Iodine supplementing: I was diagnosed with... - Thyroid UK

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Iodine supplementing

Diggergy profile image
18 Replies

I was diagnosed with primary hypothyroidism about 7 months and was advised to take iodine as an extra support for my thyroid as well as thyroid and adrenal glandulars. I have just had my blood results back from my GP and the thyroid test is showing that I have now become slightly hyperthyroid. I have now stopped the iodine, will the thyroid level normalise itself again or do I need to do something more, should I be concerned about this?

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Diggergy profile image
Diggergy
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18 Replies
shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Most doctors only look at a TSH result. Can you copy and paste your recent blood test results, with the ranges so that members can respond to your query. In the meantime I will link you to Thyroiduk.org.uk and their page on pregnancy.

thyroiduk.org/?s=pregnancy&...

fuchsia-pink profile image
fuchsia-pink

I'd be very wary of taking iodine if you are hypo - it used to be how over-active thyroids were treated. It's only really something you should do if you have had specific testing to see if you are iodine deficient (which I understand is pretty rare in the UK).

It's not possible to become hyper if you are hypo: instead you can be over-medicated - ie if the meds you take result in free T3 going over-range. In particular you are NOT hyper (or over-medicated) just because TSH goes under-range ...

Do you have recent full blood tests you can share?

userotc profile image
userotc in reply to fuchsia-pink

So if slight deficit iodine (via non-loading urine test) without hashis, it's OK to supplement?

fuchsia-pink profile image
fuchsia-pink in reply to userotc

I'd get full thyroid blood testing - TSH, free T4, free T3 plus key nutrients ferritin, folate, vit D and B12 - and your thyroid meds optimised before considering iodine supplements. There's a bit of iodine in levo, so once you're on the correct level of medication you may well find you're not deficient anyway ...

userotc profile image
userotc in reply to fuchsia-pink

Im not on medication as cause of unusual thyroid test results (below) due to an underlying syndrome (multi-symptoms) caused by a prescription drug which Im treating naturally. I can explain further via pm if you wish.

Date 3/6/19; Iodine (non-loading urine) ug/l = 91 (N Range 100-199

Date 22/12/16; 1530h Serum iodine = 46 (N Range 40-80)

Date: 27/11/20, 1030h

TSH; miu/L ; = 2.79

FT4; pmol/L = 11.6

FT3; pmol/L = 3.8

Calc FT4/FT3 = 3.1

Date: 22/12/16, 1530h

TSH; miu/L; 0.96

FT4; pmol/L; 14.4

FT3; pmol/L; 4.4

Calc FT4/FT3 = 3.3

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies(TPA); iu/ml = 6

Thyroglobulin antibodies(TGA); IU/mL = <10

N ranges:TSH: 0.27-4.2mu/l. FT4; 12.0-22.0 pmol/l, FT3; 3.1-6.8 pmol/l. TPA; 0-34. TGA; 0-115

Date 17/07/2018; 1030h unless stated

Serum ferritin; ug/L = 89

Serum folate; ug/L = 18.3

Serum vitamin B12; ng/L = 738

Vitamin D; nmol/L = 148.6 (March 2019 ~1245h)

N ranges: ferritin 22-320, folate 3-19, vit B12 170-730, vit D 50-250.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to userotc

Date: 22/12/16, 1530h

TSH; miu/L; 0.96

FT4; pmol/L; 14.4

FT3; pmol/L; 4.4

This test was done mid afternoon, when TSH is at its lowest

Ft4 is only 24% through range

Ft3 is only 35% through range

Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water

Clearly doesn’t suggest hyperthyroid......but possibly still hypothyroid

Median TSH graph

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

TSH daily variation

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Very important when in day you test TSH ....

researchgate.net/publicatio...

According to the current TSH reference interval, hypothyroidism was not diagnosed in about 50% of the cases in the afternoon.”

“Further analysis demonstrated inadequate compensation of hypothyroidism, which was defined in 45.5% of the morning samples and in 9% of the afternoon samples”

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/252...

