Are there any supplement I should avoid prior to having a blood test? I have started taking lugoI's Iodine, wonder if this should be avoided before the test and for how long?
Many thanks
thyroid blood tests: Are there any supplement I... - Thyroid UK
thyroid blood tests
Written by
Dobby
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
29 Replies
•
Why are you taking iodine? Did you get tested first and find that your iodine was low? Do you know that it's not recommended for hypos to take iodine because it can make symptoms a lot worse - especially if you have Hashi's?
As far as I know, the only supplement that should be stopped well in advance of a blood test is biotin. And, that should be stopped a week before the blood draw.
Many thanks Greygoose, I started taking Iodine after I went to a lecture, the main speaker was a chap who helps a lot of people with thyroid issues.
And, how, exactly, is iodine supposed to help with thyroid issues? It would only be of any use to you if you were iodine deficient. If you are taking thyroid hormone replacement (levo, etc.) you are unlikely to be iodine deficient. Be careful! There are a lot of charlatans around!
Oh thank you, I will look into it further. I have just acted on the advice!
Always check here before following any advice.
100 mcg T4 contains about 65 mcg iodine, which is recycled in the body. And, when you are taking levo - or whatever - the thyroid stops producing hormone, so is not using that iodine. Why would you want to take more? Iodine isn't some magical substance that makes the thyroid work harder/better, it's just one of the ingredients of thyroid hormone. And, excess iodine is antithyroid. It can also trigger Hashi's and thyroid cancer.
I take thyroid meds and generally sleep better on 2 drop of iodine and feel my body needs it, maybe the iodine in levo is not sufficient?
What do you think your body needs iodine for? You get plenty in your food, and your thyroid doesn't need it anymore because it isn't working. So, what would you body need it for?
Do not fully understand the science but know i sleep better, I do have toxic problems ie high heavy metals, fungal long term undiagnosed infections. I do not eat dairy that I believe is key, fish some days. Iodine just feels right, for others they have said it makes them feel odd.
Thyroid aside will the iodine be useless on long term infections and toxic poisons?
Do you know if that's the case with NDT too containing iodine ? Or just thyroxine ? Thanks .
Yes, of course NDT contains iodine. That's what thyroid hormone is: iodine plus tyrosine. Every molecule of T4 has four atoms of iodine - hence its name. Every molecule of T3 has three atoms.
So, one grain of NDT contains approximately 29 mcg iodine.
SeasideSusieRemembering
Dobby
Biotin or B Complex should be left off for 7 days before blood tests. Anything else just take after the test.
Presumably you've done a non-loading iodine test to know that you need to supplement with iodine?
Really appreciate your reply. I will check if biotin is in any of the supplement I take. I must admit I have never heard of a non-loading iodine test! 🤔
I started taking iodine after the main speaker at a thyroid lecture I went to said most people are in need of additional Iodine.
Dobby
It's not common to be iodine deficient in the UK. The daily requirement for iodine is 150mcg, much of which can be obtained from diet - milk, yogurt, white fish, etc - see
bda.uk.com/resource/iodine....
Plus 100mcg Levo provides approx 62mcg iodine by deiodination.
The non-loading iodine test measures existing levels of iodine so tells you if you are deficient and need to supplement or whether you have adequate levels.
Hi Sorry I think I'm being a bit blonde! I have tried the test where you put a couple of drops on the wrist to see how quickly it vanishes, is this what you mean? However I have since been told that if someone's skin is thin, then it will disappear much faster anyway.
Dobby
No, the patch test has been debunked. The non-loading test is a urine test and measures existing levels.
SlowDragonAdministrator
Looking through previous posts couldn’t see any results for thyroid antibodies or vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
These are all essential to test
90% of primary hypothyroidism is caused by autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s
Do you have Hashimoto’s?
Iodine is not recommended for anyone with Hashimoto’s
drknews.com/iodine-and-hash...
Anyone in the U.K. who normally eats dairy and/or fish is unlikely to be low in iodine
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 at least annually
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
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 .
Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
If/when also on T3, or NDT or Metavive make sure to take last third or quarter of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test
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 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...
Also vitamin D available as separate test via MMH
Or alternative Vitamin D NHS postal kit
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
If you have hypothyroidism then no meds or vitamins should be taken before a blood test. No coffee or tea just water
I’ve been supplementing with Lugols Iodine, grey salt and supporting nutrients for 5 years, having read David Brownstein’s book “Iodine: Why you need it, why you can’t live without it” which made perfect sense to me. I felt an improvement within days and will never stop taking it. T3 = 3 molecules of iodine, T4 = 4 molecules of iodine - our thyroid glands cannot work properly without iodine and 97% of people tested globally are deficient.
Who was the lecture give by Dobby ?I think iodine is a very controversial supplement but I like Tiggy N and Amberbee do take Lugols iodine and feel better on it.
I’ve been taking iodine and selenium for nearly 18 months and for me they have been a v helpful supplement.
I was advised to always take selenium with iodine otherwise iodine alone can lead to further hypo symptoms.
The only supplement that I’ve heard interferes with blood tests is biotin (often in b complex )
Hi
I would be extremely careful about taking iodine. I’ve been looking into it myself. Alternative health practitioners often point to the Japanese as some of the healthiest people in the world because they have v high levels of iodine in their diet because of seaweed consumption. Well they also have the highest levels of Hashimotos too. And guess where Mr Hashimoto, the doctor who gave the name to our condition was from ? Yes Japan. So one woman’s meat is another woman’s poison. I think it’s unlikely in the UK your diet will be deficient in it. As @seasidesusie says there’s so many foods we eat have it in. That’s not to say there’s not a problem with iodine deficiency in some parts of the world like Nepal and India but that’s because there’s so little iodine naturally occurring in their soil.
I have Dr Brownstein’s book. It is his contention that the prevalence of fluoride and bromide displaces/out competes iodine because their molecular structure is very similar. We are exposed to fluoride in dental products and bromine is used extensively in agriculture. Iodine used to be used in flour to be replaced in the 1960s with bromine. So it’s the amount of fluoride and bromide which is the cause of problem and we need to increase the iodine to overcome these and ensure our body has sufficient. The thyroid and breasts store iodine and it may be that the build up of fluoride and bromide is the cause of the lumps in these organs. According to Dr Sarah Myhill iodine is effective against bacteria, fungal and viruses. I use a small amount of iodine and find it beneficial. I do not have hashimotos. Incidentally I stopped using fluoride toothpaste 30 years ago to alleviate sensitive teeth and it worked 100%. I would recommend the book.
All this maybe true for the general public but if you have been taking levo for sometime you will be getting enough iodine when T4 is converted to T3, so again be careful if supplement with iodine whilst taking levo. Sue Long
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Blood Tests
My Daughter is on levothyroxine and her tsh has dropped to 0.03. GP has reduced her medication but...
blood tests
I had my first private Thyroid blood test with Monitor My Health but one thing I didn’t work out...
Blood Tests
Hi everyone. I have recently asked (again!!) for thyroid antibody blood test to be done and, even...
Thyroid blood tests
I was put on Levothyroxine 50mg at the end of March 2019. Since that time I have only had 2...
Thyroid blood tests and prednisone?
Confusing Thyroid blood tests
Blood tests 
Thyroid blood tests 
Thyroid blood tests
