Iodine Test Review

Jackie Harvey

The Iodine Test• Tincture of Iodine/skin test; Not precise-

but lay-person can perform at home.– Paint tincture on a 2 inch spot on arm-if it disappears in less than

eight hours…You are severely deficient in iodine. If it disappears in 24 hours you also need iodine…if it stays on your arm and begins to slowly fade in color after a full 24 hours, you have reached iodine sufficiency. – may be only testing amount of deficiency in the skin!

• Urine Iodine Loading is accurate– Collect baseline “spot urine. Then take 50 mg of iodine and collect

all urine in next 24 hour period. If you secrete out 90% or more iodine you have iodine sufficiency. If the percentage is less than

90% you are iodine deficient

WHY TEST?

• Iodine deficiency is Pandemic - 70%…of the world’s population is estimated to be iodine deficient Nutrition Research, vol 24, Issue 12

Pp1005-1010, S. Elahi, Z. Syed, S Nagra

WHY TEST?

• “IodineWhy You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It.” David Brownstein MD,

2nd edition, 2006

• Recent Study…Of 3000 patients (USA) tested

• 95% were found to be deficient.

Why Test?• Is detected in every organ and tissue in

the body– Especially high levels are found in

the• Thyroid• Liver• Lung• Heart• Adrenals

– And highest concentrations in fat and muscle tissue– Sweat glands– Stomach tissue

Why Test?Summary of established conditions responsive to

orthoiodo supplementation • Fibrocystic breasts• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome• Hypothyroid & Hyperthyroid• Cognitive dysfunction (Brain fog)• Diabetes• Heart Arrhythmias (supra-ventricular, e.g. atrial fib.)

• Breast Cancer preventionFlechas JD. Orthoiodosupplementation in a Primary Care Practice. The Original Internist, 2005;

12(2):89-96

WHY are DOCTORS not onboard?

There was an era where it was spoken about as a

“cure-all” because it helped so many things! However, today it is irrationally avoided (iodophobia) as a clinical therapy due to a great deal of medical misinformation (Abraham GE, The historical background

of the iodine project. The Original Internist, 12(2):57-66)

Where is Iodine Found?

• Between 1917 and 1924 salt was successfully iodized for the prevention of goiter and cretinism. Note: a minimum of 0.05 mg/day (50mcg/day) is needed for prevention. There were marketing efforts to discourage the use of Lugol’s solution and forms of iodine supplementation in favor of the iodized salt.

Where is Iodine Found?

• In the 1960s bread dough contained potassium iodate as a dough conditioner, which added 150mcg of iodide per slice. Beginning in the 1970s this was replaced by Bromine (iodine antagonist and goitrogenic substance)

FOOD SERVING Iodine (mcg)

Salt (iodized) 1 gram 77

Cod 3 ounces 99

Shrimp 3 ounces 35

Fish sticks 2 fish sticks 35

Tuna, in oil 3 ounces 17

Milk (cow’s) 1 cup (8 oz) 56

Egg, boiled 1 large 12

Navy beans ½ cup 32

Potato c peel 1 medium 60

Turkey breast 3 ounces 34

Seaweed ¼ ounce, dried >4,500

Lugol’s Solution• Dr Abrahams notes that the research

shows that the thyroid gland prefers Iodide

• The other organs (breasts etc.) prefer elemental Iodine.

*both forms are present in equal parts in Lugols solution

RDA in US=150ug

• Mainline Japanese population consume 13.8mg of iodine/day

• 92 x 150ug (RDA) = 13,800ug=13.8mg

Allergic ReactionsExecutive Summary

• Anaphylactoid reactions to RCM (Radiocontrast Material) should not be considered evidence of KI allergy.

• Allergic contact dermatitis from iodine-containing antibacterial preparations should not be considered evidence of IgE antibody mediated KI allergy or sensitivity.

Academy Position Statement: The Risk of Severe Allergic Reactions from the Use of Potassium Iodide for Radiation Emergencies. American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunonology. February 24, 2004.

Allergic ReactionsExecutive Summary (cont’d)

• IgE antibody mediated allergy to seafood should not be considered evidence of KI allergy or sensitivity.

• Physicians should ensure that persons are not allergic to inactive ingredients/components of the KI formulation prescribed.

Academy Position Statement: The Risk of Severe Allergic Reactions from the Use of Potassium Iodide for Radiation Emergencies. American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunonology. February 24, 2004.

Therapeutic Protocol

50% or less spill - 50 mg/day for 3 months

70% to 51% spill - 25 mg/day for 6 months

89% to 71% spill 12.5 mg/day for 1 year

Re-test at the end of each protocol

Possible Side effectsCAUTION DETOXIFICATION

(spilling Bromine, chlorine and Hg) Feeling funky, e.g.

Headaches Malaise

Loss of appetiteSleep Difficulty

*Reduce dose for two weeks and retry.

Thyroidectomy

• Even patients with no thyroid gland benefited from iodine therapy: