Get Rid of the Iodine, Get Rid of the Hypothyroidism?
Thursday September 11, 2003
One Japanese study looked at the frequency of iodine-induced reversiblehypothyroidism. This type of hypothyroidism is not rare, and particularly in Japan, where iodine-rich seaweed is freqeuently eaten. In looking at 33 different people with hypothyroidism (25 women, 8 men) ranging in age from 21 to 77, stopped taking any iodine-containing drugs and foods
(i.e., seaweed products) for a total of up to 2 months. Their median TSH level, initially 21.9 was reduced
to a median of 5.3 mU/L after restricting iodine. 21of the patients had a reduction in TSH of more than 50%, 11 became euthyroid, with TSH levels within the normal range of 0.3-3.9 mU/L.
In the case of these patients more than half of the patients recovered from primary hypothyroidism after restricting iodine intake.
In Japan, the intake of iodine can range from a low of 0.1 mg/day to levels as high as 20 mg/day. (By way of comparison, a typical multivitamin in the U.S. may have from 75 mcg [0.000075 grams]. Most table salt in the U.S., however, is iodized, meaning that it has iodine added.)
The younger generation in Japan typically eats low-iodine westernized food, while the middle-aged and older generation frequently eat iodine-rich seaweed.
Should you restrict iodine? Should you supplement iodine? Iodine continues to be a controversial topic for thyroid patients. Read more about iodine now.
Source: Kasagi, Kanji, et. al., " Effect of Iodine Restriction on Thyroid Function in Patients With Primary Hypothyroidism," Thyroid, 09/04/2003
In the case of these patients more than half of the patients recovered from primary hypothyroidism after restricting iodine intake.
In Japan, the intake of iodine can range from a low of 0.1 mg/day to levels as high as 20 mg/day. (By way of comparison, a typical multivitamin in the U.S. may have from 75 mcg [0.000075 grams]. Most table salt in the U.S., however, is iodized, meaning that it has iodine added.)
The younger generation in Japan typically eats low-iodine westernized food, while the middle-aged and older generation frequently eat iodine-rich seaweed.
Should you restrict iodine? Should you supplement iodine? Iodine continues to be a controversial topic for thyroid patients. Read more about iodine now.
Source: Kasagi, Kanji, et. al., " Effect of Iodine Restriction on Thyroid Function in Patients With Primary Hypothyroidism," Thyroid, 09/04/2003
Comments
Great to see that you are spreading the word about testing for iodine. It’s a great easy test to use. When I do it with my patients, I let them know about a little twist that really helps out.
On the subject of people being iodine deficient, there is a lot of controversy. Some say that it has to be impossible for Americans to be deficient with all the iodine added to table salt. Case closed, right? What are not taken into account (besides the fact that there are some that are not getting enough iodine) are the other additives we eat/drink. Fluoride, chloride and bromide are all in our drinking water (and a bunch of other stuff) so that we are getting large doses of these other elements. They have a similar structure to iodine, so they can bind to things that iodine can bind to (important when looking at thyroid hormone production and conversion to T3). Since these have a higher molecular weight, they bully out the iodine from binding to the hormone. Now the hormone is bound to this other stuff and is rendered useless. So, you can have sufficient iodine intake but still be clinically deficient because of toxicity.
While supplementing iodine, you need to make sure that you perform a PROPER detox program and elimination diet. That’s when you see your results (in more areas than this as well, detox will help rid of heavy metals, estrogens, etc.)
I’m a bit confused. The more iodine a person has, the more their BP should go up, helping them with their HYPOthyroidism (chronic low BP). If you have high BP you have HYPERthyrodism and should steer clear of iodine.
I may be missing something here so please explain.
Hi Yes you are the wrong way round too high is hyper too low is hypo, confusing report!
Hi, around 4 months back,my TSH was 5.52,i didn’t take any medicines and simply ignored that.Again I had checkup day before yesterday, Thyroxine level has decreased to 1.10 and TSH level has surprisingly increased to 249.I am worried,how it can increase to this much high value in this time span.How much time will it take to come to normal,if i take medicines?
To add my two cents:
Too little or too much iodine can induce hypothyroidism. We need iodine and an amino acid called tyrosine to create thyroid hormones (T3 & T4. In the thyroid these are created and then released when a hormone from the pituitary (TSH) signals. While some forms of hypothyroidism may arise from too little of this mineral, other forms may be caused by an autoimmune condition where antibodies block TSH receptors in the thyroid gland (Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis). Still another cause of hypothyroidism is dosing with very high amounts of iodine. Large amounts will shut down the thyroid and is a strategy often applied in the allopathic world in addressing forms of hyperthyroidism like Grave’s Disease. Grave’s disease, like Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition but in this case the antibodies stimulate the receptors in the thyroid gland continually releasing thyroid hormones.
Believe it or not, in the US diet we are increasing our intake of a material that is guaranteed to supress thyroid function and cause some longterm problems: Soy protein!
Yes, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease/overactive thyroid in my mid 20’s at the time I was fortunate to find a bright young doctor that was willing to experiment with me since the specialist had sent me for radioactive iodine which I refused on the spot. Within 3 months and medication to help regulate the thyroid and no more fish it decreased, it continued to decrease and within a year I was off medicines. I am now in my late 40’s and haven’t eaten fish since (we did experiments of eat fish from the ocean, blood test elevated, eat fish from the river lower iodine blood test elevated). I then had a stressful event in my life in my late 20’s and recognized my early signals I went in and was put on medication for the thyroid that had elevated from the stress and within 6 mths it was back to normal.
I am so happy I have my thyroid today and feel great with no medicines and healthy! Destroying organs so quickly and easily needs to be evaluated more carefully in my opinion and going thru the symptoms wasn’t pleasant however it was well worth it! Today I avoid fish and have a blood check once a year, so far I am fine and feel I get plenty of iodine from food other than fish, although I love fish!