I Would Appreciate Some Advice Please?

[Ellie-Louise]

I already use Foligain shampoo/conditioner and am finding new little hairs growing back, only fine ones but they are there.

Today I was reading the reviews for these supplements and they were all practically 5*. Looking at the ingredients they do contain iodine which I know we hypo’s aren’t supposed to take. Does anyone think there is enough of it in these capsules to make much difference to the thyroid? Thank you 😊

FOLIGAIN STIMULATING HAIR REGROWTH SUPPLEMENT 120 Caplets

Serving Size: Two (2) Vegetarian Caplets

Servings Per Container: 60

Amount Per Serving

Niacin (as niacinamide) 40mg

Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl) 30mg

Folate 200mcg

Biotin 1000mcg

Pantothenic Acid (d-calcium pantothenate) 30mg

Iodine (from kelp) 150mcg

Zinc (from zinc gluconate) 15mg

Copper (from copper gluconate) 3mg

Saw Palmetto (Serenoa serrulata) Extract (berry) 320mg

Nettle (Urtica dioica) Extract (root) 300mg

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) Extract (leaf) 100mg

Beta-Sitosterol (from plant sterols) 100mg

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Extract (rhizome) 100mg

L-Taurine USP 100mg

American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) Extract (root) 50mg

Other Ingredients: Dicalcium phosphate, microcystalline cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, croscarmellose sodium, gum acacia, vegetable magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, glycerin, sunflower oil, natural flavor, maltodextrin, triacetin.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Ellie-Louise

The required amount of iodine daily for an adult is 150mcg. This is quite easily obtained from diet if you drink milk, eat yogurt, and it's plentiful in haddock, cod and scampi. See list of foods containing iodine here bda.uk.com/foodfacts/Iodine...

If you add 150mcg iodine supplement, then unless you are a vegan, you will be getting a lot more than the daily requirement and, as you have read, supplementing iodine is not recommended for us Hypos. Iodine shouldn't be supplemented unless tested and found to be deficient and then under the guidance of an experienced practioner.

Do you take a B Complex? There are quite a lot of B vitamins in that supplement and the B6 dose is higher than the recommended 10mg. I would check the other ingredients to see if there is any problem with any of them and hypothyroidism and/or Levo.

Here are a couple of articles about hair loss which are interesting, including the vitamin deficiencies that can cause it

hubpages.com/health/16-Vita...

healdove.com/disease-illnes...

[Ellie-Louise in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Susie, the other ingredients sounded interesting enough to make me wonder about these capsules. There are descriptions of what the other things do, some of which I didn’t know before.

It was just the iodine addition that I was concerned about.

But I do like nettle tea so perhaps I’ll get some more of that. I had heard good things about nettles in the past.

Yes I do take my Thorne B’s etc. so maybe it’s best not to overload. I suppose less is more as they say. 🙂

[Caroline888]

Hi Ellie-Louise,

Of course you are quite right to be concerned about supplementing with iodine. Apparently, it is known as the Goldilocks mineral as the amount we need has to be not too much, not too little, but just right!

The RDA is 150 mcg, i.e. the amount in your supplement and the amount in my multivitamin which I take daily. I am a vegetarian who eats no fish or sea produce or milk so feel I need to supplement or risk being deficient.

Dr. Izabella Wentz, the thyroid pharmacist, says in her book that we should not supplement with iodine generally speaking, but that the amount contained in a multivitamin which is usually 150-200 mcg is ok to take when you have Hashimoto's. So as long as you are not taking a multivitamin with iodine in addition and don't eat lots of tuna, I would say your hair growth supplement is fine (though I am not medically qualified). I will try to find the relevant part of Isabella Wentz's book and quote the passage later.

Hope this is helpful.

Best wishes

Caroline

[greygoose]

That supplement contains copper. You are hypo, I take it? Hypos usually have high copper and low zinc, so you don't want to over-dose on copper.

Ginseng is an adaptogen, and could lower your cortisol. Do you want your cortisol lowered?

As for the iodine, as SeasideSusie says, you will be getting plenty from your food. But, if you take levo, you will also be getting it from that. 100 mcg levo contains 65 mcg iodine, which is recycled in your body. So, you really don't want another 150 mcg on top.

[Ellie-Louise in reply to greygoose]

Thank you. 🙂

[greygoose in reply to Ellie-Louise]

You're welcome.

[Caroline888]

Ellie-Louise

I have found the following in Isabella Wentz's book (Hashimoto's Protocol, Page 268):

"While there is a bit of controversy about whether people with Hashimoto’s should take iodine or avoid it altogether, a 1999 study that followed 377 people with Hashimoto’s for over eight hundred days found that when combined with thyroid hormone therapy, a daily iodine dose of up to 200 mcg per day was well tolerated and even reduced thyroid antibody levels. For most people with Hashimoto’s, I do not recommend doses above the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iodine of 150 mcg for nonpregnant adults and 220 mcg and 290 mcg for pregnant and breastfeeding women, respectively. Doses as low as 300 mcg per day have the potential to exacerbate Hashimoto’s. It’s important to remember that iodine is a Goldilocks nutrient, where just the right amounts are needed for optimal health."

There was also a specific mention of multivitamins containing 150-200 mcg iodine being okay but I can't find that just now. Will look again later.

As is clear from the various replies to your original post, this is a very controversial subject. I suppose we must all decide for ourselves in the end.

Take care anyway.

Best wishes

Caroline

[Ellie-Louise in reply to Caroline888]

Yes, it is indeed so I’ll leave well alone. Thank you for taking the trouble to type it all out.