Food Study: Iodine

KimS · 09-20-2006, 10:34 AM

http://www.iodinesource.com/ThyroidGland.asp#Iodine

It's a great site so be sure to go and read more. Here are my usual teasers

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Quote:

"...After birth, the thyroid starts putting out a fairly constant supply of thyroid hormone for the rest of the human's life. The reserve of the thyroid gland to stress and its ability to respond appear related to adequate iodine intake before the age of puberty, which is the first real test of the thyroid's reserve abilities. Stress on the thyroid can be detected and the size of the thyroid gland measured accurately by ultrasound. The thyroid enlargement from physiological stress found in areas of borderline low iodine intake, occur during adolescence, pregnancies and menopause. These enlargements are good indicators of borderline iodine supplementation indicating a degree of iodine deficiency, but at the same time this illustrates the increased needs for thyroid hormone during period of physiological stress during life..."

Boosting your body supply:

Quote:

"...In the 1960s it was established that if the daily dose of iodine was increased to over 2-3 mgs of iodine per day, within two weeks, the thyroid became saturated and no longer took up iodine in significant amounts. So a normal person who raised their daily dose of iodine above, say 3 mgs, within two weeks their thyroid was almost completely stop taking up iodine as it became saturated, but more important to the body, all of the dietary iodine now went to perform other body functions...."

Geographical areas of concern:

Quote:

"...The average iodine intake of a normal adult on an ordinary diet in a non-goiter region is about 0.03 milligrams, a day. This tiny amount is only about one-seventh of what is needed for daily thyroid hormone production, but the body practices great economy and re-uses much of its iodine store repeatedly in producing hormone secretions. In goiter regions, not even the 0.03 milligram per day is available in the food and water. Goiter regions are to be found all over the world. No continent is free of them. Generally they are the mountainous and inland areas of the globe. A high incidence of goiter is found in the Himalayas in Asia, in the regions of the Alps and the Carpathian and Pyrenees mountains in Europe, and in the high plateaus of the Andes in South America. In North America, the goiter zone is the Great Lakes basin and the area of the St. Lawrence River, extending westward through Minnesota, the Dakotas, and the neighboring Canadian territory as far as the northwest and including Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. This great belt extends an arm southward in the rocky Mountain area and another in the Appalachian area..."

Leslieand · 09-20-2006, 12:06 PM

Thanks for the post. I'll be checking out my supplement amount today. Do you think those of use who cook from scratch may be getting even less iodine?

orthomolecular · 09-20-2006, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leslieand

Thanks for the post. I'll be checking out my supplement amount today. Do you think those of use who cook from scratch may be getting even less iodine?

If you are really concerned about being low on iodine you can test this yourself. You get some liquid iodine in the drug store. This stuff is what they put on your arm when you give blood to kill the germs. It makes your skin look juandiced or yellow looking.

You apply a 2 inch square of this liquid iodine to your skin and leave it there for 24 hours. (Obviously you really shouldn't shower that area.) If that iodine is absorbed within 24 hours then your body needs more iodine. You can supplement with that stuff if you want.

But eating seafood is a good source. Also sea vegetables like kelp are great too; these are very high in lots of minerals.

But using kosher or sea salt can make some low in iodine if they were basically using the iodized salt before.

KimS · 09-20-2006, 02:19 PM

I do think that those of us who cook from scratch can be at risk. Unless you use a lot of seaweed in your recipes.

As for the 'fading' of the iodine on the skin, there are mixed reviews as to whether that has any truth to it or not.

I supplement as ortho said though, by just basting some 5% somewhere on my skin. It ALWAYS is gone in about an hour or two... I don't think I'm all that short on it... so it kind of leaves me on the "don't use that technique to tell what your levels are" side. I'd be happy if it was proven otherwise though as it really would make my decision to boost my baste a lot easier. I usually put it on an ankle or the tender part of the children's arms just because it gets covered with sleeves or pants.

I do know that some people mix it with water and 'mist' themselves everyday. I just give us each a quick baste a couple of times a week. I'm considering upping my dose though.

JudyLV · 09-20-2006, 06:41 PM

I used to backpack and camp a lot. When we needed more water than we could carry we would collect a bottle of it from a stream and purify it with a drop of iodine. I always wondered if that extra iodine could have not been so good for me (I have hypothyroidism). But I feel better after reading some of the link. It is a good site. Thanks Kim.

My son went on an extended trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe area this summer. He said they drank water from the lakes. I asked how they purified it and he said "with iodine". I feel better about that now.

--Judy

KimS · 10-13-2006, 09:52 PM

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s1497255.htm

This is a good story.

Quote:

...Narration: Iodine deficiency has re-emerged as a problem in Australia, since the late 1990s. Before that, the dairy industry used iodine to clean milking equipment. We got enough iodine from what's called positive contamination: traces of iodine in our milk. But the iodine has recently been replaced by chlorine.

So Cres and Mu have been trying to find out the extent of the problem in Australia. They have tested thousands of school children, revealing that a staggering 50% suffer from some degree of iodine deficiency.

They do urinary iodine tests...

