Iodine Loading Test -- by labrix.com)]

[Guest guest]

Hi from Sue,

Below is a good test for Iodine. ( Different than the one I talked about 2 months ago..)

BTW.. the lab at the bottom was recommended by our ND.

( But we use muscle testing for determining most our supplement needs.)

Why Test Iodine?

The identification and treatment of an iodine deficiency has obvious benefits. In order to determine the daily amount of essential iodine required for whole body sufficiency, an Iodine Loading Test must be performed. This test is based on the premise that the more iodine-deficient the body is, the more ingested iodine is retained, and the less is excreted in the urine.

The three basic steps of the test are as follows:

Collection of an initial urine sample before the ingestion of iodine in order to establish a baseline level.

The ingestion of iodine/iodide tablets (generally 50mg)

Collection of subsequent urine voids for the next 24 hours. The iodine in both samples is then measured and a percentage reflecting the “spill” of iodine is calculated. This simple test can prove to be profoundly useful in guiding treatment for numerous conditions including several endocrine imbalances.

Every cell in the body contains and utilizes iodine. Essential for life, iodine has many effects on the body: hormone production, nerve and muscle function, metabolism, tissue growth and repair, and cell respiration.

It has been estimated that approximately one third of the world’s population is iodine deficient, and studies in the United States have suggested that the number may be even higher, with some estimates as high as 95%.¹ Iodine deficiencies can occur not only because of inadequate intake, but also due to the damaging toxins we are exposed to every day. Given the various functions of iodine in the body, it is easy to see how even a slight deficiency can cause widespread problems. An especially interesting area of study in iodine deficiency is the field of hormone balancing. Iodine is a crucial ingredient in the delicate balance of the endocrine system, and deficiencies have been implicated in conditions such as diabetes, polycystic ovarian disease (PCOS), fibrocystic breast disease, increased breast cancer risk and most commonly goiter.

More than 100 years ago, iodine was called “the universal medicine”. Recent research may prove this to be true. Much promising research has been conducted on the use of iodine to treat fibrocystic breast disease, as iodine concentrates in and is secreted by the mammary glands. Normal breast architecture requires adequate iodine, and in a deficient state, the breasts and thyroid compete for available iodine. Hyperplasia may be induced in these glands. Estrogen production increases with an iodine deficiency, thus causing an increased sensitivity to estrogen by breast tissue. As early as twenty years ago The Lancet reported that iodine deficiency predisposes one to an increased risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer.² Assessing iodine levels and the imbalance of hormones is the key to lowering that risk.

A study conducted on twelve diabetics showed dramatic improvements of HA1C and blood glucose levels after supplementation with 50 mg of iodine daily, with 50% of the patients able to completely stop their diabetes medications.³ The same study author monitored five PCOS patients who, on the same iodine dosage experienced a regulation of their periods, disappearance of ovarian cysts, and control of their diabetes.

[information courtesy of Labrix Clinical Services, Inc. (www.labrix.com)]