it. One hour later, I felt warmer and my temp was now 36.6. I’ll try to repeat the experiment tonight, but maybe the iodine in the salt helped.

  9. I cannot get a straight answer out of my Dr. I appear to have just a smidgeon of too much thyroid in my body. I’m Hosimoto’s as well. She said I’d have this fatigue all the time that I have cuz I have too much thyroid? I have the symptoms of not enough thyroid from what I remember how I felt when it first crashed. Weight gain, hair thinning fatigue; so do I have too much or not enough? Another question my Multi-Vitamin has 300mcg’s Iodine from Kelp. Could this be the reason for the fatigue is the Iodine taxing my thyroid. To me to have too much and have these symptoms like when I had not enough is a bit contradicting??? Help!
    Thanks

    • Find a doctor that will explain things to you properly. Do not try and treat this yourself. I did that. I had all the classic symptoms of an overactive thyroid and began taking iodine. Turned out I had hashimotos. And the iodine did more harm than good. Now I am fighting thyroid cancer. I wish more than anything that I had stopped trying to treat myself with WebMD and the likes, and simply trusted the medical professionals.

      • Plz detail your iodine experience. I have hashimotos andnnothing else i’ve done has lowered my off the charts antibodies. Many people are telling me to read Brownstein’s book and follow carefully. They said it is the people who do not follow carefully who do more harm. What are your thoughts? Did you do selenium, etc?

      • My sister had her removed.she’s felt alot better.I wish u the best and hope goes well.keep strong

    • Canot see how you can be under and active at the same time. Would love to know which multi vitamin you take as it is unusual that one contains so much iodine. Many only have 100 a day which is the normal basic daily requirement though most of us get some from our food.

  10. About 6 months ago my doctor put me on iodine and Naturethroid because i had low t3 levels. I had IBS-c for about two years prior. This started a HORRIBLE downward spiral of weight gain, insulin resistance and a complete emotional rollercoaster. I gained 20 pounds that I CANNOT loose. I have all the signs of estrogen dominance. It seems to have triggered Hashimotos. I has IBS and now I have Hashimotos, IBS, insomnia, irritability, mood swings, no appetite, super slow metabolism. I have never been more frusterated!!! USE IODINE WITH CAUTION. Does anyone have any stories like mine- how did you recover, I’m dying to know. Thank you!

    • Hi Mandy,
      Are you sure it’s not the naturethroid causing your terrible new symptoms? I had a similar reaction when I was put on armour. Some people’s bodies cannot handle natural thyroid even though they need the t3 and it seems like such a superior choice to synthetic! I’m doing much better (and the weight peeled off) on tyrocint and cytomel. Good luck!!

      • Abigail Reddel Please help I started on Naturethyoid and now have low IODINE…does this correct the thyroid? I am so confused!

        Please help!

        • I remember dr brownstein stating that thyroid medication will lower iodine levels in the body. That is why synthroid long term has been linked to increased breast cancer risk. He suggests taking iodine at the sam time, though obviously that needs to be done carefully and with a doctor

      • And your basis for that is what? Personal experience? A scientific study? Because you are celiac (which really is the only reason for avoiding gluten)

        • i beg to differ, sir. since avoiding gluten – i am hypothyroid with hashi’s, recently diagnosed with a small ulcer, and at the end of perimenopause, NOT celiac – i have decreased hot flushing, anxiety, blood pressure, palpitations, have leveled thyroid numbers and have lost 35 pounds. blood pressure, palpitations and constipation issues are also helped by increasing magnesium. anyone with hypothyroidism and women in peri/menopause should most certainly cut WAY back on gluten and sugar.

          • Gluten has a very similar structure to thyroid tissue, hence the recommendation to avoid gluten if you have autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s).

        • Most things that have gluten in them arent exactly good for you…bread..pasta…so with or without thyroid problems most people would not lose much except some weight maybe ..but nutritionally you not gaining much.

          • Any change in dietary balance should be considered… as it happens, wheat is where Americans get a large percentage of their selenium from – something that is essential for thyroid health.

            The real problem may not be the gluten itself, but the way the wheat is grown – eg glyfosate used just before harvest. It is also true that our microbiome helps us enormously in digesting gluten – and as we know digestive health of the general population seems to be in a pretty terrible state.

