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THE IODINE DEFICIENCY EPIDEMIC:
LINKED TO THYROID & BREAST DISEASES, CANCER, & OBESITY.
LINKED TO MENTAL RETARDATION IN CHILDREN.
Summary by Laura Power, PhD, LDN
Based on work of: Guy Abraham, MD, David Brownstein, MD, and Linnette
Beck
There is an epidemic of Iodine deficiency
in this country – one that affects every man, woman and child – and
especially vegetarians. Over the last 30 years our Iodine intake has
declined 50% (removed from our food supply!), while the ingestion of
toxic competing halogens (bromine, fluorine, chlorine, perchlorate) has
dramatically increased in food, water, medicines and the environment.
[For example: Iodine in wheat has been replaced with Bromine, the gas
used to fumigate your house for termites!] Simultaneously there has been
a related increase in the rates of thyroid disease, breast cancer,
fibrocystic breast disease, prostate cancer, and obesity -- plus
developmental delays and mental retardation in children! Meanwhile in
Japan Iodine intake is up to 100 times higher, while all of these same
diseases are significantly lower!
Symptoms of Iodine or Thyroid Deficiency
Do you have any of these symptoms? Brittle nails, cold hands and feet,
cold intolerance, depression, difficulty swallowing, dry skin, dry hair
or hair loss, fatigue, high cholesterol, hoarseness, infertility,
lethargy, menstrual irregularities, early menopause, poor memory or
concentration, slower heartbeat, throat pain, or weight gain. Or more
serious diseases: thyroid dysfunction, fibrocystic breast disease,
breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, or prostate cancer?
Does your child have any of these symptoms? Developmental delays (ADD,
PDD, LD), mental retardation, or Down’s Syndrome. If so, iodine
deficiency or hypothyroid could be the cause.
THE 4 FUNCTIONS OF IODINE
1. Thyroid, Metabolism & Weight
Iodine is the key to a healthy thyroid and metabolism. It is best known
for being a part of thyroid hormones, which are used in every cell of
our bodies to regulate metabolism and weight by controlling the burning
of fat for energy and heat. Over 100 years ago iodine was shown to
prevent and reverse goiter (swelling of the thyroid) and hypothyroid.
Iodine deficiency may also be involved in autoimmune disorders such as
Grave’s and Hashimoto’s diseases; as studies have shown iodine-deficient
patients have a higher rate of anti-thyroid antibodies.
Iodine also controls metabolism in other ways. It is important for the
other endocrine glands: the adrenals, pituitary, gonads (sex glands),
pancreas, pineal and thymus. Iodine is also involved in digestion, and
is concentrated in the salivary glands and gastric mucosa. It has also
been associated with: excess mucus production, fatigue, hemorrhoids,
headaches, keloid scarring, and migraine headaches.
There is an epidemic of obesity and overweight in this country. And no
wonder! Iodine is crucial for metabolism and weight loss. Iodine stores
in fat cells. Toxic halogens can also store in fat cells, blocking the
release of fat and blocking weight loss. Low thyroid has long been
associated with modest weight gain. But patients with low iodine levels
AND accumulation of toxic halogens are showing a disturbing trend of
being unable to lose weight beyond a certain plateau. By some estimates
50% to 60% of our population is now considered obese. The best therapy
in most cases is high-dose iodine (25 mg/day) combined with L-Tyrosine
(1000 mg/day) to make more thyroid hormones. Also essential are dry-heat
or far infra-red saunas for detoxification of other halogens, 25%
calorie reduction, and consistent exercise.
Symptoms of Thyroid
Deficiency
|
Brittle nails
Cold hands and feet
Cold intolerance
Constipation
Depression
Difficulty swallowing
Dry skin
Elevated cholesterol
Essential hypertension
Eyelid swelling
Fatigue
Hair loss
Hoarseness
|
Hypotension
Inability to concentrate
Infertility
Irritability
Menstrual irregularities
Muscle cramps
Muscle weakness
Nervousness
Poor memory
Puffy eyes
Slower heartbeat
Throat pain
Weight gain |
2. Mental Development Vs Retardation
The World Health Organization (WHO) has related iodine deficiency to
mental retardation, cretinism, increased child and infant mortality,
infertility, and socioeconomic decline -- and more recently
developmental delays (ADD, PDD, LD). Iodine and thyroid hormones
stimulate the development of the brain and nerves. Hence it is important
for intelligence and memory. It was shown to make a difference of 13.5
points on IQ tests between iodine deficient and iodine sufficient areas.
