Iodine is Safe and Effective by Dach MD

[Guest guest]

Just one more reasion we all need Iodine.

http://jeffreydach.com/2011/04/06/iodine-is-safe-and-effective-by-jeffrey-dach-m\

d.aspx

I take Iodoral and with all the problems with Japan's Radioactive levels I

can't buy it everyone is out of it.

This I find a dam good read and in this is why people with Hashimoto's

thyroiditis can't take Iodine it's because they are very low on selenium.

======================================================================

Iodine is Safe and Effective

by Dach MD

Japanese Reactor Accident and Radiation Leak

In the aftermath of the Japanese Earthquake and Reactor Accident, reports of

radiation leakage has spurred interest and demand for Iodine tablets as a

preventive agent. Iodine tablets prevent the uptake of radioactive I-131 by

the thyroid gland, thereby preventing radiation induced thyroid cancer.

(1)(2)(1A)

The Safety of Iodine Tablets

One televised doctor, a toxicologist, appeared on television to warn viewers

about possible allergic reactions to Iodine.(3) After viewing television news

reports on Iodine tablets, calling them unsafe and dangerous, some patients

have called into the office asking questions about the safety of Iodine tablets.

(3)

Left Image: Iodine tablets in Japan, courtesdy of wikimedia commons (13)

Can I Have An Allergic Reaction to Iodine?

For thirty years as a radiologist in the hospital, a large part of my job was to

inject iodine contrast into people every day, so they could have their X-Ray

test. And yes, we had some allergic reactions to the injections, and even some

deaths from it. As a precaution, we always asked the patient if they had a

pre-existing " iodine allergy " . So yes, there is such a thing as " iodine

allergy " to iodine X-Ray contrast. However, (and this is the really important

part), iodine contrast is not the same as elemental iodine. The molecular

structures of the two are quite different. And, in addition, there can be no

such thing as allergy to elemental iodine. Here is why:

No Allergy to Elemental Iodine -It's an Essential Nutrient

Elemental Iodine is present in iodized salt and in other foods. Iodine is an

essential nutrient, which means we need it to live. We have a long list of

essential nutrients such as water, oxygen, iron, vitamin C etc., which are all

examples of things that we need to live. If we don't get them, we get sick

and/or die. Iodine is one of those things. As a result, there can be no such

thing as allergy to elemental iodine. Such a person could not take in Iodine,

would get sick and die. For example, if a developing embryo is iodine

deficient, it exhibits growth and mental retardation, a condition known as

cretinism. When a population is severly iodine deficient, then there is

increased incidence of goiter (thyroid enlargement), cretinism, mental

retardation, decreased fertility rate, increased perinatal death, and infant

mortality.(11)

Adverse Effects From Elemental Iodine

While there can be no " allergy " to Elemental Iodine, we observe various adverse

reactions from elemental iodine in iodine deficient people starting high doses.

This has been well described, and can be easily avoided by starting with small

doses of iodine and gradually increasing dosage over time. Probably the most

common report is a " metallic taste " in the mouth, which is harmless and merely

means you are taking the " right stuff " . Another posible set of adverse

reactions relates to the fact that the severely iodine deficient person may be

Bromine toxic, and undergoes rapid Bromine excretion when starting the Iodine

tablets. Bromine is irritating and the excretion can cause skin itching or

rash, nausea and other symptoms. This is usually transitory and is gone in a

few days.

Elemental Iodine and the Thyroid Gland

Another set of warnings appeared on television about possible adverse effects of

Iodine for people who are either low thyroid or high thyroid. This will be

discussed below in an article I wrote which was published in the " Townsend

Letter for Doctors " .

(9)(10)

Iodine is Safe and Effective by Dach MD (10)

Townsend Letter, Feb-March, 2011

Contrary to the editorial by Alan Gaby in the December 2010 issue Townsend

Letter on iodine supplementation, I have been using iodine in clinical practice

and find it both safe and beneficial. We have used iodine supplementation

routinely in our practice for the past five years primarily as a safe and

effective agent for prevention of breast cancer. And, in fact we have had

virtually no breast cancer in our patient population on bioidentical hormones

using iodine supplementation.