    • You might want to consider looking into LDN, low dose naltrexone, for your autoimmune diseases. Chris has an article on this. Try google. Also Suzy Cohen has a good article on it too. Best of luck.

      • Low dose naltrexone saved my life. Great cure for fibromyalgia and other autoimmune diseases.

    • Get a jucier and do staite jucing (not a blender)for at least 30 days. I had all your sympyoms and the some, juicing gave me my life back. Watch “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. Juice a combination of as many color and kinds of fruits & veggies together. I did 2 applescored, 3 carrots, pint of strawberries large hanful of grapes 1/2 lemon with peal on, 1 sweet potato, 3 stalks celery 1 small red beet, 4-5 snalll Tomatoes. Ths gives you a very tasty juice with wide varity of nutrients & vitimans in a very concentrated form. The first 3 days are hard as your body rids itself of waste but by day 5-7 you should notice you have energy by day 10 you will be surprised how much better you feel. Email me for other great tips- [email protected]

    • Just to add to the last comment: it could be the naturethroid. It is possible to have antibodies against the hormones themselves, so in this case adding more hormones may have made things flare up. I think it is unlikely to have caused hashimotos, but it may well have made it progress from previously unnoticeable to symptomatic. Fairly sure i had silent hashimotos for a while before it got symptomatic – everybody has some antibody level. Iodine also has a role to play as it increases the tsh, which increases the h2o2 – and if there isn’t sufficient iodinated lipids or glutathione / selenium this will also cause excessive oxidative damage, which increases the antibodies. It seems that people who react in this way do better on a mix of synthetic t3/t4 only until tsh and antibodies are back down low. Then you could reconsider iodine as long as all the companion nutrients like mag / vit c / b2 / b3 / selenium are in place. There are so many things to consider – and its a shame there aren’t more docs looking into the details of all this…especially because its hard to research when dealing with all of this…but keep digging for answers and i hope you get well.

    • Are you still struggling? I have been struggling on synthetic thyroxine and natural ones and like you say it is emotionally a roller coaster. I now have symptoms of underactive thyroid I dindt have before! Yet am taking the medicine religiously and having the regular blood tests. I am worse than I was before. It is a struggle to get through the day just doing normal thngs like being with people or clearing up at home. How are you now?

  11. Developed Graves disease in 1981. My thyroid was irradiated and I have since been on levothyroxine 112mcg periodically adjusted based on TSH levels. My question: how does the body utilize iodine without adequate thyroid function? Is this critical to the body? Can it result in other symptoms.? I have pernicious anemia due to a lack of intrinsic factors to absorb B12; iron deficiency; lactose intolerance; low HGB, hematocrit and platelets. Can these symptoms be attributed in any way to low stores of iodine? One article without adequate references attributed all of these symptoms to lack of iodine. Skeptical! Thanks.

  12. I understand the iodine issue much better. The Japanese man had probably been consuming soy on his Japanese diet and the soy isoflavones from fermented or as in regular soy items block the activity of TPO which helps on the super high iodine diet to prevent over-production of thyroid hormones. This is similar to the actions of selenium which can also create reverse T3 to oppose over production of active T3 and limit production of too much thyroid hormone in the case of iodine loading. The Wolf-chaikoff effect also works to greatly reduce TSH stimulation in cases of iodine loading. Finally the symporter will limit sodium ion pickup (1:1, Na+:I- instead of 2:1) to lower electrical/chemical potential so less iodine can enter the thyroid in the case of iodine loading. The doctor in this web presentation is incorrect proposing that NIS occur in non-lactating breast tissue. In cancerous breast tissue there is an significant (80%) up-regulation of NIS because NIS can cause the up-regulation of I- in non-thyroid tissues so that aromatase inhibition effects can occur to limit estrogen production in the breast to slow the cancer. I’ve been studying the AHR transcription factor and it’s interaction with kynurenine ( a metabolite of tryptophan). When AHR binds to kynurenine it causes the production of T-reg cells expressing CD4+CD25+FoxP3 which is a suppressor of auto-immune response. In the absence of kynurenine the generation of T-regs goes a different way producing Tregs (TH-1 17) expressing IL-17 which induces (especially in the presence of TNF-alpha and IL-6) self intolerance.
    I would prefer if you would offer me a 24 hour urinary iodine loading test since my goiter is a symptom of too little iodine ( and probably also kidney malfunction which is associated with thyroid issues from my research and also can result in goiter.) I am not interested in a serum Iodine test but need to know how much iodine my thyroid is lacking from whatever cause. I do eat a lot of mushrooms which are high in selenium so have been carefully increasing my intake of Zinc remembering to include copper.
    I had gone back to my 5-HTP but haven’t yet researched whether it will metabolize to kynurenine. Ideally I will find an herb that will offer some blockade of IL-17 but not so much that I predispose myself to cancer. I did overcome my osteoarthritis using cytokine blocking herbs so we will see. Thank you for reading my long message. Hope you found it as interesting as I did researching. I love bio-chemical research! Alice

