Iodine: Hello I am trying a little iodine Just... - Thyroid UK

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Iodine

Meavis profile image
21 Replies

Hello

I am trying a little iodine Just to see if I feel better. But every time I use it my feet get extreem cold and sometimes like they are sleeping a little numb. It does go away if I stop but I find it really strange can t find much about this side effect normaly iodine make you warmer. My hands get nice warm. I was thinking does it has something to do with the blood circulation? Does iodine circulate the blood. Does some body knows what it is? I want to use it for the conversion and thyroid but it is Scary. I am only using between 150 and 500 so no big amounts. Is this normal. Hope somebody reconize the side effect.

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Meavis
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greygoose profile image
greygoose

Why do you think iodine helps with conversion? It's main use used to be for people with hyperthyroidism, to reduce production of thyroid hormone. Have you been tested to see if you're deficient? Taking it when you don't need it can cause more problems than it solves - if it solves any.

Meavis profile image
Meavis in reply to greygoose

Yes I did test low. It is also used in low thyroid and iodine can help like selenium with conversion. But I don t want to make the discussion if not or yes to use iodine. I also you Just a little the big amounts I do also doubt That. But any way maybe a idea why this is happening? Because I dont. The iodine is recommend by a doctor.

Meavis profile image
Meavis in reply to greygoose

I think you mean Radioaktief iodine is use for reduction hyperthyroid? Not normal iodine?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Meavis

No, I don't mean that. I mean normal iodine.

in reply to greygoose

A lot of Drs say it can prevent breast cancer, and fights infections etc. My Drs got me on it. Not sure about it for hashimotos patients. It's been debated.

drsircus.com/iodine/main-re...

drsircus.com/iodine/iodine-...

jeffreydachmd.com/iodine_is_safe/

jeffreydachmd.com/hashimoto...

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to

Obviously, a certain amount of iodine is essential for good health, nobody is denying that - it is one of the ingredients of thyroid hormone and therefore, the thyroid cannot make thyroid hormone without iodine. But, like so many other things, more is not better. Taking huge doses of iodine can do more harm than good. And, if you have a thyroid problem, it certainly isn't going to make your thyroid produce more hormone if your thyroid is incapacitated in some way. If half your factory has burnt down, shovelling in more raw goods is not going to increase production, is it.

Dr Sircus is not talking about people with thyroid problems. If you have a thyroid problem you will react differently to iodine. And excess iodine can cause all sorts of extra problems - and if you don't have a thyroid problem, taking excess iodine can cause you to have thyroid problems! For one thing, it can trigger Hashi's. So, no matter what it's good for, taking too much is a very bad idea for hypos. Besides, if you're on thyroid hormone replacement, you are getting a certain amount of iodine in that. 100 mcg T4 gives you 65 mcg iodine, which is recycled. And, that's the thing with iodine, it's recycled. It isn't used up like other minerals.

Even if your hypothyroidism is caused by low iodine, correcting the deficiency is not as simple as just taking a pill, as it would be with zinc or iron. There are protocols to follow, and you need to be over-seen by a doctor who knows what he's doing - and god only knows where you find one of them!

Meavis profile image
Meavis

Oh okay. Can you explain it?

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Meavis

Meavis, the reason I never got back to you on this, is because I didn't know you had responded. If you reply to someone, you need to click on the 'reply' button under the relevant comment. Otherwise, the person will not know that you have responded. Sorry about that. But, I see that you got some very good explanations from Justina. :)

Meavis profile image
Meavis

Oh okay. Can you explain it?

Meavis profile image
Meavis in reply to Meavis

I mean why do brownstein and flechas dokters use it to help the thyroid produceren better the hormones? This iodine stuff is so confusing.

Justiina profile image
Justiina in reply to Meavis

Large dosages of iodine suppress thyroid function.

Radioactive iodine destroy thyroid gland.

How you were tested and what was test results?

Meavis profile image
Meavis

It was a urine test loading test. I am not using lage dosis. It is Mcg not mg.

I am subclinical hypo with no hashimoto. But do you know this stage side effect?

Justiina profile image
Justiina in reply to Meavis

Unfortunately loading tests often fail.

If you were a bit deficient low urine iodine doesn't mean you'd truly be deficient, your body just takes up a lot of iodine which can be enough to satisfy your system without continuing supplementing.

Also some of iodine is excreted through bowel.

Currently the best indicator if iodine deficiency is thyroglobulin if thyroglobulin antibodies are not present. It reflects the iodine consumption for months prior testing.

500 mcg can be too much and it can decrease conversion.

If you want to know does supplementing iodine add any extra to your wellbeing I'd try low dose like 50 mcg at first and increase slowly. As if you truly were deficient your thyroid has adapted to a situation where it has gotten less and suddenly bombarding it with high dose probably ends up suppressing thyroid function.

Too much iodine has several different side effects and what you experienced could be one.

There are a lot of people who claim that side effects are just detox, but iodine is toxic.

500 mcg should be tolerable amount ideally, but you do not know how much your current diet contains iodine so it's hard to say is it too much.

You might benefit from iodine, but go slow and low, that's the only way to do it safe!

Meavis profile image
Meavis

Okay thanks I don t have anti tpo and anti tpg thats is thyroglobine or not?

Wel I did stop now and Will try again with smaller amount. But 59mcg sounds like nothing if you see what a lot of people are taking.

So I I undrestant you I have to get used to it because if I am deficiënt it can slow the systemen down. But really how can you tellen if it is okay or enough. I mean a 50 mg is normal for a lot of people. So how can this small amount slow the thyroid. If I eat sushi I Will get more. Wich I don t I don t eat a lot of fsh don t think I have much on my diet for years no salt at all.

Justiina profile image
Justiina in reply to Meavis

Yes some people take 50 mg , and they tolerate it. But it's really unnecessary to take that much as thyroid gland only contains approximately 20 mg of iodine. It has quite big reserve and one can go quite long without iodine. About 80 mcg is used daily based to make thyroid hormones. Rest of your body requires some milligrams of iodine, 50 mg is just not necessary for long term.

Sure you could go up to 50 mg but as you have existing thyroid malfunction it's not recommended!

For someone who is only deficient to iodine 50 mg might not be an issue as they have no thyroid issues yet. For them 50 mg usually causes transient hypothyroidism , TSH rises but it passes once iodine is reduced.

Yes 50 mcg is little, but it's better to start low and increase slowly to avoid side effects and possible thyroid malfunction.

800 mcg to 1100 mcg is basically safe amount and tolerable in most studies. It also fills up storages relatively safe.

I for example developed awful cough after four months on iodine , I went too fast up to 500 mcg. My lungs were irritated for 6 months.

Took me a year to start adding a bit iodine back to my diet and now it goes ok except it doesn't help my thyroid much.

As your thyroglobulin antibodies were negative your thyroglobulin level could be tested. At this point it seems only ZRT lab does thyroglobulin and iodine test. I have done it three times. It's finger prick test for thyroglobulin and 24 urine for iodine, not loading test. It only reflect consumption of iodine during past few days so it's a good test to determine how much iodine your diet contains. It also measure mercury, arsenic, cadmium and bromine.

I see so many people going wrong with high dosages of iodine, for some it resolves without harm for some it starts an episode of hell. We can forget all genetic factors affecting how iodine is handled. Maybe for some high dosages are ok or even needed because of genetic mutations. Or maybe for rest of us high dosages are problematic because of genetic mutations even though our bodies would be crying for iodine.

That's why I recommend careful experimenting.

Meavis profile image
Meavis

Thank you Justina.

Thyroid17 profile image
Thyroid17

Roderick Lane talks about iodine and offers other useful information. Follow him on Facebook (where he also has a closed Thyroid Care Group) and Twitter. He has a website: rodericklane.co.uk

He does thyroid talks around the UK and I found him very helpful to me, I'm trying his Thyroid Patch Test (only cost the tincture which I sourced myself). He offers advice for free through his pages (although you can Skype him if you want) he is very responsive to messages. I paid £5 to go to a talk, it was well worth the money as he had loads of information. Judging by the crowd and the cost of his flights etc I'm sure he carried out at a personal loss. Nice man.

Meavis profile image
Meavis

I did email him Sandra thanks

Meavis profile image
Meavis

I did email him Sandra thanks

greygoose profile image
greygoose

It definitely isn't good if you're low in selenium, the two have to be balanced. But, even with selenium, it's not good for hypos.

When you say 'kill infections', do you mean internally or externally? It's ok to use it on your skin, very little will be absorbed. But swallowing it is a different thing entirely. It isn't as safe as all that, I'm afraid.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Years ago, a doctor prescribed iodine for me, without doing any tests, or any of the usual protocols. As it happened, I did have Hashi's, at the time, although undiagnosed, but had lots of symptoms. With the iodine, my symptoms all got ten times worse! And the result was, I am now allergic to iodine. So, I am very cautious with it. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, for anything.

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