In terms of iodine testing, we test everybody routinely. We do a simple spot

iodine urine level, which is done by one of the large national labs (we have

Quest or LabCorp in our area). This is easy, since the patient is already at the

lab for a complete blood test panel, and is already providing a spot urine

sample for the U/A (routine urinalysis). So, another spot urine in a cup for the

iodine level is easy to do. This is easier and more convenient than the 24-hour

leading test, and I have found the results of the spot test very useful. In

patients already supplementing with iodine, the urine spot iodine test is

omitted, since high urinary excretion makes the spot urine test useless.

However, as a baseline test before starting iodine, I have found the spot urine

iodine extremely useful. If the spot urine test results are high, the patient

will usually admit to a diet that includes seaweed, or is already on an iodine

supplement of some type. Mostly we find the results at the low end of the range.

As you know, the problem with Iodoral (iodine) relates to the patient with

Hashimoto's thyroiditis with elevated TPO and/or thyroglobulin antibodies. These

patients may go into Hashitoxicosis after supplementing with iodine, exhibiting

hyperthyroid symptoms possibly requiring hospitalization for thyroid storm.

We are finding Hashimoto's thyroiditis to be more common than originally

thought, almost epidemic, and it seems to be increasing. On a routine basis,

initial evaluation includes thyroid antibody levels. In addition, all patients

routinely must have a serum selenium level drawn. I have found that in almost

all patients with elevated antibodies, selenium supplementation will normalize

and drive down antibody levels on serial lab studies.

In order to prevent the thyroid storm and other adverse effects from iodine in

Hashimoto's patients, as you know, these patients must be supplemented with

selenium first. This is why we first routinely draw a serum selenium, and for

those cases below 135 ng/ml, we give 200-400 meg of selenomethionune for three

weeks before starting the iodine supplementation at 6.25 mg (half the 12.5 mg

tab) every other day.

Starting with a lower dose of iodine avoids the various adverse effects of skin

itching and metallic taste and GI symptoms that can be reported at first. These

are usually transient, and after a week or so, the dose can be safely increased

to a full tablet daily.

Occasionally, we see a typical Hashimoto's patient with an elevated TSH around 5

or 6, and also an upper range free T3 around 350 to 400. These patients respond

to selenium supplementation well, and follow-up labs usually show free T3 coming

down to the 280-300 level, which in retrospect indicates the patient initially

exhibited a slight thyrotoxic effect of the Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which then

cooled down after the selenium. At this point it is safe to start the iodoral.

If a Hashi's patient with a slightly overfunctioning thyroid and coexisting low

selenium level is then started on iodine without first optimizing the selenium

level, this will aggravate the thyroiditis, and possibly throw the patient into

thyroid storm.

Leaving the area of Hashimoto's and going to the general patient (with normal

antibody levels without Hashi's), another big issue with iodine supplementation

is that the TSH may go up, which is then interpreted by the family physician as

a sign of hypothyroidism. This interpretation is an error, as the elevated TSH

is cosmetic and unrelated to underlying thyroid function in these cases.

A good example of this is a 55-year-old woman who came to see me after taking an

iodine supplement from a health food store, hoping to shrink her goiter. The

high school kid at the health food store gave her the wrong dosage instructions,

and she had been taking a huge overdose of iodine for months. She felt fine, and

a routine thyroid lab panel at her primary care physician showed a TSH of 65!

The doctor was very concerned and told her that she " blew out " her thyroid with

the health food store iodine, that she was severely hypothyroid, and gave her a

prescription for Synthroid for her " hypothyroid " state.

