Hello everybody!
I have just joined this forum, and my fertility clinic has recommended that I take 200mcg iodine supplement every day to control my thyroid function, and to stop Levothyroxine 25mcg that I’m currently taking.
Im pregnant and a bit uncomfortable to make this change- can you please recommend any brands of iodine supplements that you use?
Many thanks! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Did you ask on what basis they recommend it? Have you had tests that showed a deficiency? Is there research evidence to prove this is a good course of action?
I had hypothyroidism so I was put on Levothyroxine, first a high dose then a lower one, up to now where I’m taking 25mcg every four days. My latest results have come back fine at 0.75 so my fertility doctor has said that thats normal and I don’t need Levothyroxine anymore, and that iodine supplements can balance thyroid function so to take those instead. Hope it makes sense 😃
Welcome to the forum ToughCOOKIE78
Has your fertility clinjc done the sensible thing and suggest that you do a non-loading iodine urine test to check your current iodine level before supplementing at more than the total recommended daily amount of iodine?
If not, why are they suggesting it?
Why would they tell you to stop taking your Levo?
Presumably you have a diagnosis of hypothyroidism to be taking 25mcg Levo?
What are your current test results, including reference ranges (as these vary from lab to lab) for
TSH
FT4
FT3
and any other test results you may have.
Thank you hun! 😃no they haven’t asked me to test for iodine levels and I did say I’m a bit uncomfortable with stopping Levothyroxine... my TSH was never tested before, only when I started IVF and at that point was high at nearly 4. Which is why I was put on Levothyroxine. Not it’s gone down to 0.75 which is fine for the gestational age I’m at....anyway I’m confused 🤷♀️
ToughCOOKIE78
Looking at your reply to Nanaedake above, I am confused.
You have had your Levo dose reduced to 25mcg every 4 days? that is average of 6.25mcg Levo daily?
Have you ever had your thyroid antibodies tested? Or FT4 and FT3?
Is yourGP involved or is this just being handled by the fertility clinic?
As iodine solution used to be used to treat hypERthyroidism before the current radioactive iodine treatment, it is not a good idea to supplement with iodine unless tested and found to be deficient, it can make hypothyroidism worse or cause hypothyroidism if you don't already have it.
If you want to do a reliable, accurate iodine test then do the non-loading test offered by Genova Diagnostics. Details of how to order and receive results are here:
thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
If found that you need to supplement with iodine, this should be done under the guidance of an experienced practioner, there is a proper protocol to follow and companion supplements needed when taking iodine.
Thank you so so much your advice is precious! And yes you’re correct, it’s 6.25mcg Levo daily!
Hi,
Can you pls tell us why they asked you to stop? Were your levels high? Ive never heard of anyone just stopping their thyroid treatment if they were diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormones need to be closely monitored during pregnancy because of their direct effect on the development of the fetus. As for Iodine it's a tricky lil thing, too much can cause you to become hypo and too little can make you hypo. I'll use myself as an example, the current recommendation in my country is 150 mcg but I was able to take 360 mcg. More than that and it raised my tsh levels. Also, those with hashimoto might react negatively to an iodine supplement. All to say, you are right to be cautious. I'm hesitant to suggest any of the brands but I'll let you make up your mind about them since you requested some advice. Both are from kelp sources.
Genestra liquid iodine
Now kelp powder supplement
Thank you so much hun! My fertility doctor asked me to stop because my levels are now 0.75 (so quite low on the side of hyperthyroidism!) and she said that iodine supplements will suffice.....I may need to bring my GP into this! I’m so confused!
ToughCOOKIE78
My fertility doctor asked me to stop because my levels are now 0.75 (so quite low on the side of hyperthyroidism!)
I'm afraid your fertility doctor is talking rubbish.
A level of 0.75 is, I am sure, not below the range for TSH. Most ranges start somewhere around 0.2 - 0.3. Do you have the range for your TSH test? If not ask for your complete result with range. If your level is within range you are not on the side of hypERthyroidism. If you are diagnosed hypOthyroid you cannot become hypERthyroid, although you can be overmedicated. And TSH does not tell you if you are overmedicated because it's not a thyroid hormone, it's a pituitary hormone. FT4 and FT3 are the thyroid hormones and it's when FT3 is over range that we are over medicated.
she said that iodine supplements will suffice....
More rubbish. What happens if you have sufficient iodine levels, you are not deficient and you start taking iodine?
As mentioned above, it used to be used to treat hypERthyroidism so it can make your hypothyroidism worse.
What is puzzling is that a dose of Levo of 6.25mcg daily is giving a Hypo patient a TSH level of 0.75. This could possibly point to the fact that you might have autoimmune thyroid disease (aka hashimoto's) where levels fluctuate and could explain why your TSH is that low on such a low dose of Levo. To know if you have Hashi's you will need thyroid antibodies tested.
I think you need clarity and have some further testing to do before you do anything else:
1) Full TSH, FT4, FT3, Thyroid antibody panel - post these on the forum with their reference ranges when you have them
2) Non-loading urine iodine test with Genova Diagnostics - details of how to order and receive results here:
thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
I’ve done antibodies and I don’t have Hashimotos...thank you again for your help!!!! 😃
One negative antibody test does not prove that you don't have Hashi's.
For a start, there are two antibodies for Hashi's - TPO ab and Tg ab. Have you had them both tested? One or the other, or both of them could be high, prooving that you do have it. But, antibodies fluctuate all the time, so just because they're low on the day of the test, doesn't mean they always are.
Plus, you should bear in mind that you don't even have to have over-range antibodies when having Hashi's. 20% of Hashi's people never have raised antibodies.
And, I have to say that you do sound as if you have it, as Susie says. 
Another thing, its important to take selenomethionine 200 mcg with the iodine to counter any effects of the iodine . Or you can eat 2 or 3 Brazil nuts a day. Google/discuss it with them
LadyHypo
Brazil nuts only contain selenium when they have been grown in selenium rich soil. Then it depends in which area the nuts were grown in because the amount of selenium in soil varies. Eastern Amazon and Central Brazil have the highest amounts:
honey-guide.com/2012/11/19/...
The packaging needs to say "Grown in selenium rich soil" and preferably the area and possibly the amount of selenium.
Members have been kind enough to give me the following information about where to obtain nuts that have a declared selenium content:
Apparently Sainsburys SO organic brazil nuts contain 50mcg selenium per 30g serving of nuts
sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/pro...
and their Fairtrade ones have 75mcg selenium per 30g serving
sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/pro...
One member has said that M&S Natural Brazil Nuts say "harvested by hand in the Amazon forest and naturally high in selenium".
Also, check out Aldi's "The Foodie Market" Brazil nuts, the packaging is said to show selenium content as 79mcg per 30g serving.
Another one is 'My Garden of Eden' Brazil nuts from Home Bargains.. They say "High in Selenium and high in vitamin E" on the front of the packet and the Nutritional Information says "one serving (25g) gives 63ug of Selenium".
Hey
Yes I'm aware that are soils aren't as they used to be in the past thus causing a lowering of available nutrients in our current food. I do appreciate your suggestion of reading labels to choose the best brazil nuts. It never occurred to me to look past the word organic. I cant buy the ones you mentioned because I live in Canada but bet your bottom dollar I'll take your advice and look for ones that have been grown in selenium rich soil. I do hope I can find one that has the measurement of selenium in mcg as you mentioned. Thank you.
I hope you can find some and that your food labelling is as useful as ours sometimes is
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