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The role of iodine versus cannabis in preventing and treating cancer.

Radio discussion with Sue Visser October 2018

 

Q: Is it possible to prevent cancer and to relax about this ongoing threat?

Sue: Yes, but you can only relax when you stop causing it on an ongoing basis. You also need to know how to test for cancer.

Q: What are the main causes of cancer?

Sue: The diagnosis and treatment – in many cases! We are all exposed to toxins, radiation, medications, stress and junk food. But some of us thrive and others get cancer.

Q: Can cannabis prevent cancer?

Sue: The cannabis oil can stop the growth of tumours – but smoking cannabis certainly does not!

Q: People are  now allowed to smoke cannabis – but will it boost the immune system in any way? What are the dangers of cannabis abuse?

Sue: Many of the drugs used for cancer, high cholesterol and dementia have horrific side effects. But cannabis is not for children (or adults) to mess about with. Side effects include short-term memory problems, severe anxiety, including fear and paranoia, strange behaviour, psychoses, panic, hallucinations, lowered reaction time, increased heart rate and risk of stroke, impaired co-ordination, decline in IQ, impaired thinking and academic ability, addiction leading to opiate abuse, antisocial behaviour and so on.  Ref: https://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/marijuana/short-and-long-term-effects.html

Q: What are the problems with cannabis oil?

Sue:  The cost. It is a successful treatment for tumours and many other health conditions but it does not change bad habits, correct nutrient deficiencies or boost the immune system. It is not something the whole family can take every day to prevent cancer!

Q: So what should we rather take to both prevent as well as cure cancer?

Sue:  Iodine! It is a lot cheaper, safer and more effective. Most people with cancer have severe iodine deficiencies as well as not enough Vitamin D3, selenium, and other key nutrients.

Q: How much iodine do we need and are there side effects?

Sue: 1 drop of Lugol’s iodine is the average dose these days but you can ask a practitioner of integrative health for more advice, depending on your condition.  If very deficient in iodine, you will experience a temporary sore throat while the iodine balances out. Symptoms of an accidental iodine overdose can be abdominal pain, delirium, fever, vomiting, and shortness of breath but not at doses up to 50mg. this amount is used to determine your iodine status and any excess is expelled in the urine.

Q: Remind us how exactly, does iodine control breast cancer?

A:  According to research studies:

1 Iodine blocks the uptake of oestrogens that stimulate cell proliferation (16-estrogen)
2 Iodine increases the uptake of the breast-healthy oestrogens (2- oestrogens) to improve the 2/16 ratio
3 Iodine lowers or down-regulates several oestrogen-responsive genes
4 Iodine increases timed cell death or apoptosis in abnormal breast cells
5 Iodine prevents and reduces the build-up of fibrocystic tissue in the breast
6 Iodine facilitates lymph drainage, to prevent lumps in the breasts
7 Iodine Kills germs and microbes that may lodge in breast tissue. Biofilms develop around them and become cysts
8 Iodine is a powerful antioxidant and keeps tissues from being damaged by free radicals
9 Iodine helps us to excrete toxic carcinogens such as fluoride, bromide and chlorine

The Iodine Story – link to Sue’s article on the internet

https://gratitudehappythoughts.weebly.com/the-iodine-story.html

This link provides the best resource for iodine and cancer:

http://www.healyourselfathome.com/HEALTH_PROBLEMS/CANCER/TREATMENTS/1_NOT_ALLOWED/iodine_against_cancer.aspx

How to use cannabis oil – including overdose and side effects

https://www.medicalcannabisdispensary.co.za/cannabis-oil-treating-cancer/

Iodine literate practitioners are familiar with all aspects of iodine administration, especially for treating fibrocystic breast disease and breast cancer. Most people are sceptical about iodine and assume it to be dangerous, if not toxic. Bread no longer uses it as a dough improver. Instead, bromide is added and because it competes with iodine and lowers our iodine reserves. So does fluoride as it trickles into our system via treated drinking water and oral hygiene produces. People were brainwashed into thinking this was beneficial and were still wary of iodine. Many of us still assume that iodated salt has made the occurrence of goitres, the most visible evidence of an iodine deficiency (swollen neck) become all but redundant.

According to one of the pioneers of iodine research, Dr David Bowenstein, most of us seem to be lacking in iodine to some extent these days. The iodine loading test is the best way to determine the extent of your iodine deficiency. 50mg of iodine is taken and a subsequent urine analysis measures the excreted amount. This is reassuring in the first place to the “iodophobes” who fear ingesting iodine, because we excrete whatever iodine we do not need. The amount of iodine that is taken up and used from the 50mg dose reveals your level of iodine deficiency. All 60 of the breast cancer patients thus tested had severe iodine deficiencies, ranging from 50% to as much as 80%.

The surprising thing about benign and fibrocystic breast conditions as well as some forms of breast cancer is that most of them seem to improve, if not heal up totally when iodine levels are correctly restored. Patients also noticed improvement in thyroid function, obviously. Studies are now been done on just how iodine can help to prevent cancer in the first place. “You cannot give breast cancer to rats that have sufficient iodine.” Is what Dr Bowenstein has already found out. Chemotherapy is a strange way to treat an iodine deficiency. So before you lose your hair and possibly your breasts there is a lot you need to understand.

According to the Breast Cancer Choices website, iodine effectively kills off cancer cells and outperforms chemo drugs like Fluorouracil! Iodine can also slow down cell division and shrink blood vessel growth to tumours. It reduces oestrogen dominance and desensitizes oestrogen receptors in the breast. We should attend to our iodine status because it plays a role in just about every cell in the body.

Does early detection really prevent breast cancer? We all have lumps from time to time. Most of us die with them, not from them. In many cases, it is the fixation with the lump, the radiation and the needle biopsies that do more harm than good. There are non-invasive ways of scanning for lumps, but it is only the urine test that truly indicates cell division that is abnormal. What tests? The 2/16 and the HCG (pregnancy test)

http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/ipractitioners.html

Iodine is the Key to Controlling Breast Cancer We don’t appreciate the role it plays in preventing cancer, especially breast cancer. Instead, we neglect iodine supplementation and are encouraged by the media to be suspicious of using it. Why?

“Over 100 years ago, application of iodine to the skin was used extensively for iodine supplementation Iodine exhibits good activity against bacteria, molds, yeasts, protozoa, and many viruses; indeed, of all antiseptic preparations suitable for direct use on humans and animals and upon tissues, only iodine is capable of killing all classes of pathogens: gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, yeasts, viruses and protozoa. Most bacteria are killed within 15 to 30 seconds of contact. All of the glands of the body depend on adequate iodine levels to function optimally.”

Animal studies have shown problems with the adrenal glands, the thymus gland, the ovaries, the hypothalamus and pituitary access, as well as the entire endocrine system, when there is an iodine deficient state.” We are looking at one of the most important medicines in the entire world of medicine when we are talking about iodine for we cover enormous physiological territory with its use. Iodine sprayed on the mucous lining of a woman’s vagina will be absorbed and will soften her breasts in a matter of 5 minutes, while at the same time it relieves the tension and irritability within intestines.

Dr. David Brownstein wrote the book: Why You Need It and Why You Can’t Live Without It, “Iodine contains potent anticancer properties. Iodine is effective for treating fibrocystic breasts and ovarian cysts.” In this chapter we are exploring, for the first time, the use of iodine as a principle agent in the treatment of cancer with specific attention paid to breast and skin cancer, which are most easily treated transdermally.

Transdermal treatment for cancer using iodine

Transdermal does not mean just topically, it also includes aerosol (direct application to the lungs) as well as for the upper and lower ends of the GI track, (colonics and oral use for treatment of oral and stomach cancers) as well as in douches for cancers of cervix and uterus.

Transdermal drug delivery is painless and convenient — a big advantage for patients who hate injections or forget to take their pills on time. One of the principle reasons iodine is so effective for skin cancer is that, according to Dr. Simoncini, skins cancers are caused by Candida fungus, which has adapted itself to metabolising the most proteinaceous constituents of the epidermis and that therefore only rarely can it be treated with sodium bicarbonate solutions. Dr. Simoncini perhaps has the most experience with transdermal iodine in cancer treatment but even he did not realize that you can treat internal cancers through raising internal iodine concentrations through oral administration.

Iodine can be used in all cancer treatments as a systemic medicine, not just topically for skin and breast cancer. For the same reasons iodine is effective for skin cancers it would be effective in helping combat cancers of all types. Using the right type of iodine allows us to bring up systemic levels effectively without toxic effect since the body desperately needs the iodine for a broad range of reasons. Fibrocystic breast disease, a benign (non-cancerous) condition is characterized by round lumps that move freely within the breast tissue. These lumps are usually tender to the touch. In contrast, a cancerous growth in the breast is often not tender or freely movable when touched.

Iodine applied via the vagina has been said to soften the breasts in minutes so iodine and magnesium chloride applied together through transdermal means would be the perfect duo in our fight against both breast and skin cancer. With the addition of the sodium bicarbonate treatments of Dr. Simoncini we have what could be considered a trinity in skin and breast cancer treatments. Of course treatment options do not end here and a full protocol is always desired if one wants to go over the top as far as survival rates are concerned. Breast Cancer

There is plenty of evidence that women would have a lower incidence of cancer and fibrocystic disease of the breast if they consumed more iodine and other minerals like magnesium, selenium and zinc plus adequate vitamin D

Dr. Blaylock: “A decrease in iodine intake coupled with an increased consumption of competing halogens, fluoride and bromide, has created an epidemic of iodine deficiency in America and this seems to be in part responsible for skyrocketing rates of breast cancer. It makes total sense that iodine, one of the nutrients that when deficient leads to breast cancer, would also help to cure it. woman’s breasts are one of her most sensitive areas when it comes to cancers caused by radiation exposure. Modern medicine terrorizes women in a typical male oriented way using testing and treatments that cause cancer to treat breast cancer. Doctors have as little compunction in removing breasts as they do doing C sections or injecting women’s babies with vaccines containing toxic poisons like mercury.”

Dr. Blaylock continues saying that, “by the age of 50, a full 45% of women will have cancer cells in their breasts. This doesn’t mean that all these women will develop breast cancer, because in most women these cancer cells remain dormant. What it does mean is that, if you are one of these 45% of women, you are at high risk of spurring these cancer cells to full activity.” For women concerned about the prevention of breast cancer the same natural allopathic treatments used to treat cancer will prevent it. The clash in medical paradigms is intensely focused on this point. You cannot use surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy to prevent breast cancer because all of these cause cancer. On the other hand magnesium, iodine, selenium and ALA can be used to insure vibrant mammary health The IMVA treatment for breast cancer combines transdermal magnesium treatments with transdermal iodine treatments to the breasts.

10 Reasons to Consider an Iodine Supplement

Here is a lovely way to get the treatment in a hot bath! I wrote this for Info Barrel. (Sue Visser)
Infobarrel Article

How much iodine?

From an article on Mercola.com:

” Use of 12.5 milligrams of Lugol’s will not kill healthy flora either. Amounts used in excess of 50 milligrams probably will.”
http://articles.mercola.com/…/bromelain-enzyme-aid-cancer-t…

Article on bromide poisoning

 

Read our disclaimer before attempting any treatment prescribed here.

 

 

 

IODINE – FACTS AND FALLACIES

Most of our iodine is stored in the thyroid gland but did you know that iodine is also present in breast tissue, the stomach, skin and other places?

According to micro nutritionists, most of our diseases are affected by a deficiency of minerals, vitamins, enzymes and other key nutrients. If we correct the nutritional shortfall we can theoretically recover from the ailment. How about iodine? We take thyroid hormones when the metabolism slows down, yet still complain about weak finger nails, heart burn, stomach ulcers, fibrocystic breasts, polycystic ovaries, dry skin, a dry mouth and even dry eyes. We get cancer, take antibiotics to fight off infections and suffer from estrogen imbalances. Is this potpourri of maladies somehow linked to the protective and functional roles that iodine plays in human health?

To most of us, a healthy iodine status is a misnomer. We take it for granted that the traces we ingest from salt are sufficient unto the day and top up with kelp tablets from time to time. Such a casual approach does not supply enough iodine to fight off infections or control hormones. It cannot protect us from cancer, fibrocystic breast disease or ovarian cysts. So we revert to drugs, surgery and hormonal intervention yet we fail to check up on our iodine status.

Fortunately these days some doctors do understand just how important our iodine status is. They are what we call: iodine literate and have overcome the “iodophobia” that has infected the logic of medical practice until recently. So if you need to check up on just how well you are ingesting and responding to iodine consider the advice and treatments for which Dr David Brownstein has become so well known. (www.drbrownstein.com) Dr Jonathan V. Wright is another very pro-active iodine researcher who recommends not only daily supplementation with iodine but also specific treatment for acute or chronic conditions. (www.fsphealth.co.za)

What Has Happened to Our Iodine Reserves?

If potassium iodide levels are too low the thyroid gland swells up to absorb more of it from the bloodstream. At below 150 mcg a day, iodine is seriously lacking and the neck swells up to form a goitre as a desperate attempt to absorb more iodine from the bloodstream. We cannot get enough iodine from iodated salt. We are told to cut out salt at the best of times and only 10% of this iodine is active due to the competing effect of chloride from the salt.

The bromide that is present in bread and all grain-based products that contain this pesticide ousts our iodine. Chlorine from water also lowers our iodine status. Fluoride present in water, antidepressants (like prozac), mouthwash or toothpaste also drives out the iodine and hence people complain of a dry mouth or a lack of saliva and even dry eyes. A lack of saliva (dry mouth) increases the extent of tooth decay, mouth infections and bad breath. So why do we use fluoride? The chief iodine thieves are: chlorine, bromide and fluoride. With no incoming iodine and daily iodine depletion we become increasingly iodine deficient.

How much Iodine do we Really Need?

How much iodine is required for optimal health? Dr Brownstein says that the RDA of 150-200 mcg of iodine is hopelessly inadequate to maintain all its functions in the body. The thyroid gland needs 6 mg a day, the breasts need 5 mg and at least another 2 mg are required in other areas such as the skin and the stomach’s parietal cells where hydrochloric acid is made. When an adequate iodine status has been achieved he tells us that iodine can reach breast tissue, fat cells and striated muscle tissue. Iodine binds to antiproliferative iodolipids (fat+iodine) to control cancer. This does not happen if we are iodine deficient, so we get cancer.

One of the best methods to determine your iodine status is a 24 hour iodine loading test. Firstly a urine sample is taken and then you are given a 50 mg dose of iodine. After 24 hours another urine sample will indicate how much iodine was taken up. Some people suggest painting a patch of iodine onto your skin. This is not an accurate assessment as iodine is pH sensitive. The more acidic the skin, the quicker the stain disappears! (Now you know how to get rid of iodine marks – just wipe them away with a vitamin C solution or lemon juice). Do not take iodine with anything acidic because it nullifies the antimicrobial effects.

Iodine supplementation is safe enough because excessive iodine will be removed by the kidneys every day. Lugol’s iodine solution can be obtained from health shops and pharmacies. It is a combination of potassium iodide and elemental iodine in an aqueous solution. The average dose is 2-3 drops, once or twice a day as recommended by a knowledgeable pharmacist or doctor. It can be applied to the skin and absorbed that way. In some countries a comprehensive iodine supplement in tablet form is available.

Not everybody tolerates seaweed of shellfish which cause more iodine allergies as opposed to mineral-based sources. A new deodorant cream is now available that contains iodine. It can be applied underarm and massaged into breast tissue. However, when one is fighting infections, alkalising or warding off cancer and correcting hormone ratios, a lot more iodine is required from time to time. To the degree that iodine is not available to undertake such critical tasks, we get into trouble.

Iodine Kills Bacteria, Mould, Viruses and Other Microbes

Every 17 minutes our blood flows over the iodine that is stored in the thyroid gland to control microbes and pathogens. E coli and Helicobacter pylori are initially zapped by this stash of iodine. If there is none and you eat infected food, you come down with a stomach bug accompanied by vomiting and diarrhoea. When Helicobacter pylori gets the upper hand, stomach ulcers develop. We take antibiotics for these conditions yet fail to treat the iodine deficiency.

Stomach acid cannot maintain a bug-zapping intensity because iodine is an essential ingredient of stomach acid. Sodium chloride + iodine = good strong hydrochloric acid. Pass the salt! Hair loss, weak fingernails and poor food assimilation improves when the stomach acid becomes more intense. Heartburn is due to too much stomach acid that is too weak to kill microbes, let alone help to digest and assimilate your food or chelate any calcium out of it. Taking loads of antacids and inhibiting stomach acid production do not treat an iodine deficiency.

Iodine thus kills microbes in the bloodstream and it is one of our primary infection fighters. This is why it is also present in our nasal and respiratory passages. Constant respiratory (colds and flu) or gut infections (vomiting, nausea or diarrhoea) indicate low iodine reserves long before thyroid hormone deficiencies show up and the body slows down. Iodine is required to make thyroid hormones to keep our metabolic rate optimal. If not, the body temperature becomes too low and once again, opportunistic microbes invade our tissues and are often to blame for chronic fatigue and aches and pains we refer to as fibromyalgia.

Iodine is a Girl’s “Breast” Friend

How does an iodine deficiency affect breast cancer? Toxins gather into lumps that are acidic and contain microbial infestations. If iodine is not present to neutralise acidity and kill bacteria and other mycotoxins that migrate there, they start to multiply. Cells divide excessively and grow into tumours when iodine is not actively modifying hormonal effects on cell receptors. According to the research of Dr Benjamin Eskin, breast cells that lacked iodine appeared to be more likely to become abnormal, precancerous or cancerous.

A major source of pathogenic material in breasts comes from mycotoxins when there is a deficiency of beneficial gut flora. When a biofilm develops around this microbial bundle of mischief it escapes the vigilance of the immune system. If a breast that contains such a biofilm is exposed to radiation (mammograms or X rays) then strands of DNA are damaged. The estrogen present in fat cells sets off cell proliferation to repair it. If iodine can’t be there to control the cell dividing messengers then we get more of those “lumps”.

Iodine kills cancerous cells without killing off normal cells. Iodine does not weaken your immune system, make you nauseous or cause your hair to fall out. It helps to break down cell proliferating forms of estrogen that accumulate there from sources such as HRT, environmental estrogens (xenoestrogens), soya-based products and other phyto estrogens. Is the average case of breast cancer a killer disease or an iodine deficiency?

Iodine is a built-in deodorant. 20% of the iodine we need is used in skin cells. Lack of iodine in the sweat glands manifests as dry skin with a decreased ability to sweat. After a bath or shower we immediately apply a deodorant. Why? Because chlorine removes the iodine in sweat glands. It should be there to control odour from bacteria. It is normal to sweat and excrete metabolic waste substances like urea on the skin. Bacteria grows here very quickly and so, ideally, iodine should control it and maintain the pH balance.

Perspiration or should we say sweat, is an excretory process that naturally tips out waste material. If we inhibit perspiration the waste builds up in lymph tissue under the arms and is as we know, very close to the breasts. Should we use iodine as a deodorant? It’s pretty obvious. An iodine-based cream deodorant helps to solve iodine deficiencies at the scene of the crime and it is easily absorbed for further applications within breast tissue.

An iodine deficiency is also directly proportionate to the presence and amount of cysts in the ovaries. In its extreme form, this condition is known as polycystic ovarian disease. Fibrocystic breast disease (painful breasts with nodules and cysts) is another iodine deficiency that responds very well to iodine treatment. Doctor Jonathan Wright witnessed a colleague of his using iodine to treat ladies who were suffering from fibrocystic breast disease at a medical conference. The iodine was applied to their vaginal mucosa. Within 30 minutes they were free from most of the pain and swelling. A few weeks later their breasts became normal after daily iodine supplementation.

Iodine is easily absorbed by the skin and mucous membranes or it can be taken in supplement form. For convenience you can place a few drops of Lugol’s iodine onto a brewer’s yeast tablet. You can make yourself a supply of these and take one or two a day. A lady who did this was delighted to see her large, lumpy and swollen breasts return to normal and her fears of having cancer were unfounded. Taking more vitamin B6 thereafter decreased her premenstrual breast discomfort.

A Good Way to Prevent Cancer is to Understand What Iodine Does

Cells have thousands of estrogen receptors. There are two types; alpha and beta and they are like switches that react to a hormonal signal. The alpha receptor is the on, or divide switch and it favours acidity. Cancer is basically a potent form of estrogen (16- or 17- type) engaging fully on the links of an alpha receptor that initiates cell division in order to repair damaged areas. To shut down this activity, the environment needs to become more alkaline so that oxygenation can take place. Then the beta estrogen receptor can engage with the cancer fighting 2- or weaker estrogens like estriol to switch off the cell division when the job is done.

Iodine is a potent alkalising agent and helps to oxygenate areas that may become prone to cancer when acidity is present. Furthermore iodine actually breaks down the complex 16- or 17- forms of estrogen into simpler 2- estrogens that help to prevent cancer and fibrocystic disease. Iodine binds to fat and produces antiproliferative lipids from fatty acids that are present in breast tissue. With the help of a healthy immune system iodine helps to destroy cancerous cells, yet leaves the normal cells intact.