    • Wow you are so knowledgeable, I really respect how much effort and patience and time you invest. I have started to invest time in understanding and learning too, knowledge is power. You cannot trust the doctors, they often make mistakes or do not look at the whole picture.

  13. http://optimox.com/pics/Iodine/IOD-08/IOD_08.htm (the Iodine Project)
    I have been reading articles on this site and find the information interesting especially as lab testing was employed in their evaluations and the article was written by a doctor (MD). I am interested in using Iodine for my hypothyroidism. Interesting comment about the Japanese man who became hypothyroid on an American diet after being euthyroid on a Japanese high seaweed diet. I have read some negative comments regarding seaweed as being associated with papillary carcinoma of the thyroid but since the dose is often the poison it may be a case of too much too often. The seaweed article mentioned 2x/week max. I’d appreciate your input and am aware as noted here that increased dietary or other iodine can affect one’s need for thyroxine.

  14. I am on 176 ugm selenium and 80 ugm iodine and I developed elevated TSH. SHOULD I STOP THE SUPPLEMENT?

  15. I am uncomfortable asking this ……
    however i am fighting hard to feel better. My husband is a chemist. We develop natural medicine and pharmaceuticals. He told me it would me help me to not develop cancer and introduced high levels of Iodine/ Potassium Iodide in my supplements. Iodoral 12.5 per capsule.
    He knew I had hypo thyroid he actually diagnosed me with a doctors confirmation.
    I had been fine never noticed a problem or effects from my thyroid.. For approx. 2? years maybe a year and a half ?
    He kept increasing the dose and told me to take it with my Thyroid med. that would help it work better. Eventually I was up to 3 pills a day at 12.5 per cap.. I was unable to eat the pain in my stomach is unlike anything I have ever felt. I began to become very dark and even confused, I have an a very good memory.
    I could not even remember my phone number… I was constantly crying, the pain was increasing . I lost approx. 15 lbs.
    I am already thin enough. Someone asked me if he was giving me anything? He told me this was something I should always take. I had just forgotten. My level of Iodine was a little above 16,000.
    My Thyroid shut down , so did my estrogen and progesterone.
    i stooped taking it in mid January…. The pain began to ease up a bit. However I got news that was stressful we are in court going through a divorce . He gave this to me after I filed. The closer I get to our court date…. I seem to be getting worse again. Is it just the stress? Do you think it was by mistake?
    I can’t imagine anyone wanting to get me this sick…. my mind is clearing and the darkness is subsiding. I am normally a very happy person. No depression issues, and lots of positive energy. I feel as if it was intentional? 3 doctors said there is NO way he could not have known not to give me this? He has a rage-filled temper and has said things to me that are threatening, but I would never think of this?
    I took it myself because i always trusted his advice . I have seen him do many good things in healing for me and others. Over the past 20 years. However he saw me getting weaker and never stopped me .
    I feel like I have poison in my system. They said it could take 6 months to a year to leave my body . Is there anything I can do To heal faster and handle stress? The stomach aches are increasing again. Feeling embarrassed….