KimS · 10-13-2006, 10:08 PM

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/487224

Inadequate Iodine Intake Linked to Low Intelligence Quotient

Quote:

Studies on iodine supplementation in children ages six to eight years and five to 12 years have shown conflicting results on benefit.

KimS · 10-15-2006, 01:30 PM

http://thyroid.about.com/library/derry/bl2a.htm

Quote:

Nyiri and Jannetti also mentioned iodine applied on the skin can be used to shrink swelling of the thyroid gland (goiters). So even small amounts of iodine absorbed through the skin can have good effects on body organs. From my own clinical experience, repeated application of iodine (Lugol’s) to the skin appears to cause regeneration of the skin from the bottom up (Quiescent, stable or stem cell) (3) eventually sloughing the old version of the skin off like a snake molting. If there was a pre-cancerous lesion on the old skin, it is replaced with new skin minus the lesion. There does not seem to be any skin lesions which are not helped or cured by this procedure. In some cases I found clinically obvious low thyroid conditions also needed to be treated to be more effective. Minor lacerations and healing of surgical wounds respond well. If skin regeneration is from the bottom, then there is little or no scar formation.

Quote:

My parents’ generation tended to put tincture of iodine onto a fresh wound to prevent infection. This turns out to be helpful but not the best way to use it. Besides it stung badly when applied. It is much more effective (and doesn't hurt) to apply iodine repeatedly after a scab has been formed. The iodine put onto the scab helps to organize total repair of the tissue. It is implied a similar approach could be taken to burns of all depths but at the same time the physiology of burns suggest there is an acute lack of thyroid hormone. (3)

Quote:

Perhaps the most graphic lesions are the "keloid" (worm) incision scars formed after surgical procedures. If the iodine intake and tissue levels are adequate, such as in Japan, keloid formation doesn't happen (7). In addition, iodine's ability to trigger natural cell death (apoptosis) (5) makes it effective against all pre-cancerous skin lesions and likely many cancerous lesions. The local site is replaced with normal skin. However, even lesser doses of topical iodine seem to reverse the ominous appearance of skin lesions.

KimS · 10-15-2006, 01:48 PM

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-3-27/39770.html

Quote:

Iodized table salt (sodium chloride) is an ineffective dietary source of iodine, because the much greater amount of chloride in food-grade salt competes with the iodide for intestinal absorption.

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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.

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demonstrated to benefit thyroid disorders, including goiter, nodules, cysts and thyroid cancer. It has also helped persons with diabetes mellitus and other endocrine system imbalances; those with heavy metal and halide toxicity; persons with chronic fatigue syndrome; those suffering from ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder); fibromyalgia and other myopathic syndromes; fibrocystic breast disease and other mastopathies; ovarian cysts, including polycystic ovary syndrome; sebaceous cysts; Dupuytren's contractures; Peyronie's disease; keloidal scarring; parotid duct stones; acute, subacute and chronic infectious conditions; immune system dysregulation and deficiency syndromes; autoimmune disorders; neoplastic diseases, especially hormonally mediated cancers; cardiovascular dysfunction, such as arrhythmias and hypertension; obesity; protection from nuclear fallout, industrial pollution and reduction of oxidative stress.

Quote:

An iodine loading challenge test may be obtained from Vitamin Research Products at (800) 877-2447 to determine the degree of iodine deficiency (not available in New York or California).

Quote:

Patients may report increased energy, an enhanced sense of well-being, sought-after weight loss and improved bowel movements within the first three weeks of iodine supplementation.
Clinical iodism (acne, metallic taste in mouth, increased salivation, sneezing, frontal sinus pressure/pain), from alleged iodine overdosing, is infrequent, occurring in less than five percent of patients. The presence of known allergies to fish, shellfish, radioactive iodine or organic, iodinated compounds in x-ray contrast dyes, does not indicate that there is an allergy to inorganic, nonradioactive iodide/iodine. In fact, true allergy to inorganic, nonradioactive iodide/iodine is extremely rare, and if present, usually manifests as urticaria (hives), which is readily manageable.
Medical supervision is recommended for those desiring iodine supplementation.

KimS · 10-15-2006, 02:02 PM

http://www.lef.org/protocols/metabol...ulation_01.htm

Quote:

Selenium. Selenium is required for appropriate thyroid hormone synthesis, activation, and metabolism. Adequate selenium supports efficient thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism and protects the thyroid gland from damage caused by excessive exposure to iodide (Zimmerman MB 2002). Long-term selenium deficiency in experimental animal models led to thyroid cell death and scarring after high iodide loads (Kohrle J 1999). Selenium deficiency may seriously influence the generation of free radicals, the conversion of thyroxineT4 to T3, and the autoimmune process (Kohrle J 1999).

Quote:

Dietary Recommendations

Some foods contain goiterogenic substances that prevent the utilization of iodine. These foods include canola oil, Brassica vegetables (e.g., cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower), corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, lima beans, and pearl millet. The actual content of goitrogens in these foods is quite low, however, and cooking destroys it.
Hypothyroid patients should also avoid soy supplements (Bell DS et al 2001; Jabbar MA et al 2001).

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