Hi, I've just got back from Holland and Barrett... - Thyroid UK

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Hi, I've just got back from Holland and Barrett, I went to buy some Sea Kelp

12 years ago•12 Replies

But I was advised buy staff not to buy this because its no good for Underactive Thyroid suffers I could not understand this as I had read that is was? Anyway I took their advice and came home with vitamin B-complex, What does anyone else think?? Tina

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Loosingit

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greygoose12 years ago

Personally, I think they were absolutely right. I know there is a huge body of people out there advocating iodine for hypo, but speaking as one for whom iodine went wrong, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who wasn't iodine deficient.

It's true that thyroid hormones are made from iodine (and other things). T4 has four iodine atoms. But the thing about iodine is that it is recycled in the body. When T4 is converted into T3, one iodine molecule is removed and goes back to the thyroid to make more hormone.

However, if the gland is having trouble with making hormone, bombarding it with extra iodine is not going to help it. In fact, it can cause the hypo to become worse, or to develope into Hashimoto's, or even cause cancer.

It is also true that some people are hypo because they are iodine deficient, but it is wise to check whether you are deficient or not before taking suppliments.

That's my take on it, anyway - and the take of many, many other people, too.

Grey

helvellaAdministrator12 years ago

I note from a previous post that you seem to be on 100 mcg of levothyroxine? If so, that is already providing over 60 mcg of iodine in itself!

If the daily requirement is 150 mcg, and you are getting 60 mcg already, you only need 90 mcg from your diet. I suspect that most people are getting enough or almost enough from their diets already.

Of course, this is very simplified, but it does point towards a possibility that they are indeed right (at H&B). Making decisions about an individual from knowledge of a population is not a good idea. But you have to start thinking about the issues somewhere,and this seems sensible.

I would also advise you get tested for vitamin B12, folates, iron/ferritin and vitamin D (if you have not already been tested) as we all too often see hypothyroid people being low in these as well.

Rod

RedAppleAdministrator12 years ago

Here's an excerpt from an article on Mary Shomon's website, entitled '5 Lies About Your Thyroid Disease That You're Likely to Hear'

4. If You Have a Thyroid Problem, Take Iodine or Kelp

Nnatural health practitioners who don't truly understand thyroid function are often quick to tell you that "thyroid problems mean you need iodine" or iodine-containing herbs or supplements, such as kelp, bladderwrack and bugleweed.

If you are truly iodine deficient, iodine may be able to help your thyroid. One study done in 1998 found that over the past twenty years, the percentage of Americans with low intake of iodine has more than quadrupled. Currently about 12 percent of the U.S. population is iodine deficient, up from less than 3 percent in the early 1970s. So, for some people, iodine deficiency may be a factor in their thyroid problem.

But for some people, iodine or iodine-containing products make worsen autoimmune thyroid problems, both Hashimoto's and Graves' disease, and cause enlargement of the thyroid (goiter). Before you start iodine, consider having urinary iodine measured to see if you have an actual deficiency, and pay close attention to any symptoms that develop after you start to take iodine.

thyroid.about.com/od/thyroi...

PinkNinja12 years ago

iodine levels also affect the rate of conversion of T4 to T3. If you suddenly increase your iodine you can end up with T4 being converted more slowly which may exacerbate symptoms. If you are deficient you need to increase slowly to avoid this slowdown in conversion, at least I think that's what I read. I can't find the article now. It's probably to do with the equilibrium of keeping iodine levels nice. If you have an excess of iodine then your body won't want to break off more from the T4 to make T3.

Sorry if that doesn't make sense. And I only had the one glass of wine too!

Carolyn x

nostoneunturned12 years ago

Perhaps these two links will reinforce the above negative attitudes (correct, in my opinion) to the idea of taking extra iodine.

livestrong.com/article/5320...

suite101.com/article/iodine...

Please note that the statement in the second "When you take Levothyroxine, you are absorbing the hormone (the already-synthesised tyrosine and iodine combination). You are not taking iodine" in no way negates the information in Rod's post which is confirmed in the first link

deskplant12 years ago

You can become hypo from iodine insufficiency. But that is very specific. I'm assuming you are not hypo from iodine insufficiency. The best description I ever heard on this issue of iodine e.g. kelp etc versus hormone replacement is this (this was a doctor on TV a while ago now but I've still not seen anything that betters it):

Imagine your thyroid is a ball. And it's shaking slightly. This is a normal thyroid as it functions. Now take half of it away. And then slow down the bit that remains until it's moving slowly to not at all. This is a hypo thyroid gland. Now add iodine (and he quoted kelp supplements specifically here). You still have only half of the ball, but now start shaking it faster and faster and faster. It's now moving much faster than it should be but so much of it is still missing. This long term will actually decrease what function you have left as you wear out your remaining half ball. This stays at this speed, super fast until it can no longer sustain function. In which case nothing you do will then speed this remaining half ball up again. He was categorical that people taking long term kelp etc on low thyroid can produce this problem. In some healthy people or even hypos taking far too much iodine etc, they can get hyper symptoms temporarily. Remember this half ball is shaking super fast non stop.

So lets go back one step. You have half your ball and it's moving slowly or not at all. Now we add hormone replacement therapy. What hormone replacement does is patch in the remainder of the ball, so it's patched together but a whole unit. Now it starts to speed up to normal levels. It's not as good as a working model without damage but it's as close as possible.

The difference is this, iodine makes your broken thyroid run without offering repair. And although you may feel short term benefit, longer term will you will feel worse and may need higher hormone treatments. Supplements that include iodine should be used by just slightly underwell people for short periods only although you should obtain enough iodine in your diet.

Some people use kelp to slightly speed up a healthy thyroid to help weight loss (as hypers tend to lose weight, and no this is not healthy and is not recommended). So iodine is not a permanent hypo thyroid replacement therapy and high long term use can create damage. And this is why they said no. And yes it's confusing why so many thyroid 'supports' include iodine. The answer being they are assuming you are not actually hormonally hypothyroid to any significant level. Body builders use thyroid hormones and iodine before competitions etc to reduce subcutaneous fats. It's always worth noting that these supplements/kelps tend to be next to or near the bodybuilding or weight loss products too like protein powders etc! Hypos/hypers tend to think we're the only ones interested in thyroid function. Nope!!!

I hope that helps. And I hope you feel well soon. Sending hugs.

Loosingit12 years ago

Thank you all for your replies, H&B offered good advice then, Deskplant your description was very good, I could actually take it in, lol, I do struggle a bit with all the information about underactive still learning about it. Thanks Tina :))

Lea-p7 years ago

Well it is but maybe not in conjunction with

Pharmaceuticals

Lea-p7 years ago

I would try it

Qubenalex4 years ago

Rubbish. I've always taken help to keep me slim and to keep my thyroid from being underactive and it works when I stop taking it I put on weight

helvellaAdministrator• in reply toQubenalex4 years ago

There are many issues with iodine and underactive thyroid.

Some people are very seriously affected by taking iodine supplementation.

And some appear to think that they can take iodine instead of thyroid hormone when their thyroid is unable to make thyroid hormone - e.g. after thyroidectomy or when it has been destroyed by autoimmune processes.

It does does seem somewhat odd to join a forum and post a dismissive response on an eight year old thread as your very first contribution.

helvellaAdministrator4 years ago

This is an eight year old post - I shall now close it to replying.

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