    • Dear Q.,

      This is a non-medical answer to your post, I’ll leave that up to the pros. This is a female answer! We trust far too easily when we want to be loved. After you get help for your poisoning, the most important thing you can do is learn to trust your own instincts again. When you do, you’ll be able to decide what’s good for you, and will be able to choose a man who truly loves you, if that’s what you want. After being in a relationship like that (with a control freak), it took me a long time to learn to trust myself again, or even to find out what I actually wanted. Now that I have, I know I would never let anything like that happen to me again. I wish you the best of luck, and don’t be too embarrassed to reach out to the women around you, there are more who’ve had those kinds of experiences than you probably think.

    • You can’t just simply take large doses of iodine in conjunction with medication. I have done a considerable amount of research on this issue. Dr. Sherri Tenpenny and Dr. Brownstein have very informative videos on Youtube, I recommend you watch those.

      In the meantime, please read through the protocols listed on the link below. If you wish to continue taking Iodine, it is imperative that you also supplement with vitamin C, selenium, etc.

      Yes, stress can do a number on you, so best of luck with your court proceedings!

      https://attachment.fbsbx.com/file_download.php?id=528203450651736&eid=AStB3_jE2rGOJjG-W73DcJmuEDBaeAZ4zJFy_pOrI_VQ2ndz0VfuFcZkOfIOFiLych4&inline=1&ext=1429121066&hash=AStJ7LGDiffLkPw8

    • Dear Q,

      You don’t need a medical answer. You need to talk to your attorney and the police!

      Get help!

      • My user name was Q.
        Thank You to all of you who listened and warned me about Iodine poisoning. The darkness and most of the pain is controlled. My Iodine level is now too low? interesting….
        My Thyroid is not working or extremly low now. The damage created was hopefully repairable.
        Now he wants to stop my heath Insurance! …. As I sit hear I’m not sure who to go for help to first?
        I ingested the Iodine innocently. I’m concerned. My computer is tapped, so is my phone. I just need the police to see.
        Everytime I get help or protect myself he does something worse.
        When I say tapped He’s removed the evidiedence of our Company. I’ll remind you he’s a chemist. However we own the companies he’s hiding behind. A pharmaceutical company. The judge caught him his answers were not making sense. He said to him “YOU JUST REMEMBED ” you have a pharmaceutical company? Really?

        He’s hired a criminal Attorney. He’s begged me to stay married ? I filed contempt of court. Which enraged him!!
        Do All I can to help myself . Also protectet my civil rights.
        Headed back to court in Dec. 2015 where do I begin?
        Tired….. Concerned , He doesn’t have to speak. His attorney notified me Crimalals have rigfts, More than I do. He plead the 5th . Not guilty He claims he’s broke! …..
        He manages to hire his attorneys?
        No time to loose…. Please get well all of you !! Thank You so much for being here for me. I only had you to talk to.
        I appreciate your thoughts Ideas And help. I have done them all.
        He had the nerve to put down * Chris Kissler! ..?
        So if he’s the things people have mentioned . *Narsacisis,
        And Sociopaths…. They’re perfect apparently? He watched me on the floor? I was yellow, I couldn’t walk.
        He just said you look great. Maybe you need to increase the dose?
        Good Bye for now.Q
        PS Spelling is not great, sorry . I’m also a little tired.
        Prayers to all of yo!!! xo Q

    • File a police report. Speak to the DA’s office. Sounds like he was poisoning you intentionally. At the very LEAST get treatment from a professional & get an order of protection against your ex

    • Sounds like he is trying to kill you. Stop consuming what he gives you, have it analyzed, and call the police.

    • There are many people taking MUCH MORE Iodoral per day than 3 x 12.5mg, along with 200mcg of Selenium and other companion nutrients, with only positive results. See the website Iodineresearch.com or hear talks posted to youtube by Dr. Jorge Flechas or Dr. David Brownstein who use more than this in their medical practices. Dr. Flechas’ talk on Whole Body Iodine Sufficiency explains why you need more than 150mcg a day of iodine.

      • Most people on thyroid medication, however, are urged to work with their MD or ND on adjusting the dosage downward as needed when they start adding iodine/iodide. Most MDs are not very iodine literate and it is difficult to find one who has experience in this issue.

      • Charla please be aware that 150 mcg is SMALLER than 12.5 mg. Do NOT take 150 mg of iodine! Everyone needs to get acquainted with units of measurement or people will make themselves very ill.

    • Try activated charcoal, about 1 tsp in water each morning on an empty stomach with a lot of water throughout the day..