Iodine is crucial to brain development, and is concentrated in the
brain, cerebrospinal fluid, and the eye, as well as the substantia nigra
of the brain (an area associated with Parkinson’s Disease). High amounts
of iodine are excreted in breast milk to help develop a baby’s growing
brain and nervous system. Some evolutionary biologists believe iodine
and eating seafood played an important role in human brain development
and evolution.
3. Fertility
The World Health Organization has also related iodine deficiency to
infertility. Iodine is most important for women, because it is most
highly concentrated in the thyroid, breasts and ovaries. Iodine
deficiency can lead to menstrual irregularities, infertility, early
menopause, and ovarian diseases. But it is still vital for men,
especially for the prostate.
4. Enhanced Immune Function
Iodine is now known to play an essential role in immune function. It has
potent anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-viral, and anti-cancer
activity. For centuries it has been used topically to kill bacteria.
Until recently it was the leading anti-parasitic drug (yodoxin or
iododoxin). High-dose iodine has been shown to kill breast and thyroid
cancer cells (induce selective apoptosis). It is also a potent
antioxidant. More recently, iodine deficiency has been related to:
thyroid cancer, fibrocystic breast disease, breast cancer, ovarian
cancer, endometrial cancer, and prostate cancer. In the 1960’s when
iodine intake was higher (and toxic halogens lower) the risk for breast
cancer was 1 in 20; today it is 1 in 8 and increasing by 1% per year!
Iodine deficiency has also been associated with the following: parotid
duct stones, sebaceous cysts, and vaginal infections.
CAUSES OF IODINE DEFICIENCIES
Why Are Iodine Levels So Low?
According to the NHANES data iodine levels in the USA have fallen by
about 50% over the last 30 years. Why? There are many reasons. According
to the World Health Organization, about one-third of the world’s
population live in Iodine deficient areas, which affects 129 countries.
This is because most of the iodine resides in the sea and seashores,
while most inland areas are iodine deficient. Other contributing factors
include: diets low in fish, shellfish or seaweed, vegan or vegetarian
diets, poor availability of iodine in salt, poor farming techniques,
avoidance of salt due to fear of high blood pressure, the ingestion of
toxic halogens, and the use of radioactive iodine in many medical
procedures (which competes with natural iodine). In addition, past
sources of iodine in food have been removed. For example: Iodide was
used as a dough conditioner in baked goods from the 1960’s to the
1980’s, but has since been replaced with bromide (a toxic halogen).
Cow’s udders and milking buckets were swabbed with iodide to kill germs.
But no longer.
The reason is “THE WOLFF-CHAIKOFF EFFECT”, which has been a disaster for
iodine. This experiment led to a fear of iodine, and iodine being
removed from the American food supply for over 30 years! This paper has
been quoted by many, but understood by few. It was misinterpreted, and
used to describe a case of hypothyroidism caused by excessive iodine
intake. In fact: toxic radioactive iodine was injected intravenously. It
had nothing to do with food or supplement iodine intake. And it cannot
explain why high intake of natural iodine does not cause the same
effect.
 New Iodine Lab Tests
Doctors Data Laboratories now offers new Iodine loading tests. These are
professional urine test kits, which can be done at home, then shipped to
the lab. They are to help determine if you have an iodine deficiency.
Cost is $20 for the kit, and $50 prepaid to the lab. Contact your
holistic physician or nutritionist for more details.
IODINE THERAPIES
How Much Iodine Do We Need?
The French were the first to use iodine to treat goiter in the early
1800’s. There are two forms: iodine and iodide, each used by certain
tissues in the body. The thyroid mainly uses iodide. Dr. Lugol employed
5% iodine and 10% potassium iodide in water to increase solubility. Just
two drops of Lugol’s solution supplied 12.5 mg of iodine/iodide daily.
This was widely available at apothecaries, and was used to treat goiter,
infections, and many other symptoms.
The Japanese have had a high iodine intake for millennia, primarily due
to seaweed and seafood. They also add iodine to their eggs through the
chicken feed. Their average daily iodine intake is 13.8 mg (about 100
times the U.S. RDA). They have remarkably lower rates of breast,
endometrial and ovarian cancer, and significantly lower rates of
fibrocystic breast disease and prostate cancer. They also have low rates
of obesity, and are noted for their academic achievements.
In the USA from the early 1800’s to the mid 1900’s we had a much higher
iodine intake than we do today, especially near the coasts. The National
Institutes of Health reported that the average iodine intake in the
1960’s from bakery products alone was 726 mcg/day. Today it is zero.
This did not even include seafood.
Today the RDA for iodine in the USA is only 150 mcg/day, 220 mcg during
pregnancy, and 290 mcg during lactation. This is the bare minimum needed
to prevent goiter, extreme stupidity, and hypothyroidism; but it is not
enough to supply the body’s total needs – nor to prevent cancers. A
recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine (June 29, 2006)
claims that iodine deficiency is still widespread, and argues for an
increase to at least 300-400 mcg/day. Too conservative, but moving in
the right direction!
So how much iodine do we really need? A lot more than the U.S. RDA. The
amount can be calculated based on Dr. Abraham’s extensive research. This
shows that with an iodine-loading test of 50 mg in 24 hours, healthy
iodine-sufficient subjects excrete 90% and retain 10%. 10% of 50 mg = 5
mg; this is how much we need each day for saturation of iodine receptors
and optimal physiological function.
Foods Rich In Iodine
 The
foods richest in iodine are: seaweed, seafood (shrimp, cod, sea bass,
haddock, and perch) and iodized salt. In the USA and other countries
iodine has been added to salt since the 1920’s to prevent goiter; but
research shows that iodine in salt is only about 10% bioavailable.
Iodized salt prevents most goiter, but is not sufficient to supply the
rest of the body’s needs. A better approach is to add iodine to bread,
as was done in the past, because studies show it is 10 times more
bioavailable than salt. A single slice of bread once supplied 150 mcg –
one day’s RDA.
New Potent Iodine Supplement
 Iodoral is now available through licensed health care providers. It is a
high-potency tablet of 5 mg Iodine + 7.5 mg Potassium Iodide (12.5 mg
total). This is about the current average adult daily intake of Iodine
from food in Japan, and the same as the French Lugol’s Solution that has
been safely used for nearly 200 years. It is higher than currently
available low-dose supplements (225 mcg). It is for use in correcting
long-term iodine deficiency symptoms, and is considered safe and
effective. For increasing thyroid, it is best used with L-Tyrosine. See
your nutritionist or holistic physician for testing and these special
supplements.
Can Excess Iodine Be Harmful?
True allergies are extremely rare. But iodine tolerance varies with
individuals. Most reactions to high iodine intake are likely due to the
forced excretion of toxic halides, such as bromide, fluoride and
perchlorate. Symptoms can include: acne, eczema, rashes, headache,
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increased salivation, metallic taste in
mouth, sneezing, nervousness, palpitations and racing pulse. Caution
should be used in cases of Grave’s Disease (hyperthyroid). Dose should
be adjusted to tolerance in conjunction with your health care provider.
Symptoms
of Excess Iodine
|
Excess Iodine Symptoms |
Excess Thyroid Hormone |
|
Acne, rashes
Diarrhea
Headache
Increased salivation
Metallic taste in mouth
Nausea
Sneezing
|
Nervousness
Palpitations
Racing pulse |
Harmful sources of iodine: Radioactive iodine is used in medical
testing and therapy procedures, and can cause allergic reactions,
hypothyroid, or certain rare cancers, especially if natural iodine
stores are low. Radioactive iodine has also been released in nuclear
power plant accidents, and is known to cause thyroid cancers. Other
organic iodine compounds are used in certain drugs and radiographic
contrast media; their long-term effects are unknown.
THE TOXIC HALOGENS
Halogens are a class of related
elements that include iodine, bromine, fluorine and chlorine. When they
are chemically “reduced” they become “halides”: iodide, bromide,
fluoride, and chloride. These are the forms we usually encounter in
foods, medications and the environment. While iodine and chloride are
beneficial in small amounts, the others are toxic. They can bind to
iodine receptors, block the action of iodine and thyroid hormones, and
cause many severe diseases.
Toxic halogens excrete very slowly from the body, because there is no
known liver detoxification pathway for them. But excretion can be
increased with the following: high-dose iodine, high-dose vitamin C
(which aids detoxification), unrefined sea salt (which substitutes
chloride for bromide), Epsom salts baths, and sweating in a dry infrared
sauna.
Bromine
Bromine is a poison, and has no place in human
consumption. Bromine is close in size to iodine, and can bind to iodine
receptors blocking their function. Bromide has been substituted for
iodide in many foods, medications and the environment – despite the fact
that it is a pesticide. It has replaced iodide in all bakery products,
reducing our iodine intake by 726 mcg/day.
The ingestion of bromine in an iodine-deficient state will further
exacerbate thyroid illness. Bromine intoxication symptoms include:
feeling dull, apathetic, depressed, irritable, and headachy, plus
hypothyroidism. Severe reactions include: delirium, psychomotor
retardation, schizophrenia, and hallucination. Bromine also binds to and
damages the iodine transporter (sodium-iodide symporter -- SIS).
