Iodine Supplementation

Daily Needs & Supplement Types

HOW MUCH IODINE DO I NEED?

As our species evolved our genetics developed to depend on iodine for thousands of bodily functions. One theory in anthropology suggests that iodine played such a critical role in our evolution that Homo Sapiens proliferated because they developed the ability to concentrate iodine in their thyroid, while Neanderthals didn't and became extinct.

Most vitamins and minerals are received through your diet, but iodine is not, which makes supplementation critical. The soil used to contain much more iodine, but the last ice age pulled most of the mineral from the top soil, and over farming removed the rest. The only common foods with adequate iodine levels are sea vegetables, such as seaweed and kelp, but few people eat enough. Kelp tablets and multivitamins don’t contain enough iodine to reverse deficiency. It would take years and thousands of kelp tablets to catch up.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) set by the government is .15 milligrams (mg) per day, which is only enough to keep the thyroid from developing goiter. The RDA is the bare minimum amount needed to avoid severe medical complication, and the optimal amount of iodine has never been studied. Remember, your thyroid only contains about 3% of the body’s iodine, so many holistic health experts believe the RDA should be increased dramatically to supply the rest of your body. A woman’s breasts needs 5mg per day just to maintain itself. The Japanese culture averages about 13mg per day without side effects, which is 83 times higher than the RDA. Japan enjoys the lowest rates of cancer in the industrialized world.

Leading experts recommend daily iodine intake between 5-50mg, with 10-15mg being a safe maintenance level for most people. Holistic health doctors often instruct patients to try a saturation phase of 50mg a day (split into two 25mg doses) for 3-6 months initially to allow the body to recover from deficiency, and then reduce down to a 13mg maintenance level indefinitely.

There may be an adaptation phase when you start taking iodine, but after a few weeks it should pass and your body should regulate itself. The body may be repairing itself with the newfound nutrient, which could cause temporary fatigue. You may also feel side effects from your body flushing out toxic chemicals and heavy metals, such as bromine, fluorine, chlorine, lead and mercury.

Some people have a difficult time absorbing iodine, and others are hypersensitive or allergic. Daily iodine requirements can also depend on your size and metabolism, so dosage ranges can vary greatly.

Be careful because excessive iodine intake may induce hyperthyroid issues, but many doctors report that the symptoms go away without long term effects once iodine intake is reduced. Iodism is a medical condition that occurs when iodine levels in the body are so high that it becomes toxic. Iodism is often only reported when a person consumes hundreds of milligrams per day for an extended period of time. Some signs may be soreness of the teeth and gums, excess salivation, burning of the mouth and tongue, skin rash, headache, and swelling of the face and neck. If you experience or suspect any side effects, or have other concerns while taking iodine, stop taking iodine and consult your physician immediately.

WHAT TYPES OF SUPPLEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE?

There are two common supplements are on the market today- liquid Lugol’s Solution and Ioderol tablets. Since both products contain about the same ingredients - elemental iodine and potassium iodide - I prefer Lugol’s Solution because liquid supplements tend to absorb better. The liquid mixture has been used for a broad range of medical conditions since the 1920s. It was so popular that doctors used to have a saying, "If you don't know what, where, or why, prescribe K and I [potassium iodide]."

LiveLikeTim Lugol’s Solution is the highest quality iodine on the market. It is made from ultra pure Reagent USP grade potassium iodide and elemental iodine mixed into crystal clear distilled water.

There is a third product on the market called nascent iodine. The nascent form of iodine is produced by passing the naturally occurring form of iodine through intense electromagnetic fields. Nowhere in nature does the nascent form of iodine exist in food, and unless stabilized the nascent form quickly reverts back to the natural form found in Lugol's Solution. Nascent iodine manufacturers believe the nascent form is better utilized by our bodies, but have not produced convincing research to support that claim. Our bodies have evolved processes to translate the natural forms of iodine into the useable forms that our cells and organs require. Why mess with it?

SUPPLEMENTATION FACTS

• Iodine appears to be readily excreted from the body when there is excess intake. A common test, called a “stress test” is an accurate way to determine bodily saturation levels. If you take a large amount of iodine in a day, a doctor will measure the amount that comes out in your urine. The more in your urine, the less you need. What this also shows is that excess iodine is excreted easily through your urine. In my non-medical opinion this means that overdose and toxic amounts of iodine (called iodism) are unlikely. There is an old story of a man who thought Lugol’s Solution was tea and drank a glass. His face swelled and he felt ill, but did not die. In fact, his body released the excess iodine after a week and he experienced no long term problems.
• Many holistic doctors believe that iodine can be tolerated up to 200mg/day without adverse effects, and prescribe megadoses to cure diseases. A standard dose of iodine prescribed by doctors in the early 1900s was 750mg of potassium iodide. Other leaders in the field of iodine believe up to 15,000mg can be tolerated without adverse affects (100,000 times the RDA).
• Iodine is freely available in Mexico and Canada as an over the counter product. Iodine was available in the U.S. until 2007 when a law was passed restricting the sale because it is used in the production of methamphetamines like crystal meth. The concentration of Lugol’s Solution must be under 2.2% when sold commercially.

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