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Iodine deficiency?
A friend with a hypothyroid disorder and breast cancer wants me to go on iodine because of her recently reading about the need for iodine if you don’t have a functioning thyroid. I am hypothyroid and also had thyroid cancer 4 years ago. I still have 25% of my right side. My doctor called this iodine question voodoo medicine and said there was no need but my friend is adamant that taking iodine is important. Any experience with this issue?
All tests negative for Hashimoto’s, I had a hurtle cell adenoma and papillary cell thyroid cancer. I still have all of my parathyroid glands as well as 25% of right side of thyroid. Levels are stable. Due to other health concerns I am just trying to be proactive in checking out the iodine idea as a protectant to breast cancer which is what I was being told. However, my doctor didn’t think there was anything. However, my cousin who is hypothyroid, a breast cancer survivor and a chiropractor takes iodine and says it is very important that I take it.
Confusing!
Confusing!
COMMUNITY LEADER
What's the cause of your hypothyroidism? Hashimoto's is the most common cause in the developed world. Do you have results for TPOab and TgAb, which are the markers for Hashimoto's?
Thank you for the input. I do not have Hashimoto’s. However, I do have autoimmune hepatitis as of fall ’13. My immune system was attacking my liver and I now take an immune suppressant. I was a bit scared to take the iodine in case it effected my liver in a negative way.
Red Star— I do have very dry mouth and skin. They thought maybe I had sjogrens but I come up negative on the test. I will ask my doctor about the urine 24 hr loading test.
Red Star— I do have very dry mouth and skin. They thought maybe I had sjogrens but I come up negative on the test. I will ask my doctor about the urine 24 hr loading test.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Do you know if you have Hashimoto's? Iodine is often contraindicated for those with Hashimoto's.
Just to add, vitamin D deficiency is strongly linked to increased risk of cancer. Optimal vitamin D is currently considered to be 40 - 60 ng/mL (100 - 150 nmol/L).
Excerpt from Medical News Today - High vitamin D levels may increase breast cancer survival...
"The studies included a total of 4,443 patients with breast cancer and were performed between 1966 and 2010. All patients were followed for an average of 9 years.
Patients were divided into groups dependent on the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood. Women in the "high" group had an average of 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood, while women in the "low" group had an average of 17 ng/ml in their blood.
The investigators note that the average blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D for breast cancer patients in the US is 17 ng/ml."
"The team found that women who had high levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood had around a 50% lower fatality rate, compared with women who had low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood.
Explaining why he believes vitamin D decreases fatality rates for breast cancer patients, Prof. Garland says that vitamin D metabolites increase communication between cells by activating a protein that halts aggressive cell division.
"As long as vitamin D receptors are present, tumor growth is prevented and kept from expanding its blood supply," he adds."
Excerpt from Medical News Today - High vitamin D levels may increase breast cancer survival...
"The studies included a total of 4,443 patients with breast cancer and were performed between 1966 and 2010. All patients were followed for an average of 9 years.
Patients were divided into groups dependent on the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood. Women in the "high" group had an average of 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood, while women in the "low" group had an average of 17 ng/ml in their blood.
The investigators note that the average blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D for breast cancer patients in the US is 17 ng/ml."
"The team found that women who had high levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood had around a 50% lower fatality rate, compared with women who had low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood.
Explaining why he believes vitamin D decreases fatality rates for breast cancer patients, Prof. Garland says that vitamin D metabolites increase communication between cells by activating a protein that halts aggressive cell division.
"As long as vitamin D receptors are present, tumor growth is prevented and kept from expanding its blood supply," he adds."
You may need iodine. A 24-hour urine loading test is the best way to determine iodine levels. Here is some info on iodine...
Excerpt from Dr Mercola's article: How Iodine Deficiency May Affect Your Child's Brain Function and IQ....
"Your Body Needs Iodine for More than Just Your Thyroid
Dr. Flechas presents a number of interesting facts about iodine that is not widely known. For example, did you know that thyroid hormones are created not just in your thyroid, but also in a woman's ovaries (thyroid T2), and in the white blood cells of your bone marrow? Furthermore, iodine is not only required for proper function of your thyroid. Other tissues that absorb and use large amounts of iodine include:
Breasts
Salivary glands
Pancreas
Cerebral spinal fluid
Skin
Stomach
Brain
Thymus
Iodine deficiency, or insufficiency, in any of these tissues will lead to dysfunction of that tissue. Hence the following symptoms could provide clues that you're not getting enough iodine in your diet. For example, iodine deficiency in:
Salivary glands = inability to produce saliva, producing dry mouth
Skin = dry skin, and lack of sweating. Three to four weeks of iodine
supplementation will typically reverse this symptom, allowing your body to sweat normally again
Brain = reduced alertness, and lowered IQ
Muscles = nodules, scar tissue, pain, fibrosis, fibromyalgia"
***
Medline Plus - Iodine...
"Iodine is used to prevent iodine deficiency and its consequences, including goiter. It is also used for treating a skin disease caused by a fungus (cutaneous sporotrichosis); treating fibrocystic breast disease; preventing breast cancer, eye disease, diabetes, and heart disease and stroke; and as an expectorant.
Iodine is also used to for radiation emergencies, to protect the thyroid gland against radioactive iodides."
Excerpt from Dr Mercola's article: How Iodine Deficiency May Affect Your Child's Brain Function and IQ....
"Your Body Needs Iodine for More than Just Your Thyroid
Dr. Flechas presents a number of interesting facts about iodine that is not widely known. For example, did you know that thyroid hormones are created not just in your thyroid, but also in a woman's ovaries (thyroid T2), and in the white blood cells of your bone marrow? Furthermore, iodine is not only required for proper function of your thyroid. Other tissues that absorb and use large amounts of iodine include:
Breasts
Salivary glands
Pancreas
Cerebral spinal fluid
Skin
Stomach
Brain
Thymus
Iodine deficiency, or insufficiency, in any of these tissues will lead to dysfunction of that tissue. Hence the following symptoms could provide clues that you're not getting enough iodine in your diet. For example, iodine deficiency in:
Salivary glands = inability to produce saliva, producing dry mouth
Skin = dry skin, and lack of sweating. Three to four weeks of iodine
supplementation will typically reverse this symptom, allowing your body to sweat normally again
Brain = reduced alertness, and lowered IQ
Muscles = nodules, scar tissue, pain, fibrosis, fibromyalgia"
***
Medline Plus - Iodine...
"Iodine is used to prevent iodine deficiency and its consequences, including goiter. It is also used for treating a skin disease caused by a fungus (cutaneous sporotrichosis); treating fibrocystic breast disease; preventing breast cancer, eye disease, diabetes, and heart disease and stroke; and as an expectorant.
Iodine is also used to for radiation emergencies, to protect the thyroid gland against radioactive iodides."
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