Article IODINE

THE ABC’S OF HEALTH

By Dr. Joanne T. Gjelsten

“The Universal Medicine”

On our Alaska cruise at dinner one night we sat with an MD and his wife, a Pharmacist, both of whom were from the Midwest, which has nothing to do with anything, but they were taking the same course in nutrition that I was attending.  We had a wonderful discussion regarding iodine, the Iodine Loading Test which they use, the implications of low iodine, and how disgusting it was that they served farmed salmon on a cruise to Alaska which, of all places, is the salmon capital I would think, of the USA!. We talked about iodine; the “right kind” of iodine, in the proper form, at the right dose, why we need it or aren’t getting it, and what happens to our health if and when we don’t get it.

What is Iodine, and why should I care Dr. Jo?  Everyone has heard of iodine. We used to put in on cuts as kids back when it killed germs on scraped knees, or our mothers did. Some people douche with it, especially women.  It’s also used for water purification which you hikers may know about or take with you on long hiking trips just in case you get lost and run out of water which never happens. Most of you know about iodized salt, and that it’s iodized to prevent thyroid “ish” something, or goiter something or other types of conditions; some have a vague idea that that is what it’s for. It’s also used as contrast media for x-ray studies requiring “dye” which it isn’t really. Years ago when I worked in a hospital we’d get the emesis basin and crash cart ready for those who might be ultra sensitive to it, and always asked if patients were allergic to shell fish, which has iodine. I never personally saw a crash cart used as a result of x-ray dye, but the basin did come in handy often enough.  Anyone who eats shellfish shouldn’t have a problem with iodine. If you are allergic though, you have to avoid iodine. 

Iodine, an element, and iodide, its salt form, work on two different parts of your body. You use iodide mostly in your thyroid, but iodine elsewhere. Where, you ask?  Pretty much in every cell of your body, which includes the rest of you, and it’s especially concentrated in breast tissue in a free iodine form called iodine 12. This is why women need more iodine than men. AND why, I think, that fibromyalgia, a convenient “disease” made up by the medical/pharmaceutical profession so they can say something intelligent about a condition they can’t figure out, and give you antidepressant so you couldn’t give a rat’s buttocks if you’re exhausted and sore all the time, could possibly be an iodine deficiency. This affects your cranky tired women more than you lucky, lucky, guys you should only know. Iodine also does concentrate in the prostate so ok, you’re not that lucky.  It turns out that most of us are deficient, causing all kinds of problems I will enumerate somewhere in this article so pay attention. So some brilliant MD’s, thank you brilliant MD’S, Dr. Guy Abraham specifically’ I really mean that this time, figured out a way to test all of us, for iodine deficiency that is.  One MD (Brownstein) claims that out of 500 patients tested, 94 %  tested deficient!  94%!!

THE TEST: The test is called the Iodine Loading Test, and I have it in my office even as you read this, waiting to load. Load?  It’s a urine test.  After your AM void (pee, or you can be void too), you are given (loaded up with) a special iodine, a good measurable dose. You are given the dose in pill form to take home in your little hand because many of you wouldn’t like your Doc standing with you at the toilet waiting until after your first void, I would think anyway. So you pee, then you pop, then you save your pee in a jug provided by the Lab, so you don’t contaminate your milk jug, and then the whole ‘shootin’ match goes off to the lab. Well a sample of it anyway, after the volume of the jug is measured.

TEST RESULTS:  IF you get rid of ALL your Iodine, that means you don’t NEED it because you have enough already! The test then shows that all or most of the iodine we gave you came right back out in your little brown jug.  If you don’t  pee it out, saving some for yourself, then that indicates that you NEED it and should be supplemented Sarah! 

CONDITIONS: Dr. Brownstein has seen many conditions lessen or resolve with the correct diagnosis and supplementation of Iodine.  Fibrocystic breasts are ESPECIALLY helped, cysts on the ovaries, fatigue, fibromyalgia, sigh, low libido (sex drive), brain fog, ground fog, and foggy bottoms start to clear up. Ok, not the ground or bottom fog but if you’re a little foggy you blew right through that anyway.