Here was a lady sitting in front of me who felt fine and had no symptoms of

hypothyroidism. I sent her to the lab for a repeat panel and her Free T3 was

normal at 330, indicating that she had normal thyroid function and did not need

Synthroid. I explained to the patient that the elevated TSH was an " artifact " of

the iodine supplementation, and that nothing else needed to be done other than

stop the iodine and retest the TSH every 6 weeks or so. Six weeks later her TSH

had come down to 10 and six weeks after that it was down to 4. The lady said

thank you and I never saw her again.

All of this information is Brownstein's Iodine book, which I credit for

helping me immensely to figure out the day-to-day practicalities of how to

actually do iodine supplementation in our practice. In order to safely use

iodine, the biochemistry and physiology of the thyroid gland must be reviewed

and understood by the practitioner. Much of this information is newly uncovered,

and is beautifully presented in Dr Brownstein's Iodine book.

I would urge all practitioners to routinely test antibody levels, serum

selenium, and baseline spot urine for iodine on all patients before starting

iodine supplementation. These tests are available at the large national labs and

are convenient and easy to do. In patients with elevated antibody levels,

supplementation with selenium is critical to avoid adverse effects from the

iodine supplementation. Selenium reduces antibody levels, cools down the

thyroiditis, and prevents thyroid storm, making it safe to start the iodine. As

you know, iodine supplementation is preventive for goiter and breast cancer, and

yet there is greater benefit such as utility in normalizing blood sugar in type

2 diabetes, and utility to prevent the many thyroid nodules and cysts common in

the population. (10) (above article by Dach MD, courtesy of the Townsend

Letter)

Comment on TSH level and Thyroid Failure

Regarding the question about the elevated TSH indicating " early " or

subclinical " thyroid failure in the above patient:

I do not believe the above patient with the elevated TSH had thyroid failure

because of the following facts:

1) Thyroid failure is associated with signs and symptoms of a low thyroid

condition. She had none. She felt fine with normal energy and no fatiigue.

2) Thyroid failure is associated with measurably low levels of thyroid homone in

the blood. This patient had normal levels of blood thyroid hormones on her lab

panel.

Iodine puts the " brakes " on thyroid hormone release by the thyroid gland,

explaining the benefit and routine use of lugol's Iodine for thyroid storm and

as a pre-operative treatment for Graves' Disease hyperthyroidism. (15-17)

Dr. Brownstein on Iodine Supplementation as protection after a Nuclear Accident

(12)

Brownsteins's blog is an excellent source of information on iodine and I

strongly recommend his series of articles on iodine protection after the

Japanese nuclear accident. (12) Dr. Brownstein is author of an important

book on Iodine, an excellent resource for those interested in further reading.

For articles with related interest:

Breast Cancer Prevention and Iodine Supplementation by Dach MD

Iodine Treats Breast Cancer, Overwhelming Evidence by Dach MD

For more on Iodine Supplementation, see the entire series in the Townsend Letter

(4-8):

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_329/ai_n56436087/?tag=content;col1

Megadose iodine: an idea whose time has gone. Townsend Letter, Dec, 2010 by

Alan R. Gaby

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_331-332/ai_n57095439/

Iodine debate continues Townsend Letter, Feb-March, 2011 by Brownstein,

Guy Abraham

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_331-332/ai_n57095441/?tag=content;\

col1 Alan Gaby replies Townsend Letter, Feb-March, 2011

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_331-332/ai_n57095444/?tag=content;\

col1 Another positive report on iodine Townsend Letter, Feb-March, 2011 by Kent

Holtorf

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_331-332/ai_n57095440/?tag=content;\

col1 Rebuttal to Dr. Gaby's iodine editorial Townsend Letter, Feb-March, 2011

by Geoffrey S. Ames

References

(1) The moment nuclear plant chief WEPT as Japanese finally admit that radiation

leak is serious enough to kill people By Derbyshire . 19th March 2011 Read

more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1367684/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-Fukushi\

ma-nulear-plant-radiation-leak-kill-people.html#ixzz1IkADt3gB

(1A) http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/world/asia/07japan.html?src=me

Core of Stricken Reactor Probably Leaked, U.S. Says. The statement came as the

Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi plant,

started to inject nitrogen into the reactor containment vessel of unit No. 1 to

prevent a possible explosion.