TSH levels showed a statistically significant decline postprandially in comparison to fasting values. This may have clinical implications in the diagnosis and management of hypothyroidism, especially SCH.

userotc profile image
userotc in reply to SlowDragon

Yes I learned ~3 y ago (on here) that thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything but water so subsequent ones eg as shown earlier, now comply. Im continuing to investigate the potential for secondary hypo as an effect of the prescription drug I mentioned so plan retest soon (early am!).

Not sure of the reason for your link to healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... but thanks for that. The median of my last 10 TSH results is 1.65, a little higher than the 1.40 for " healthy males who are under 40" in that link. Im male and almost 29.

LuckyKat profile image
LuckyKat in reply to fuchsia-pink

Iodine was used to treat both over and under active thyroids

Diggergy profile image
Diggergy in reply to fuchsia-pink

I find this all very confusing, I have posted my results for last summer and then Dec. Are you especially knowledgeable (or a health professional) with thyroid issues?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

Hashimoto’s frequently starts with transient hyperthyroid results and symptoms before becoming increasingly hypothyroid

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

Also vitamin D available as separate test via MMH

Or alternative Vitamin D NHS postal kit

vitamindtest.org.uk

Iodine is very controversial, and can make Hashimoto’s worse

Requires full and correct testing before starting any supplement

Are you vegetarian or vegan?

Diggergy profile image
Diggergy

Thank you for your response, here is the thyroid result for last June after which I consulted with a specialist go in the U.K. and she diagnosed me with primary hypothyroidism.

Diggergy profile image
Diggergy

Here are my results taken in Dec after supplementing with iodine. My gp has said I have gone slowly hyperthyroid with a note from the lab.

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie in reply to Diggergy

Hello Diggergy :

If you were diagnosed with hypothyroidism you can't " go " hyperthyroid -

You may however be over medicated which can be rectified but in order to do this you need your T3 and T4 blood test results and ranges so to know where the apparent issue is :

Diggergy profile image
Diggergy in reply to pennyannie

From the result just above my gp said gone slightly into hypo. This was from TSH and T4 result. My antibodies have been checked and are ok. I do not take levo but a porcine thyroid support supplement. How would you suggest this could be rectified.

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie in reply to Diggergy

Yes, I also take NDT and adrenal glandular.

When taking any thyroid hormone replacement containing T3 the TSH generally goes low/suppressed, it's just what T3 does and is nothing to be overly concerned about.

Your body runs on T3 not T4 so you need to be able to convert the T4 into T3 which is the active hormone.

No thyroid hormone works well if you can't convert the T4 into T3 and you also need to maintain ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D at optimal levels to assist your body in the conversion of T4 into T3.

This result shows no T3 which is the most important blood test to run when taking NDT.

With NDT your T4 maybe low in range, but providing your T3 is high enough for you to feel well, that is the job well done.

My T4 now comes in at around 25% through the range but my T3 comes in at around 90/110 % through the range but my TSH is at 0.01 - and it doesn't matter to me.

With NDT you dose to the relief of symptoms and not a blood test result and was used successfully for over 100 years up until around the 1960/70's.

Around this time Big Pharma's introduced synthetic T4 Levothyroxine as their treatment option for hypothyroidism and so it all became a science and we saw the introduction of the blood tests, guidelines and ranges with which doctors have been trained to use to treat hypothyroidism.

P.S. I'm with primary hypothyroidism after being diagnosed Graves and then having RAI thyroid ablation in 2005 and now manage lingering Graves, thyroid eye disease and hypothyroidism and finding no help with anything other than T4 medication through the NHS service I am snow elf medicating.

How were you diagnosed ?

Diggergy profile image
Diggergy

Yes thank you for all that and of course the test range is the average of the population and the norm can also be manipulated for Pharms gain.

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie in reply to Diggergy

Yes, well, either way -

If you want to improve from where you are you have to start somewhere.

The ranges are just that, and a suggestion.

I can now " fit in these ranges " if I need to see a doctor as it all depends upon when I last took my thyroid hormone replacement, and it's a silly game I'm forced to play to stay well.

The medical profession will work to ranges whether you like it or not as they need to comply to legal and medical insurance regulations.

Diggergy profile image
Diggergy in reply to pennyannie

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