WHY WE MAY BE DEFICIENT:  "Optimally, people would get all their iodine from dietary sources: soybeans, cauliflower, peanuts, cauliflower, etc. But much agricultural farmland is now iodine-deficient, leading to reduced levels of iodine in foods. Other areas, such as the Great Lakes region in the U.S., are naturally deficient in iodine -- a fact that led to the massive goiter in the 1930's, when 40% of the people living in Michigan suffered from goiter.”  "In 1924, iodine was first added to table salt as a preventative measure, and by 1940, the practice was in general consumer use. Using iodized salt has, no doubt, been effective: it contains about 76 mcg. of iodine per gram. The average person consumes at least 3 grams of iodized salt daily, exceeding the RDA for iodine by 150 mcg. However, iodized salt has many other drawbacks: it contains aluminum and processing chemical residues, its overuse creates the well-documented conditions associates with high sodium intake and sodium-potassium imbalance, etc.”

Chlorine fluoride and bromine.  Dr. Brownstein explains why he realized that his understanding about iodine from Med school training might have been a little, uh, off shall we say. Before we hear from him, I just want you to remember two words. Chlorine and bromine. Chlorine and bromine displaces iodine. So does fluoride for that matter, dentists and you guys drinking fluoridated water.  If you get nothing else from this article, remember that. We know where chlorine comes from, pools, our “chlorinated” drinking water! And sodium chloride has so much chloride (chlorine) it displaces iodine!  Read further and see where bromine comes from.  The following explains why we’re all likely to be a “quart low” so to speak, and I’m quoting Dr. B because it just makes sense to me. An   Flurode

Dr. Brownstein states: “as iodine levels have fallen over 50% in the last 30 years in the United States, autoimmune disorders and hyper-(hypo as well, my edit) thyroid symptoms have been increasing at near epidemic proportions.”, and so began the investigation and enlightenment of these great MD’S! Yes I really said that, and meant it.  "Bromine and chlorine are members of the halide family which is a group of elements that includes iodine.  If we are exposed to too much of one halide, it will cause our body to release other halides.  My research has clearly shown that we are exposed to too much bromine and chlorine.  These elements are found in many plastic products including computers.  In addition, bromine is a fire retardant found in carpet, clothing, mattresses and many other consumer items.  The consequence of this overexposure to toxic halides has been a depletion of iodine  (my italics & underline) in our bodies.  Clinically, the result of too much bromine and chlorine and not enough iodine are the high rates of thyroid disorders as well as cancer of the breast, ovary and prostate."  

AND, says Dr. Jo, guess where else we get Bromine???  It is present in seaweed along with iodine, so you can’t overdose with seaweed because bromine displaces iodine. Where else? In baked goods. Who doesn’t eat those? To my knowledge no one is using seaweed in most baked goods. (gag) But here’s the tough one. Bromine is also present in chocolate my friends. OMG!!.. Don’t shoot the messenger. Don’t panic, we can fix! What else? Iodine is great for detoxifying us from too much mercury, so a deficiency may mean we can’t get rid of toxic mercury! So, bottom line foggy bottom, is:  Testing starts at around a hundred dollars and up if lots of halides are tested from Doctors Data for example, but it’s worth it if your problem can be solved or ameliorated in one fell swoop, whatever that means. If you think that’s expensive, think of how much you spend on dinner out, or your hair, Henna, but you’re too tired to walk down the block! This article is not intended to diagnose or treat.  ALWAYS supplement under supervision of a Health Care Professional. Many good Docs use this test. See more, of course, on my website.  www.GoDrJo.com  Copyright Sept. 9, 2010.

Post script

"Many physicians would be surprised to learn that more than a hundred years ago, iodine was called “The Universal Medicine”, and was used in several clinical conditions. Nobel Laureate Albert Szent Györgyi, the physician who discovered Vitamin C in 1928, commented: “When I was a medical student, iodine in the form of KI was the universal medicine. Nobody knew what it did, but it did something and did something good."