      Also be sure to add selenium later at lunch to help balance the iodine.

      Good luck!

    • Q, I would like to know if you have gotten better yet. have you found a good integrative medical doctor to diagnose you? I went through a great deal of stress when going through a divorce and developed Hasimotos disease. I am functioning fine now but I have a good integrative medicine doctor.

    • I don’t think you were taking Iodoral. Iodoral is not a capsule, it’s a tablet. Always has been. It’s never been in capsule form.

    • High dose iodine together with synthroid is not an unusual combination. Also, a worsening is often blamed on bromine detox – so it is possible he thought he was doing the right thing for your health. However, any iodine supplementation needs to be done carefully together with other nutrients and regular testing to avoid negative reactions.

      Usually, it is said that any excess iodine is excreted in the urine – but if you had flare ups which cause metabolic damage whilst on high iodine,this could potentially make you feel pretty bad for a while.

      Stress is also a huge issue, and not to be underestimated.

    • I make my own distlled water and drink a lot of smoothies and juices I make myself. Why not flush it out the system quicker? Also make sure you eat a health diet, no alcohol, smoking, sugar, salt etc.

    • Wow
      ,,,,Sounds like the chemist had other plans for you. Hope you are well now and feeling safe and sound.

  16. I read a lot about iodine/iodide supplementation. However, I have found anything so far mentioning the sodium part of the issue. The Na+I- symporter apparently requires 2 sodium, not sodium chloride associated since chloride is a competing halide, to do its part in making the T4, T3 hormones. Perhaps this is a key to part of the problem, depending on sodium chloride, or potassium, which counter-acts sodium, as in potassium iodide for sources of iodine/iodide. It seems to me that a better source of Na+ would be baking soda, sodium bicarbonate. Reading that thyroid issues can cause kidney issues and visa versa I have just recently started drinking a pinch of baking soda in water on an empty stomach since empty stomachs don’t produce acid nor produce acid in response to drinking water.
    I am thinking that I will move this procedure to near the time I take my T4 andT3. I have already experienced a great increase in energy and a chronic mild backache (kidneys?) disappeared and my urinary output not clear but yellow( hurt kidneys can’t concentrate urine.) I’ll let everyone know how my next tests come out regarding my Hashimoto’s.

  17. I recently had a thyroid panel done and everything was normal except my Thyroglobulin was slightly elevated at 60ng. I have come across several articles that state Tg modestly elevated, can be a sensitive marker for iodine definciency? But you and most other functional practitioners want the loading test (which is more money and a bit of a pain). I had wondered if you find the Tg a good marker for Iodine deficiency?

    • I have been listening to some natural health podcasts on the web where the doctor’s interviewed have stated that most people are thyroid deficient even on Levothyroxine. The test that M.D.’s do only measure T4 and the test result usually comes back “normal.” So when people go back to the M.D.’s and complain of the same symptoms as thyroid deficiency the M.D.’s say they are depressed and put them on Prozac. I also am reading a book by Suzy Cohn, a functional medicine practitioner, “Thyroid Healthy,” and she states the same thing. She said an older person on the natural remedies for thyroid can have an elevated TSH level and that is perfection ok. No need to take hormones, if this happens she said. Just a thought. I’m on Iodoral and I feel so much better. I got off the Levothyroxine against my M.D.’s recommendation. I am seeing a naturapath doctor who is helping me with my thyroid.

  18. My thyroid is atrophied and so I rely solely on Synthroid to supply my T4. Will iodine help me regardless?

  19. The problem is Potassium iodide (which is in salt). Your body needs a mix of Iodine and Iodide.

    Add Iodine/Iodide with selenium and I think probably most people’s problems will go away.

    Your skin, intestine, breasts, saliva glands, ovary, pancreas, brain all NEED Iodine and the RDI is a total joke!

    • Greg, are you suggesting all salt?

      What about a clean pink salt or sea salt? It has iodide but not iodine though I believe.

      Also, is it more safe to simply get iodine/selenium naturally from foods for one that has hashimotos

      My functional medicine doctor is very much against “supplemental” iodine but doesn’t have an issue with it coming from food.

      But says it’s not good to take selenium long term?

      I’m going to show him these articles as well.