Maintaining a favourable colony of beneficial gut bacteria also speeds up the break down of complex estrogen to maintain a favourable 2/16 (good versus bad) estrogen ratio. A urine test can indicate if you have a dominance of harmful 16- estrogen. This is a less invasive way to see if you are becoming vulnerable to breast and other forms of cancer. By maintaining a healthy population of beneficial gut flora we can also facilitate the 2/16 estrogen ratio. It is a fallacy that the yeast we call candida is a “disease.” It is the food of your probiotic strains! It is only when you wipe out good bacteria with antibiotics or herbs like echinacea, golden seal or oregano that this candida yeast becomes a problem. Candida then decomposes into over 71 deadly forms of fungus and moulds (candidiasis) that can migrate to breast tissue and other places.

What about parabens and breast cancer, you may be wondering? The reason a paraben would be found in breast tissue would be due to pathogens such as bacteria and mycotoxins that are the real cancer culprit! Parabens are large group of organic acids found in nature and they feed off mycotoxins. They are present in mangoes, grenadillas, green tea, cocoa and even strawberries! They serve as natural organic preservatives by consuming the waste material derived from the breakdown of yeasts such as candida albicans.

There is no conclusive evidence that parabens can cause cancer. 90% of the parabens that are present in breast tissue come from food sources. The antimicrobial role of parabens is similar to that of iodine. The hormonal activity of a paraben is hardly an estrogen disruptor! Estrogen disruptors are the complex or 16- based estrogens, such as xenoestrogens that have a bad reputation. The good guys are the weak estrogens, especially the isoflavones that we call SERMS (selective estrogen receptor modulators). They help to deflect cell-proliferating estrogens from the alpha (cancer causing) receptors. Best known are red clover and soy isoflavones. In this way, parabens also serve as SERMS but they are 600 000x weaker than red clover.

People who are deficient in iodine become more vulnerable to thyroid cancer, stomach cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. According to well documented research an iodine deficiency causes decreased resistance to malignancies. Iodine and selenium are key minerals in fighting cancer and strengthening the immune system. Selenium is a mineral that helps to protect the chromosomes. We can take more probiotics, vitamin C, vitamin D and omega 3 oils to facilitate our resistance to cancer. We can top up on calcium and magnesium supplements to maintain systemic alkalinity. To fight cancer on the battlefront we rely heavily on cruciferous vegetables, but DIM capsules are more effective. To the degree we neglect adequate supplementation we make ourselves more vulnerable to cancer, so don’t forget the iodine!

More information:

The Iodine Story by Sue Visser. Issue 50, Natural Medicine Magazine.

Dr. David Brownstein (http://www.drbrownstein.com/)

Dr Jonathan V. Wright’s Nutrition & Healing Vol 6, Issue 3 March www.fsphealth.co.za

http://www.life-enthusiast.com/index/Products/Iodine References provided by: Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com Thursday, November 19, 2009. Accessed: June 2011.

Additional information – not part of this article References provided by: Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com Thursday, November 19, 2009. Accessed: June 2011. Breast Cancer: A Nutritional Approach by Carlton Fredericks, Ph.D.

Stopping the Clock: Longevity for the New Millenium by Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman

Alternative Medicine the Definitive Guide, Second Edition by Larry Trivieri, Jr.

Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer: A Comprehensive Program for Prevention and Treatment by Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene Valentine

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC

Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 2 by Michael T. Murray, ND

Fundamentals of Naturopathic Endocrinology by Michael Friedman, ND

Antidepressants, Antipsychotics, And Stimulants – Dangerous Drugs on Trial by Dr David W Tanton, Ph.D.

Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It by David Brownstein, M.D.

1. Abraham, Guy, The Safe and Effective Implementation of Orthoiodosupplementation in Medical Practice. The Original Internist, 11:17-36, 2004. Also, conversations and fax.

2. Abraham, Guy, The Wolff-Chaikoff Effect: Crying Wolf? www.optimox.com

3. Brownstein, David, Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, Medical Alternative Press, Pages 20, 38-39, 80-81, 2004. Also conversations and lecture notes.

4. Flechas, Jorge, Iodine Seminar, given at Bio-energetic Conference in Orlando Florida, May 22, 2005.

5. Oketlund M.D., The Clinical Utility of Fluorescent Scanning of the Thyroid. In Medical Applications of Fluorescent Excitation Analysis. Editors Kaufman and Price, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL pg 149-160.

