I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 2 years ago and have faithfully stayed away from foods and supplements containing iodine. My latest blood test show I am now deficient in Iodine:
Iodine, Serum or Plasma 30.1 ug/L ( 40.0-92.0 ug/L)
Free T3 2.9 pg/mL (2.0-4.4 pg/mL)
Free T4 1.11ng/mL (0.82-1.77 ng/dL)
TSH 5.500 ulU/mL (0.45-4.500 ulU/mL)
TPO 227 lU/mL (0-34 lU/mL) **down from 365**
Thyroglobulin Antibody <1.0 (0.0-0.9lU/mL)
I am currently not taking any hormone replacement because they made me feel awful. Right now I feel great without medicine. Ultrasound shows some of the inflammation has gone down on my thyroid. I'm eating a gluten and dairy free diet and I'm considering NDT. My TSH, T3, T4 has remained steady for the past 10 months.
My endocrinologist suggest to "add extra iodine supplement to your diet; antibodies continue to improve." I've read several articles "for" and "against" iodine supplementation for Hashimoto's. Has anyone had success adding iodine to their diet and if so how did you approach it?
Who told you to stay away from iodine-containing foods? That's how you're supposed to get your iodine. No wonder you're now deficient. Why not just start eating high iodine foods, and forget the supplement. They level should come back up naturally.
Besides, when you start taking thyroid hormone replacement, that will give you iodine. There's 65 mcg iodine in 100 mcg T4. 48.75 mcg iodine in 100 mcg T3. And 29 mcg iodine in 1 grain of NDT. Approximately, of course.
Thank you, greygoose! Well, my endo told me to stay away from iodine because it could increase the attack on my thyroid and now she's telling me that a little iodine may help.
I'll take your advice and start eating iodine rich food. Thank you for the NDT info as well.
Are you taking any other supplements for your thyroid? It needs tyrosine and selenium. I've taken 1000 mcgs of sea iodine at times but I am on thyroid hormone as well and do not have TPO antibodies. I know some doctors are totally against iodine but this one points out something that may make a difference.
This is a great video! He hits on all the reasons why doctors are split on the use of iodine. I just started taking 200mg of selenium and 350 mg of tyrosine with B6 once a day. I want to take selenium for a month before consuming iodine. Maybe this will protect my thyroid against possible harmful effects of iodine and help lower my TSH and increase my T4 and T3.
It's strange. When I was first diagnosed my TSH was 3.3 and I felt like death warmed over. Now at 5.50, I feel normal and alive!? I have more energy, no more panic attacks and anxiety, my hair is thicker, warmer body temp, etc. I should be feeling terrible, but I don't. How could this be? I still haven't found any answers. Not even from my endo.
Chaunda, I don't think you understand what Hashi's is. There's nothing wrong with your thyroid, it doesn't need help. But, it's being attacked by your immune system and slowly destroyed. Iodine isn't going to stop that, and could make things worse. After all, if your factory burns down, shovelling in more raw ingredients, isn't going to increase production, is it. Your thyroid is incapable of increasing its output of T4 because there's not enough thyroid left. Taking iodine will not lower your TSH or increase your T4.
The TSH is not a reliable indicator of thyroid status. And, when you have Hashi's, it will jump around a little. And, it's not the TSH that makes you feel anything, whatever the level. It's the FT3 level that causes symptoms, when it's low, and makes you feel well when it's at the right level. Nothing to do with the TSH.
It was my experience around the time I was diagnosed that the supplements I was taking which had 100% RDA of iodine caused a flare. When I stopped taking it then I felt better and my TPO decreased. So for me the iodine made a bad situation even worse. I hope this clarifies the statement I made about the possible "harmful" side effect of me taking iodine.
Why not just cut out the iodine supplement, anyway? It does make a bad situation worse. And, there's no way it's going to help your thyroid because low iodine is not what has caused your hypo. Even with the other other supplements. It's far from being a magic potion, and is actually anti-thyroid in excess.
B6 assists amino acid metabolism. 5mg every other day with N-Acetyl Tyrosine (which is more bioavailable). Both help improve your overall mood as well.
Chaunda, I hope you stay here you would be a help to others. You've gone about this in a smart way. I often post John Bergman's (brilliant) How to Heal You Thyroid and Adrenals and David Clark's 20 reasons for low thyroid. Izabelle Wentz' Thyroid Secret and other summits have revealed so much about the triggers for Hashimoto's. they have found Epstein Barre virus in the gland itself. So many complicated issues and it's no wonder it is difficult to find answers but you certainly are on the right track. Best wishes.
Heloise, thank you so much for your encouraging words! I'm familiar with all the great sources you listed! And you're right, there are so many complicated issues and inconclusive or weak info. So that's why it's so important to stay positive when there's a tidal wave of info out there yet clueless as to what applies to my situation. Best wishes to you as well! Keep sharing those videos!
Supplementing iodine will increase any present Hashi inflammation so you need to reduce thyroid antibodies further to discourage inflammatory activity.
Also, ensure all nutrients (especially selenium & zinc) are optimal and stuff like gut issues have been addressed.
The thyroid reduces iodide into iodine and has to split ions which causes an oxidative reaction by the hydrogen peroxide required to make hormones.
Selenium helps regulate & recycles iodine stores but also helps protect against this oxidative damage (inflammation). It is also the base of the 5’-deiodinase enzyme & helps in making the enzymes that remove the iodine molecules from T4, making T3.
I haven’t supplemented iodine as always had thyroid antibodies so wouldn’t chance an attack. You may find just eating foods containing iodine is enough as we only require a minuscule amount and you don’t want to go over.
Great you appear to be managing Hashi so well.
Thank you! I couldn't have said it better myself! I found this information myself and based my decision to not supplement with iodine on it and my personal experience.
I have successfully addressed gut issues and my vitamin D, B12, and iron are in the mid to top range. And I am starting selenium.
Hi Hidden, I wonder how you manage to get blood tests, that tell you vitamin levels etc? I have Hashimotos, I only get one TSH blood test per year, it's usually too high or too low, my GPs receptionist usually rings me to tell me to lower Levo or up it a bit! I never feel well, and often wonder why I bother to take it at all.
I was told I had Hashimotos when diagnosed 15 years ago, I was given Levo and that was it! To be honest I thought Hashimotos was just a name for underactive thyroid! I wasn't told anything about it.
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Thyroid results, looks like T3 issues - any advice gratefully received!
Just did a Thyroid panel. Want to know if there are any discrepancies.
Severe Anxiety,Depression and Pain, in Seattle WA
Hi new member
Hashimoto's and Graves?
