Iodine – Could It Be Your Miracle Cure?
Iodine: Nutritional help for some with Obesity, Fatigue/Foggy thinking, PCOS, and Other Problems
I am doing more reading on nutrition and iodine, and discussing with hormone and nutritional specialists. I have found that similar to Vitamin D deficit, many people suffer an iodine deficit, especially in the Great Lakes region where soils have some of the lowest concentrations if iodine in the world.
All cells in the body need iodine for proper functioning, especially our glands which make our hormones. Iodine supplementation under a doctor’s supervision has significantly helped certain people with weight loss (especially those who really are exercising and eating a healthy low calorie diet but not losing weight, and often those with lower basal temperatures), fatigue and foggy thinking, fibrocystic breasts, polycystic ovaries (PCOS), certainly goiters, arthritis, and others. Often people or children who are in pools a lot can have iodine deficiency.
The only significant sources of iodine are in seafood and seaweed/kelp, and iodized salt has very little iodine. The average Japanese diet contains 12mg/day of iodine. Our iodine supplement contains 10mg/capsule of potassium iodide. Starting out a person may need more than one a day under our direction, but then most people eventually go to one a day. The cost nicely is just $16 for #120 capsules.
Often after 4 to 6 months people are replenished and do not need the supplement all the time. I ask my patients to monitor and record 1 to 2 times a week their basal AM temperatures, and see me in follow up to discuss how they are doing in 2 months. We may well add a combination potassium iodide and iodine combination supplement because studies have shown certain people need both (is a little more expensive).
The best method to accurately assess iodine levels is with a 24 hour urine collection. This costs about $100 and usually not covered by insurance. I do an iodine spot test in our office for free, and it is a good screen. I apply a spot of liquid iodine best on a person’s abdomen and let it dry. Your skin has a supply of iodine, and if you are deficient then your skin will also be more deficient. The spot on people with enough iodine generally will last at least 12 and usually near 24 hours. If it lasts less than 12 hours, I feel adding iodine under my direction certainly has a good chance to help the person’s health.
One 30 year old patient of mine recently was unable to lose weight with very good exercise and diet. Her basal temps were always about 97 and she has PCOS. With iodine supplementation, her basal temps are 98.6 and she has lost 10 pounds in 2 months with the same exercise and diet. She also has much more energy!
Please let me know, if I do not bring it up first at your visit, if you want an iodine spot test and discuss the potential benefits and dose for you.
Dr. Lisa
