Iodine Testing

[Annieza]

Hi

Can anyone recommend an Iodine test?

I have read that a 24 hour loading test is the best and to also test for Bromide and Flouride as they can block absorption but I'm not sure where to get this done.

Many thanks!

[Lalatoot]

Block absorption of what?

[Annieza in reply to Lalatoot]

Iodine

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Are you currently prescribed any levothyroxine?

Are you vegetarian or vegan

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Iodine test

If you want to do an iodine test then the best is a non-loading urine test which can be done with Genova Diagnostics.

Details of test in the pdf linked to on ThyroidUK's page here, along with details of how to order and receive your results :

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

The test code is END25 and can be found on page 3 of the pdf.

[Annieza in reply to SlowDragon]

No I'm not taking any levo and as my results are always in range im not being diagnosed with anything. I'm vegetarian. I have high thyroid antibodies.

I take selenium, vit D with K2, omega fish oils. B complex and sometimes Vit C. I also take a DHT blocker for my hair loss and turmeric.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Annieza]

What are your most recent vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 results

Very difficult to maintain optimal B12, iron and ferritin with Hashimoto’s and vegetarian

[Annieza in reply to SlowDragon]

I'm waiting on full iron panel tests. I feel I have gut issues so tried going vegetarian for a bit but I dont think this helps. I'm going to start back on meat after pay day. I had medichecks thyroid tests done in November and my results were:

Ferritin 49.4 (13-150)

Folate 8.32 (greater than 3.89)

B12 active 77.700 (37.5 - 188)

Vit D 45.4 - this is falling in the insufficient range.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Annieza]

Remember it’s important to stop taking vitamin B complex a week before all blood tests as biotin can falsely affect test results

Ferritin is too low

As vegetarian likely to need to supplement

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

Eating iron rich foods like pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times year if supplementing

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Annieza]

Low vitamin DGP should prescribe 1600iu everyday for 6 months

NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required

ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...

GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol. Some CCG areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing

vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7. One spray = 1000iu

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average

Vitamin D and thyroid disease

grassrootshealth.net/blog/t...

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease

newscientist.com/article/23...

Government recommends everyone supplement October to April

gov.uk/government/news/phe-...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

[greygoose]

Why do you think you have low iodine? Even if you did, it's not recommended to take iodine with Hashi's. If you are hypo - and I believe you still haven't been diagnosed - the hypo will be due to the Hashi's, so iodine won't help and could make things a lot worse.

[Annieza in reply to greygoose]

I guess I'm just trying to rule things out because I'm losing hope and really worried about the future of my health. I'm looking at iron deficiency and gut health but just wanted to check if iodine is an issue. I do experience dry mouth, dry skin, hair loss,cold hands, feet and legs and often feel tired and low so wondered if it was an iodine deficiency.

[greygoose in reply to Annieza]

But you are hypo, and you have Hashi's. Those are hypo symptoms. And, even if you were iodine deficient, I don't know what you could do about it - apart from eating more iodine-rich foods - because iodine is not something you should self-treat with. There are protocols to set up. And, I don't know where you would find a doctor to help you with all that. If I were you, I'd save my money and concentrate on getting a Hashi's diagnosis.

[Annieza in reply to greygoose]

My endo acknowledged that I have hashis as I showed her my medichecks report but she said my tsh was in range so they dont treat it.

[greygoose in reply to Annieza]

Yes, I know. But just having a TSH in range doesn't mean you can't have symptoms. They just don't understand that. They know so little about thyroid. They think that if the TSH is anywhere in range, you must be alright, but, not only do they know nothing about thyroid, they don't understand ranges, and they are assuming that the pituitary is working perfectly, which isn't always the case. After all, if the thyroid can go wonky, why not the pituitary?

However, according to NICE, if your TSH goes over-range, and you have low FT4, and high antibodies, they should treat you.

Don't believe everything your endo tells you. They have a tendancy to make it up as they go along, and are capable of telling you the exact opposite the next time to you see them!

[Annieza in reply to greygoose]

Exactly, and until tsh goes out of range, I can only educate and help myself. My endo kept trying to say its PCOS but eventually she ruled that out. Now shes acting like my symptoms are all in my head and until tsh goes over she wont do anything.

[greygoose in reply to Annieza]

Yup, a very familiar story. They just have no idea so they try to blame the patient.

It's good that you're educating yourself - and before you know it, you'll know far more than her! But, really, I think that iodine is a none-starter in your quest for health.

[Serendipitious]

Annieza,

I had one done via Biolab. As a vegetarian, if you dont eat fish for example then it MAY put you at risk of lower levels of iodine.

Here is the test I did:

biolab.co.uk/index.php/cmsi...

My result was ever so slightly low but I'm focusing on eating iodine rich foods rather than taking iodine itself. I'm not vegetarian but I dont have much dairy and dairy is a source of iodine.

[Annieza in reply to Serendipitious]

Thank you