Using Iodine for health is something that I have been doing the past few months. I have been researching and supplementing with higher levels of iodine. I have been swimming a lot this year and I began to feel odd symptoms which prompted me to start looking at Iodine more closely. I had been supplementing this for a long time previously, but I realised my doses were too small to be having much impact especially given my exposure to the chlorine in the pool several times per week.
The symptoms I began to experience included itchy skin, a few breathing issues directly after exposure, tiredness, some aches, and pains and the most troubling was that my throat started to feel constricted and tight. This prompted me to look at my thyroid and then of course iodine popped into the equation in greater focus.
What is Iodine?
Iodine is a mineral that is essential for human health and is needed by pretty much every bodily function. Having a lack of this essential mineral can be devastating for health and can cause a myriad of symptoms and damage.
Iodine is similar in its structure to Chloride, Chlorine Fluoride and Bromide. These are all toxic to the human body but are found readily in our environment, particularly Bromide.
When we are deficient in iodine and most people are, our cells take these other chemicals into them as they are similar in structure, so the body believes it is iodine. This causes many symptoms, toxicity being the main one.
When we start by supplementing iodine the cells start detoxing these chemicals. This needs to happen first so that there is space for the iodine to get into the cells. This process is often why people may feel worse when they first start using iodine. They are detoxing all the other nasty chemicals out. This process can vary in intensity and time from individual to individual.
Recommended daily intake.
The recommended daily intake (RDI) for iodine is 150mcg or micrograms. This is equivalent to 1.5mg (milligrams). This is incredibly low and far too low for your body to have enough iodine to use as it needs. For example: the primary user of Iodine in the body is the thyroid gland the sex organs / glands need most of the remaining iodine present and then the rest of the body gets whatever is left which is often zero %!
My protocol
I use and recommend Lugol’s 15% iodine, this version is well absorbed and tolerated by humans and animals and works very well to build the Iodine back up in the body.
One drop of the 15% is equivalent to 18.75mg of iodine. Dr Brownstein who is an authority on the mineral often recommends up to 50mg + for his clients. The trick is to start slow and increase your dose gradually by titrating up. Of course, when I am working with clients I will Kinesiology test them to see what their body tells us it needs. Generally speaking, clients start on 1 drop for a week. Then increase this to 2 drops for a week and then to 3 drops per week and so on. You must always add the drops to a tumbler of water to take. Do not take directly from the bottle it will most likely burn and it will stain.
When treating more specific complaints some people apply the Iodine onto their skin, it is safe to do this but please seek advice if you are unsure.
Gradually increasing the dose as above will hopefully mitigate any unwanted detox symptoms that can occur as the toxins are becoming displaced by the iodine. As I say above this process of detoxification needs to happen so the iodine can get to where it is needed and be used properly by the body.
Co-factors
Other minerals that are helpful to take alongside Iodine as cofactors include.
Selenium, around 50 – 100iug (that’s milligrams) per day is sufficient. This is needed especially when you start taking Iodine.
Magnesium is also an important mineral (I will write an article on that soon!) to take alongside iodine. Get up to 600mg per day. I like the ionic form of magnesium as recommended by Dr Carolyn Dean author of the Magnesium Miracle.
Celtic sea salt ¼ teaspoon taken in a glass of filtered water is also recommended when you begin taking iodine. This helps flush any of the toxins out of the body as well as giving you some ore essential trace minerals.
Vitamin C is important also,take up to 4000mgor as much as your own bowel tolerance will allow.
Precautions
If you have thyroid issues, it would be good for you to check with a practitioner (I test my clients for their individual needs). Start slow and increase your dose very slowly. Also be mindful of taking the co-factors that I mention above.
Lugol’s Iodine
The brand I am using and recommend is here:
15% Max Strength Lugol’s Iodine Solution Dr : Amazon.co.uk: Health & Personal Care
Resources / Further reading:
Dr Brownstein has lots of great videos and interviews on YouTube as does Dr Elizabeth Bright and Lynne Farrow.
Books
The Iodine Crisis by Lynne Farrow
Iodine – Why you need it, why you can’t live without it by Dr Brownstein
One missing mineral can transform your health by Robert Redfern
Healing with Iodine, Your Missing Link to Better Health – Dr Mark Sircus