(2)

http://www.princeton.edu/sgs/publications/Nuclear-Power-Plant-Emerg-Kah-von-Hipp\

el.pdf N J Med. 2004 Apr;101(4):22-7; quiz 28-30. Nuclear power plant

emergencies and thyroid cancer risk. What New Jersey physicians need to know.

Kahn LH, von Hippel F.

(3)

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/22/no-need-to-take-potassium-iodide-\

at-this-time/ No need to take potassium iodide at this time. Tablets would

protect thyroid gland from absorbing iodine contaminated by radiation

By Union-Tribune Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 12:01 a.m.

(4)

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_329/ai_n56436087/?tag=content;col1

Megadose iodine: an idea whose time has gone. Townsend Letter, Dec, 2010 by

Alan R. Gaby

(5) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_331-332/ai_n57095439/

Iodine debate continues Townsend Letter, Feb-March, 2011 by Brownstein,

Guy Abraham

(6)

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_331-332/ai_n57095441/?tag=content;\

col1 Alan Gaby replies Townsend Letter, Feb-March, 2011

(7)

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_331-332/ai_n57095444/?tag=content;\

col1 Another positive report on iodine Townsend Letter, Feb-March, 2011 by Kent

Holtorf

(8)

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_331-332/ai_n57095440/?tag=content;\

col1 Rebuttal to Dr. Gaby's iodine editorial Townsend Letter, Feb-March, 2011

by Geoffrey S. Ames

(9) http://www.townsendletter.com/FebMarch2011/FebMarch2011.html

Townsend Letter February / March 2011 . Letters to the Editor, Iodine is Safe

and Effective by Dach MD

(10) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7396/is_331-332/ai_n57095442/

Townsend Letter February / March 2011 . Letters to the Editor, Iodne is Safe

and Effective by Dach MD

(11) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8054857 Thyroid. 1994

Spring;4(1):107-28. The disorders induced by iodine deficiency. Delange F. When

the physiological requirements of iodine are not met in a given population, a

series of functional and developmental abnormalities occur including thyroid

function abnormalities and, when iodine deficiency is severe, endemic goiter and

cretinism, endemic mental retardation, decreased fertility rate, increased

perinatal death, and infant mortality.

(12)

http://drdavidbrownstein.blogspot.com/2011/04/japanese-radiation-update-7-why-yo\

u.html Japanese Radiation Update 1-7: Why You Should Consider Iodine Therapy

images

(13) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Japan_Nuclear_power_plants_map.gif

Japan Nuclear power plants map. source : http://www.insc.anl.gov/pwrmaps/

Date 7 September 2006(2006-09-07) (original upload date)

(14) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IodineDistJapan.jpg

Iodine distributed to the humanitarian effort in Japan. 22 March 2011

Iodine My Cause Elevated TSH IWthour thyroid failure

(15) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1424182

Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1992 Jun;36(6):573-8.

The effect of iodide on serum thyroid hormone levels in normal persons, in

hyperthyroid patients, and in hypothyroid patients on thyroxine replacement.

Philippou G, Koutras DA, Piperingos G, Souvatzoglou A, Moulopoulos SD.

Athens University School of Medicine, Department of Clinical Therapeutics,

andra General Hospital, Athens, Greece.

(16)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC322446/pdf/jcinvest00217-0088.pdf

Inhibition by Iodine of the Release of Thyroxine from the Thyroid Glands of

Patients with Thyrotoxicosis. LEONARD WARTOFSKY, BERNARD J. RANSIL, and SIDNEY

H. INGBAR. From the Thorndike Memorial Laboratory, Harvard (Second and

Fourth)Medical Services, Boston City Hospital, and the Department of

Medicine,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02118

(17) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/821840

Horm Metab Res. 1976 Jul;8(4):286-91. Effect of iodine upon the TRH induced

release of TSH in euthyroid, hypothyroid and hyperthyroid individuals. Waldhäusl

W, Haydl H.

additional references:

Bleys J, Navas-Acien A, Guallar E. Serum selenium levels and all-cause, cancer,

and cardiovascular mortality among US adults. Arch Intern Med.

