Lugol's -- How much molecular iodine (I2) does it contain?

[Guest guest]

I have always believed that Lugol's Solution contained 5% molecular iodine (I2) and 10% Potassium Iodide (KI).

However, I was wrong. While it IS true that you MAKE Lugol's by adding 5% molecular iodine and 10% Potassium Iodide to water, ONCE THEY ARE ADDED TO WATER, the forms change and the molecular iodine (I2) virtually disappears.

There is a chemical reaction that results in almost all (99.66%) of the iodine (I2) being transformed into triiodide (I3-).

Thus, although Lugol's is made with 5% molecular iodine (I2), the resulting product contains only .34% molecular iodine. That works out to 170 ppm (parts per million) of I2 in Lugol's.

Thus, while Lugol's still contains the same amount of total iodine (molecular iodine (I2) + Iodide (I- from the potassium iodide) + triiodide (I3-)), it actually only contains a tiny amount of molecular iodine (I2).

I don't understand yet what this means in terms of the effect of Lugol's on the body. I do know that Eskin & Ghent's experiments on iodine and the breast found that the breast prefers molecular iodine (I2).

I also know that Abraham bases much of his argument on the work of Eskin & Ghent and that he is continually mentioning the importance of having a formula that contains molecular iodine (I2) as well as iodide.

I don't know what happens to triiodide in the body. And I don't know what happens in the process of manufacturing Iodoral.

If you want to read more about this, check out this article by Gottardi on the aqueous chemistry of iodine (i.e., how iodine behaves in water):

Iodine and Iodine Compounds Gottardi W Chapter 8 in Block, SS. Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation, 4th edition. Lea & Febiger, 1991, pp 152-165.

http://iodine4health.com/special/forms_of_iodine.htm

Zoe