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Iodine - What's the big deal?

“Supplementing with high dose iodine may be the safest, simplest, most effective, and least expensive way to solve the healthcare crisis crippling our nation.”

– Dr. Guy Abraham, M.D.

(Endocrinologist, Author, Dedicated researcher of the benefits of iodine supplementation)

This “medicine” has been around for well over a century

“When I was a medical student, iodine in the form of potassium iodide was the universal medicine. Nobody knew what it did, but it did something and it did something good”

– Nobel Laureate Albert Szent Gyorgyi M.D.

(Discovered vitamin C in 1928)

. . . Remembered by medical students with the following phrase (where K and I refers to potassium iodide):

“If ye don’t know where, what, and why, prescribe ye then K and I”

Iodine is possibly the best solution to prevent cancer of the breast, uterus, ovaries, endometrium, prostate and other organs having high iodine presence.   However,  people who supplement also report needing less thyroid medication, weight loss, and improved energy, mood and mental clarity.

Stadel B, Dietary iodine and risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer, The Lancet, 1976

CHART of Iodine Health Benefits

Iodine deficiency is common, due to several dietary and environmental factors in our changing world

However, the major culprit is our current high-level exposure to iodine’s halide antagonists chlorine, fluorine and bromine.

Iodine deficiency – Common and affects more than just thyroid

Goitrogens vs. Iodine

How to supplement iodine

Food / Supplement sources of iodine

Iodine at work in the body

Government RDAs for iodine are sufficient to ensure thyroid function, but do not recognize the body’s many important extrathyroidal need

Iodine is present and essential in EVERY organ and tissue of the human body,  not just the thyroid gland.   The thyroid is an organ unique to vertebrates, that combines iodine with the amino acid tyrosine to make the important thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), critical for cellular metabolism rate and protein synthesis and growth. Unfortunately, more recent attentionhas focused only on iodine’s benefit for thyroid disorders, but its historical use as a panacea against other ailments has been neglected (using higher iodine supplementation levels than are needed to deal with just thyroid problems).

Iodine is useful in the following roles:

Thyroid hormone productionAnti-cancer
Trace NutrientAntioxidant (iodide)
StimulantNatural Antimicrobial (elemental form)
ExpectorantReverses fibrocystic breasts
Increases secretions (opens ducts)Important for hormone production
Shrinks ovarian and thyroid cysts

Iodine at work in the body

Different tissues concentrate different forms of iodine

OrganPrimary form of
Iodine concentrated
Thyroid gland, skinIodIDE
Breasts, ProstateIodINE
Kidneys, spleen, liver, salivary glands,
blood, intestines
Both

Drs. Abraham and Brown have experienced better results from iodine supplementation by using a combination of both iodine and iodide

My clinical experience has proven, beyond a doubt, that 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)”.

– David Brownstein, MD

From his book, “Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It”

3 forms of iodine

Iodine absorption / metabolism in the body

Consumed Iodide ions (Iare easily absorbed through the walls of the digestive tract in the stomach and small intestine duodenum and on into the blood and plasma.

Supplemental elemental iodine (I2also finds its way into the blood and plasma (in rat studies).    That is, provided the oral  dosages are high enough. This is inconsistent with the commonly held view that iodine (I2is reduced to iodide (Ibefore it is absorbed systemically from the gastrointestinal tract.

Thrall KD, Bull RJ, Differences in the distribution of iodine and iodide in the Sprague-Dawley rat. Fundam Appl Toxicol. 1990 Jul;15(1):75-81 PubMed

Thrall KD, Bull RJ, Sauer RL,  Distribution of iodine into blood components of the Sprague-Dawley rat differs with the chemical form administered. J.Toxicology enviro.Hea;th, 1992 Nov. 37(3) 443-9  PubMed

 Iodine is transported in the blood as Iodide ions (I (its ionized form)

 Iodine is transported in serum proteins and lipids as elemental iodine (I)

We do not conserve iodine long-term and so it must be obtained regularly via diet or supplementation.     With an iodine deficiency, the body conserves iodine for a while, but if the inadequacy continues, thyroid hormone is slowly depleted.

Iodine and pregnancy

Iodine is the only compound of significance during early pregnancy which can pass rapidly through all tissues of the fetus without the aid of any blood vessel or lymphatic transport.    It could be that not only does iodine control natural cell death (apoptosis) in the fetus but may also influence stem cell development.

Chronic low-level inflammation

Electrotherapy
- The Medical kit of the future

Benefits:

  • Detoxification
  • Boost immune system / cellular energy
  • Anti-inflammatory / Pain-relief
  • Insomnia / Reduce stress
  • Accelerates healing of tissue, bone, muscles, scars
  • Improve circulation +++

Successful electrotherapies:

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy Near Infrared (NIR) class 4 laser therapy
Rife therapy
Ozone therapy

Iodine-related

What are the symptoms of iodine deficiency?

What are the symptoms of iodine deficiency?

There are some common signs to look out for to determine if you need more iodine for thyroid hormone production and iodine's other important functions in the body...
Iodine at work in the body

Iodine at work in the body

Dr. Abraham's studies indicate that given a sufficient amount the body will retain 1.5 g of iodine, with only 3% of that amount in the thyroid gland, and the rest concentrated and at work in extra-thyroidal tissues...
Chart of iodine’s health benefits

Chart of iodine’s health benefits

The health benefits of having a sufficiency of iodine in our bodies goes much further than just satisfying thyroid hormone production...
Iodine against thyroid disorders

Iodine against thyroid disorders

Iodine has been used for >100 years against hypo- and hyper-thyroidism...
Iodine against cancer

Iodine against cancer

Iodine sufficiency may be the most important preventive measure against cancer of organs normally having a high iodine presence...
Iodine against cysts

Iodine against cysts

Iodine works against fibrocystic breasts, PCOS and ovarian, thyroid and skin cysts...
Iodine against cardiovascular disease (CVD)

Iodine against cardiovascular disease (CVD)

Iodine treatment can reverse high levels of lipoprotein (a) - the actual culprit of CVD, normalizing serum cholesterol levels and blood pressure...
Reports of breast cancer treated with iodine

Reports of breast cancer treated with iodine

Article by Jeffrey Dach, MD reports many successful breast cancer cases treated with iodine supplementation...
How to supplement iodine

How to supplement iodine

High level iodine supplementation may be the safest, simplest, most effective and least expensive way to solve the healthcare crisis currently crippling our nation...
Food / Supplement sources of iodine

Food / Supplement sources of iodine

The body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones (in addition to other important functions).  Iodine must come from dietary sources (microgram range) or iodine supplements (milligram range)...
How to use Lugol’s solution / Iodoral

How to use Lugol’s solution / Iodoral

Lugol's solution / Iodoral® dosage chart for various health problems...
Nutritional support for iodine supplementation / thyroid hormones

Nutritional support for iodine supplementation / thyroid hormones

Iodine supplementation and thyroid hormone production require certain support nutrients to be effective...
Iodine – What’s the big deal?

Iodine – What’s the big deal?

Iodine is possibly the best solution for thyroid disorders AND to prevent cancer of the breast, uterus, ovaries, endometrium, prostate and other organs having high iodine presence...
Side-effects of iodine supplementation

Side-effects of iodine supplementation

Iodine supplementation side-effects to look out for...
Iodine – 3 forms of iodine

Iodine – 3 forms of iodine

There are 3 main forms of iodine - iodine, Iodide and Triiodine (the form in Lugols solution)...
Iodine against microbes<span class="hdg-smaller"> – Blood cleanser / disinfectant / antiseptic</span>

Iodine against microbes – Blood cleanser / disinfectant / antiseptic

Iodine (not iodide) mildly disinfects blood as it travels through thyroid and is used to disinfectant drinking water - and even swimming pools!...
Goitrogens vs. Iodine

Goitrogens vs. Iodine

Goitrogens (bromine, chlorine, fluoride) are chemicals that interfere with the body's uptake and utilization of iodine. In the thyroid, goitrogens slow down production of the thyroid's "master metabolism" hormones (T3 and T4)...
Nebulizing iodine clears lung infections

Nebulizing iodine clears lung infections

Nebulizing iodine is a powerful therapy to rapidly clear the lungs of infections...
Iodine deficiency is common – Why is that?

Iodine deficiency is common – Why is that?

A decreased dietary intake of iodine coupled with an increased intake of competing substances (called goitrogens) has created an epidemic iodine deficiency in America. This is affecting much more than just our thyroid function...
Thyroid Hormones T3 / T4 – “Master Metabolism Hormones”

Thyroid Hormones T3 / T4 – “Master Metabolism Hormones”

Thyronine (T4) is the storage form of thyroid hormone, the active form triiodothyronine (T3) has 3 primary functions...