Ki Center Blog

With the crisis in Japan, and more importantly the fear of radiation exposure from the reactor accidents, I want to explain a bit about the use of iodine in protecting the thyroid.

First of all, I do not believe that the potential for radiation exposure here on the West coast is anything to be alarmed about. If there is a release of particulate matter from a melt down, the transit across the pacific would greatly reduce the amounts reaching the West coast and fall harmlessly into the ocean. In addition, anything that does reach us would be a small amount and probably would not be a health hazard. Having said that, I do not trust the government to accurately report the danger just to keep the general population from panicking. With that, let me give you some general information about the use of thyroid supplements and how it would impact your health.

Thyroid and radiation

The thyroid uses organic iodine as fuel for the gland. If there is a deficiency in organic iodine (and there usually is in the U.S.), the thyroid will assimilate any type of iodine, including radioactive iodine. The idea behind the use of potassium iodide as a preventative is that if the thyroid has enough iodine in the tissues it will not absorb any other forms. So taking iodine supplements has merit. However, this will only be effective in low doses of radiation and if the exposure were high, the iodine would be a band aid at best. Furthermore, the potassium iodide that everyone is trying to get right now is a chemical version of the mineral and frankly, not very safe. If you are allergic to iodine then it will not help at all and can cause adverse health side effects. Rashes, burning in the mouth and throat and disruption of the function of the the thyroid could be the result.

Organic vs. chemical fractions

In my practice I use an organic form of iodine called Prolamine Iodine from Standard Process. This is a highly metabolized form of iodine and certainly good news for the thyroid. It will suffice to do the same (and a much healthier form) than potassium iodide. Once the thyroid has enough iodine to be optimal, the body will then excrete additional iodine through the urine without adverse effects. Not so in potassium iodide. Because it is a chemical synthetic, the body will be inclined to store it for processing through the liver and kidneys and could cause some problems.

Please listen to the media with a discerning (and skeptical) ear when it comes to the dangers of possible radiation exposure. Be smart, be prepared but don't panic. The best thing that I believe you can do is be prepared to take of yourself for at least 30 days in the event of any disasters. This includes having some food stored, fuel reserves and any health products you may need.

Perhaps one of the most important and yet unrecognized minerals, iodine, has a huge impact on your overall health. Getting it from iodized salt or seafood does not fulfill your iodine needs.

Iodine Facts

From 1900 to 1960 most U.S physicians used an iodine supplement called Lugol for thyroid conditions. What most people didn’t know, was that iodine therapy was used for many other conditions with great results.

Goiter (a swelling of the thyroid gland) is reduced or eliminated, the liver’s ability to detoxify the body is greatly enhanced, breast tissue normalizes with decreased occurrences of fibrocystic breast disease and obesity is more easily overcome-in fact, iodine therapy may be a critical and yet unknown factor in obesity. These are just a few of the conditions that this important mineral therapy was used for, again, with great success.

Iodine is found in every organ gland and tissue in the body. It is found in high levels in the thyroid, adrenal glands, liver, lung and heart. The highest levels can be found in muscle tissue and fat tissue. Until about 1950, iodine was added to bread as a supplement-it was considered that important. Once the politics were in place, the iodine was replaced with thyroid toxic bromine. Since then, an increase in obesity, diabetes, hypertension and thyroid and breast cancers have been on the rise.

Iodine fulfillment therapy

There has been much study on the uses of iodine fulfillment therapy in treating both hypo and hyper-thyroid conditions. Iodine fulfillment means saturating the body with what most doctors would consider high doses of organic iodine, “filling the tank” so to speak. The RDA recommends a low dose of this mineral which is just enough to prevent goiter. However, with the importance of iodine in so many bodily functions, too low of a dose creates a significant imbalance with resulting symptoms such as heart arrhythmias, thyroid imbalances, hypertension, and brain fog.

This mineral is so important, I now check for iodine depletion as a regular part of the initial visit to the clinic. This is a very easy test that you can do at home. Simply take a 2% solution of tincture of iodine and swab a silver dollar size patch on your inner arm. There is a 7% solution available as well, but this will be too strong and may irritate your skin.Watch how long it takes for this patch to absorb into your skin. In a person who has iodine fulfillment, the patch should still be lightly visible in 24 hours. For those who see the patch fade completely in a few hours they will know without a doubt that their body needs more.

Replacing this mineral is easy. We use a product from Standard Process labs called Prolamine Iodine. We use a small amount at first and build this up until we have iodine fulfillment. Once the body has sufficient stores of iodine, all tissues including the thyroid have enough iodine to function properly.

As mentioned earlier, the medical profession probably would scoff at the doses of iodine recommended from a holistic standpoint. Oddly enough though, the premier drug of choice for heart arrhythmias (Amiodarone), is actually iodine in a toxic, sustained release formula. The drug can produce a smooth heartbeat once 1500 mgs has been accumulated by the body, which is exactly the amount the body retains when using an organic form such as prolamine iodine.

Unfortunately, Amiodarone is an extremely toxic form of iodine and cannot usually be tolerated without significant side effects, and is frequently not endured long enough to reach the amounts necessary for therapeutic effect. Organic forms of iodine however can reach these levels safely without side effects. Once the tank is full, then we cut back to a maintenance dose. Amiodarone is a form of iodine, but you cannot take this drug and prolamine iodine at the same time. You must be weaned off the medication first as the combination of the two can be dangerous.

It is rare to be allergic to iodine. Anyone who is-probably knows that they are already. Therefore we will always proceed with caution when pursuing iodine fulfillment therapy. Few problems arise when used appropriately, slowly and safely. If someone is sensitive to iodine they may experience some minor skin irritation, runny nose, nervousness and headaches. Stopping the use of organic iodine will resolve these symptoms usually within 24 hrs, as organic forms of the mineral are excreted safely through the urine.

Iodine therapy may be the final piece of the puzzle you have been looking for to alleviate those stubborn health problems. Test yourself at home, give me a call if you have any questions and lets move forward to good health.