Sources of
Bromine
|
Medications |
Foods,
Other |
|
Atrovent Inhaler
Atrovent Nasal Spray
Ipratropium Nasal Spray
Spiriva Handihaler
Pro-Panthine
Pyridostigmine bromide
Anesthesia
|
All bakery products
Mountain Dew
AMP Energy Drink
Gatorade – Citrus
Pools & Hot tubs
Fumigant for termites, etc. |
Fluoride
Fluoride is a known toxin, and can be lethal. Fluoride
has been added to the USA drinking water for over 50 years. This is
despite the fact that a New Zealand study found no difference in tooth
decay between fluoridated and non-fluoridated water areas. Many European
countries have stopped fluoridating. Fluoridation has been linked to
dental fluorosis (tooth discoloration), hip fractures, bone cancer,
lowered intelligence, and kidney toxicity, plus a cause of goiter in
dogs. Fluoride is more toxic when there is an iodine deficiency.
Sources of
Fluoride
|
Medications |
Other |
|
5-Fluorouracil (for skin cancer)
Anesthesia
Flonase
Flovent
Paxil
Prozac
SSRI anti-depressants
Removed from market:
Astemizole
Baycol
Fen-Phen
Omniflox
Posicor
Propulsid
|
Fluoride dental tablets
Propellants in spray cans
Public Drinking water
The Ozone Layer
Tooth paste |
Chlorine
Chloride is an important element in the extracellular
fluid and in stomach acid. But in large amounts it is toxic, and (with
its byproducts) has been linked to: birth defects, cancer, reproductive
disorders, stillbirth, and immune system breakdown. Excess
sodium-chloride (table salt) competes with iodine, and was shown to
cause hypothyroidism in China.
Sources of
Chlorine
|
Foods: |
Other |
|
Salt
Public Drinking water
Sucralose or Splenda®
(chlorinated table sugar) |
Dish washer steam
Hot tubs
Propellants in spray cans
Swimming pools
The Ozone Layer
|
Perchlorate
Perchlorate is one atom of chlorine surrounded by 4 atoms
of oxygen. It is a toxin. It can displace iodine in the body and damage
iodine transporters. It can cause: hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer,
goiter, breast disease, disruption of the menstrual cycle, immune system
dysfunction, poor fetal development, and mental retardation of newborns.
Perchlorate is found naturally in the environment and can be manmade. It
has become a major contaminant of ground water in 43 states. The entire
lower Colorado River is contaminated with perchlorate, affecting 20
million people.
Sources of
Perchlorate
|
Foods: |
Other |
|
*Public Drinking water
Cow milk
Human milk
Lettuce (fall & winter in the SW USA)
|
Car air bags
Leather tanning
Fireworks
Rocket Fuel
|
THE DEDOXBOX SAUNA:
DETOXIFY HALOGENS & OTHER CHEMICALS
In America beneficial iodine has been replaced in our
food supply, water supply, medications, and environment by toxic
"Halogens" over the last 30 - 50 years. Toxic halogens are chemically
related to Iodine, and include: Bromine, Fluorine, Chlorine and
Perchlorate. They block iodine receptors in our bodies, and lead to
cancers, thyroid disease, and obesity, plus learning disabilities and
mental retardation in children. There is no known liver detoxification
pathway to excrete them. They are stored in body fat, and prevent
weight-loss. The only way to get them out is high Iodine intake and
sweating. The new DetoxBox combines dry heat sauna with beneficial Far
Infrared light/heat. I now sell this very inexpensive yet sophisticated
portable DetoxBox by special order. Cost is $299.
See article, photos, and specifications on the DetoxBox under
News &
Articles.
REFERENCES
1. Brownstein, D., Iodine: Why You Need
It: Why You Can’t Live Without It, Medical Alternatives Press, West
Bloomfield, Michigan, 2006.
2. Beck, L., The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, Seminar Manual, 2006.
3. Iodine Nutrition – More Is Better, New England Journal of Medicine,
Vol 354: pages 2819-2821; June 29, 2006.
4. Pelletier C., Doucet E., Imbeault P., Tremblay A., Associations
between weight loss-induced changes in plasma organochlorine
concentrations, serum T3 concentration, and resting metabolic rate,
Toxicol Sci., 67 (1): 46-51, May 2002.
5. Abraham,G.E., The Original Internist, 11:17-36, 2004.
6. Abraham, G.E., Flechas, J.D., Hakala, J.C., The Original Internist,
9:30-41, 2002.
7. Abraham, G.E., The Original Internist, 11:(2) 29-38, 2004.
8. Abraham, G.E. Townsend Letter, 245:100-101, 2003.
9. Abraham, G.E., Flechas, J.D., Hakala, J.C., The Original Internist,
9:5-20, 2002.
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