Iodine Deficiency is a Health Crisis

In the book, The Iodine Crisis, I learned that in the 1940s, there was an outbreak of goiter in children in the Ohio Belt region of the US where there is little to no iodine in the soil. The FDA started supplementing the food supply nationwide with iodine, and goiter was eradicated in response to this epidemic. In the 1960s, when iodine was optimal, the risk for cancer was one in 20. Today it is one in eight and increasing one percent per year. In the 70s, iodine was removed from our food supply except for table salt and replaced with iodine-blocking bromides. Bromide can be found in a wide variety of food and products like furniture, carpet, flour, fire retardants, clothing, including baby sleepwear, pesticides, certain processed foods, soda, drugs, and personal care products.  Fluoridated water also depletes iodine absorption. (4) If our bodies require iodine and we're not getting it in the food we eat, then it would make sense that we're all in danger of suffering the side effects associated with iodine starvation.

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When I learned the thyroid requires iodine to function properly and realized I wasn't getting enough in my diet, e.g., my hypothyroidism diagnosis, I began supplementing and experienced immediate results. I started by rubbing 1% iodine tincture mixed with a carrier oil (a carrier oil is required to avoid skin irritation), the kind your mom put on your cuts when you skinned your knee, directly on my breasts because I had read "iodine has potent inhibitory effects on cell growth in both breast cancer and fibrocystic breast condition."(5) Within a few days of applying iodine directly to my breasts, my breast tissue became noticeably plump. I remember thinking, I had the breast tissue of a 20-something again! Second, I implemented oral iodine, a tablet called Iodoral. 

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I encourage you to buy the book, The Iodine Crisis, written by Lynne Farrow. It is not only a fascinating read, but she outlines the protocol one should follow to not only adequately absorb iodine but the companion nutrients required to enhance the therapeutic value of iodine. The author also outlines the importance of iodine loading where you take higher amounts until you reach optimal levels. Iodine loading requires testing (6).

 

Following is the iodine protocol I followed:

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Two weeks before implementing the iodine supplement, I started with salt loading. Salt loading primes your cells to absorb the iodine. Twice a day, I would add 1/4 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt to a 1/2 cup of warm water. I then drink 12-16 ounces of pure water. Salt loading is also used after you begin supplementing with iodine. It helps to minimize the detox effect experienced as flu-like symptoms.

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• Iodoral IOD 12.5 mg Iodine Tablets - take one daily

• Selenium 100 mcg per day - required for detoxification and for creating thyroid hormone

• Magnesium 400 mg per day - magnesium is critical for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body

• ATP Co-factors - 1 tablet, 2 times a day

• Vitamin D3 - 5,000 mg per day

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Vitamin C is also recommended. The following should not be taken at the time of the iodine but is a must to help purge cells full of halides, e.g., fluoride, bromine, and chloride. Vitamin C will interfere with iodine absorption, and why it should be taken a few hours before or after you consume iodine.

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• Vitamin C - 3,000 mg a day - I take whole food vitamin C powder, acerola, or Camu-Camu. Ascorbic vitamin C in this dosage can give you a loose bowel, so start slowly if you use ascorbic vitamin C. I would take no more than 1,000 mg at a time.  

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You may experience a detox effect. I certainly did; it felt like I had the flu. However, the symptoms were significantly minimized by drinking warm water with sea salt using the recipe above.

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If you're taking thyroid medication, consult with a doctor before taking iodine. It's also recommended that you take an Iodine Loading Test (6) before you start supplementing. I didn't, but it is recommended. Instead, what I did was buy a 2 percent iodine tincture from my local pharmacy and applied a quarter size to my abdomen. Within four hours, the patch had disappeared, indicating a severe iodine deficiency. (7) I read that if the quarter-size patch is still visible after 24-hours, it is an indication of iodine efficiency. 

 

Do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

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Disclaimer: Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences. Therefore, nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice, and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. A Hidden Wholeness is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Click here to read my full disclaimer.

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Cite References:

1) Rheault, Shana, MS, Olmstead, Stephen, MD, Ralston, Janet, BS, Meiss, Dennis, Ph.D. Iodine and Iodide: Functions and Benefits Beyond the Thyroid, written December 2008; Accessed June 11, 2021

Iodine and Iodide (Dec 2008) Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients

2) Bibran, BG and Lichiardopol, C. Iodine Deficiency, Still a Global Problem? Published online June 29, 2017. Accessed June 10, 2021

3) Farrow, Lynne, The Iodine Crisis. Published March 25, 2013

4) Farro, Lynne, The Iodine Crisis - www.breastcancerchoices.org. Accessed June 11, 2021

http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/iodine.html

5) How Molecular Iodine Attacks Breast Cancer, Oncology Times: December 25, 2016 - Volume 38 - Issue 24 - p 34 DOI: 10.1097/01.COT.0000511599.52147.f1

6) Farro, Lynne, The Iodine Crisis - www.breastcancerchoices.org. Accessed June 11, 2021

http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/loading.html

7) Group, Edward Dr., How to Perform the Iodine Patch Test. Updated April 17, 2017. Accessed June 11, 2021