Iodine in yoghurt...and the possibility of it interfering with correct blood test result.

[Knip]

I am dairy free and I have just had my Thyroxine reduced from 125 mg to 100mg. My question is that the Tesco plant based soya plain yoghurt that I normally would have, now has iodine added. One fifth of a pot, my normal consumption, contains 45.0µg iodine. I am due to have a retest to see if the reduction was the correct decision or not, in three weeks (six weeks from the start of the lower dose). Would this make a difference to the result? I know this is a long shot but perhaps someone on here will know. Appreciate any views on this. Best wishes to you all, Knip.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Would you be asking the question if you were consuming ordinary plain yogurt?

That contains, apparently, 20 to 41 micrograms per 100 grams.

(Just did a quick check but it seems about right to me: milk.co.uk/iodine-info/ )

The added iodine in dairy-replacement products appears to be intended to closely follow what would be found in the dairy equivalent. I would not be surprised if they are doing it to avoid the likelihood of being sued in future rather than any other motive.

If it is offered as a dairy-substitute, I think an ordinary person might well swap without thinking about iodine. And, if they end up severely deficient, could decide to use the courts.

Look at what else you consume that contains iodine. It is your total intake that matters - not the yogurt alone. Though it is difficult to have any idea for many foods such as vegetables which depend on precisely where they are grown.

I'd personally not be concerned at consuming the standard claimed requirement of 150 micrograms a day in total. Others might be but I suspect most of us are fine up to around that level.

[Knip in reply to helvella]

Thank you Helvella. I had not realised that dairy milk already has iodine in it! I am aware of it in fish etc of course. I only asked the question because of the importance of my thyroid blood test as to whether I can go back up to 125mg or have to stay at 100mg. I am not having bad side effects from lowering but do now feel the cold much more, even given the seasonal changes, which was one of my key symptoms from before. You have clarified that the amount contained in the yoghurt is minimal...I had no idea how to convert the numbers! Guess things have changed considerably since i was at school in the fifties and very early sixties in that more detail is required in maths and chemistry. I really do appreciate you taking the time to do the working out and research for me. Thank you so much, God Bless, Knip.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Knip]

It is very difficult to know how much iodine we consume.

For processed foods, they should say how much iodine if it is an ingredient of any sort. But for fruit and vegetables, fungi, meat, dairy, cereals, etc., we almost never have anything better than estimates.

[Regenallotment]

not sure if it’s relevant to your case but I’ve been advised to avoid soy based products, (from admins here and also reading in Izabella Wentz) could the soy content affect hormone levels? How about time of day of testing? Meds 24 hours before, fasting? Did you do all of that? Did you feel well on 125mcg or overmedicated? What was the basis/justification for the reduction? 🦋💚🦋

[Knip in reply to Regenallotment]

Hi, R, thank you fro your reply. I didn't feel overmdedicated on 125mg but my TSH dropped low and my T4 was raised...results posted below. I was told to have a retest in six weeks...that is in two weeks time. I had been on Budesonide ( equivalent of 39mg prednisone dropping eventually to the equivalent of 13mg Prednisone) for Chrons Disease over a six month period before the test, and I had just stopped that a couple of weeks prior. I wondered if that might have impacted on the result. I know mine is autoimmune and Prednisone works on My RA which is also autoimmune. I hope the above makes sense. Take care, Knip.

Result

Normal range

Date

Serum TSH level < 0.01 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20 Abnormal

10 Aug 2022

Serum free T4 level 25.9 pmol/L 12.0 - 22.0

[Lalatoot]

Knip there is thought that soy disrupts the uptake of thyroid hormones by the body. The research if you search online is not cut and dried and it may be that small quantities of soy are ok. However as many on here have a body that needs all the help it can get to achieve efficient use of thyroid hormones the advice is avoid all soy.

[Knip in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you Lalatoot. I drink nut milks but usually have soy yoghurt. I haven't found a nut yoghurt without coconut oil in it, which I can't take. It's all quite complicated. Thake care, K.

[radd]

Knip,

Your yogurt iodine content is fine. We don’t make iodine so need to get it from our diet, & those of us medicating will receive a large proportion of iodine from our thyroid hormone replacements.

Even if we don't have a thyroid gland and are medicating total thyroid hormone replacement, iodine is still essential as has many other influences such as on oestrogen. 

I would avoid soy yogurts though.

 

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Knip

It's generally advised here to avoid soy products.

From the British Thyroid Foundation:

btf-thyroid.org/thyroid-and...

Soya

Soya interferes with thyroxine absorption, therefore if you are taking thyroxine you should try to avoid soya. If you wish to take soya, there should be as long a time interval as possible between eating the soya and taking the thyroxine.

There is evidence of certain brands of soya milk being withdrawn from sale by authorities in countries such as Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Japan because they contained excessive amounts of iodine or being highly enriched with seaweed products that naturally contain iodine.

[Knip in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you Susie. I've have taken a quick peep and will enjoy settling down and reading that later this afternoon. I have already learnt so much from my intial post this morning. This site is so helpful and saves us hours of hunting for information on our own. I really appreciate your reply. Take care, Knip.