2008;168(4):404-410. Available at:

http://archinte.highwire.org/cgi/content/abstract/168/4/404.>

Mazokopakis EE, Papadakis JA, Papadomanolaki MG, et al. Effects of 12 months

treatment with L-selenomethionine on serum anti-TPO levels in patients with

Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Thyroid. 2007 Jul;17(7):609-12. Available at:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17696828.>

Mazokopakis EE, Chatzipavlidou V. Hashimoto's thyroiditis and the role of

selenium. Hell J Nucl Med. January-April 2007. Available at:

http://nuclmed.web.auth.gr/magazine/eng/jan07/8.pdf.>

Turker O et al. Selenium treatment in autoimmune thyroiditis: 9-month follow-up

with variable doses. J Endocrinol. 2006;190:151-156. Available at:

http://joe.endocrinology-journals.org/cgi/content/full/190/1/151.>

Zimmermann MB, Kohrle J. The impact of iron and selenium deficiencies on iodine

and thyroid metabolism: biochemistry and relevance to public health. Thyroid.

2002 Oct;12(10):867-878. Available at:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12487769.> Warmest regards,

Dach, MD

7450 Road

Davie, Florida 33314

954-967-4663

www.jeffreydach.com

Links and References

Dach MD

7450 Road

Davie, Fl 33314

954-967-4663

http://www.jeffreydach.com

http://www.drdach.com

http://www.naturalmedicine101.com

http://www.truemedmd.com

Click Here for: Dr Dach's Online Store for Pure Encapsulations Supplements

Click Here for: Dr Dach's Online Store for Nature's Sunshine Supplements

Web Site and Discussion Board

[Guest guest]

9 April 2011

A few days after the Japan tsunami and nuclear stuff going on I was emailing

with a professor of medicine about an unrelated business matter and remarked

that my local pharmacy had already had two runs on potassium iodide pills. They

ran out the Sunday after the Friday event and again by the Wednesday after the

Friday event.

I asked her, as she is a professor focusing on medical ethics, how she would

handle triage of the pills if she had a limited supply. Elders first; teens;

what? She responded 'those who are pregnant.' She did not go on to rank

people. I am assuming the very elderly would be last and pregnant and children

first.

When I went into my pharmacy to get my order of pills that Wednesday (I was

early on their wait list that day so got 'reached'), the store clerk asked my

name. I said, " Chicken Little.' She chuckled.

Anyhow, I have a good supply 'just in case.'

in Austin, South Oklahoma

[Guest guest]

I just got notice from iHerb I ordered it they were out so I went on there list

it came in they sent me 2 bottles so I am good.

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: Rob on <rvrobertson@...>

> Subject: RE: Iodine is Safe and Effective by Dach MD

>

> Date: Saturday, April 9, 2011, 12:15 PM

>

>

> 9 April 2011

>

>

> A few days after the Japan tsunami and nuclear stuff going

> on I was emailing with a professor of medicine about an

> unrelated business matter and remarked that my local

> pharmacy had already had two runs on potassium iodide

> pills.  They ran out the Sunday after the Friday event

> and again by the Wednesday after the Friday event.

>

> I asked her, as she is a professor focusing on medical

> ethics, how she would handle triage of the pills if she had

> a limited supply.  Elders first; teens; what?  She

> responded 'those who are pregnant.'  She did not go on

> to rank people.  I am assuming the very elderly would

> be last and pregnant and children first.

>

> When I went into my pharmacy to get my order of  pills

> that Wednesday (I was early on their wait list that day so

> got 'reached'), the store clerk asked my name.  I said,

> " Chicken Little.'  She chuckled.

>

> Anyhow, I have a good supply 'just in case.'

>

> in Austin, South Oklahoma    

>         

>           

>  

>

>