6. PDR for Nutritional Supplements; First edition, Medical Economics, 2001, p 73

7. Soldin OP, Tractenberg RE, Pezzullo JC. Do Thyroxine and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels Reflect Urinary Iodine Concentrations? Ther Drug Monit. 2005 Apr;27(2):178-185.

8. Vermiglio F, et al, Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in the offspring of mothers exposed to mild-moderate iodine deficiency: a possible novel iodine deficiency disorder in developed countries.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Dec;89(12):6054-60.

9. Wolff, J. and Chaikoff, I.L., Plasma Inorganic Iodide as a Homeostatic Regulator of thyroid Function. J. Biol. Chem, 174:555-564, 1948.

From the Internet: a warning about X ray protection for thyroid

On Wednesday, Dr. Oz had a show on the fastest growing cancer in women, thyroid cancer. It was a very interesting program and he mentioned that the increase could possibly be related to the use of dental x-rays and mammograms. He demonstrated that on the apron the dentist puts on you for your dental x-rays there is a little flap that can be lifted up and wrapped around your neck. Many dentists don’t bother to use it. Also, there is something called a “thyroid guard” for use during mammograms. By coincidence, I had my yearly mammogram yesterday. I felt a little silly, but I asked about the guard and sure enough, the technician had one in a drawer. I asked why it wasn’t routinely used. Answer: “I don’t know. You have to ask for it.” Well, if I hadn’t seen the show, how would I have known to ask? Someone was nice enough to forward this to me. I hope you pass this on to your friends and family.

Article on bromide poisoning

Iodine

The iodine story : Confronting the “iodophobia” of our modern age.

In the 1820’s the French physician Jean Lugol formulated a solution made out of two types of iodine: 10% potassium iodide (ideal for making thyroid hormones) and 5% elemental iodine (best suited to the breast, ovary and prostate tissue) in 85% water.

Lugol’s iodine solution helped to prevent countless people in the early 19th century from dying of infectious diseases. This is because it has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anti parasitic properties and it enhances the immune system. Little did Jean Lugol know that his simple formulation has also become a very popular iodine supplement, used to treat thyroid disorders, oestrogen imbalances and cancer.

By 1948 Drs. Wolff and Chaikoff had declared that iodine at doses of over 20 times the RDA (4mg) can damage the thyroid gland in humans. Medical textbooks often quote this erroneous assumption based on a trial that was conducted on rats. “Iodophobia” is the irrational fear of using iodine at doses above the minimal RDA of 200 mcg. This term was coined by Dr. Abrahams recently during his research on iodine.12.5mg of inorganic iodine (2 drops of Lugol’s iodine) is now being recommended for most conditions based on statistics from iodine uptake studies.

“Lugol’s solution is a time-tested preparation with a proven track record for over 150 years”. (Ref 26 sub 14, 15) I went to a number of pharmacies and asked for a bottle of Lugol’s iodine. The immediate response was: “No, we don’t have any.” I asked them to find me some and was met with blank stares. After many such dismissals, a pharmacist in a health shop ordered me some. I took it for a few days and realised just how iodine deficient one could become. For me, my Lugol’s is truly a health and beauty supplement: long strong fingernails, thick lustrous hair, it controls my hormones, keeps me slim and active, and to my surprise, in a very happy and energetic space.

We tend to overlook iodine deficiencies as being a basic cause of many illnesses including breast cancer, ovarian cysts, and mental illnesses that don’t even involve the thyroid gland! Iodine is a trace element and to the degree we lack iodine, we will continue to manifest iodine deficiencies regardless of surgery, beauty treatments, slimming products or patent medications. (Ref: 9, 18)

Establishing the iodine intake:

Dr. Brownstein’s iodine test: uses a sample from a 24 hour urine collection after a 50mg dose of iodine has been given. If 90% of it is excreted back into the urine then one has sufficient iodine. Results showed that 90% of the Americans tested in this way were iodine deficient. Excess iodine is excreted and is therefore not toxic. Ironically, iodine promotes the excretion of lead, mercury and cadmium as well as fluoride and bromide. Iodine contained in seaweed or shellfish can cause allergic reactions and radioactive iodine destroys thyroid tissue but an allergy to inorganic iodine is extremely rare. (Organic iodine is composed of one or more carbon atoms.)

Iodine was at first added to bread as an anti-caking agent but due to the iodine scares of the 1960’s, it was replaced with bromine. Iodine intake was reduced by 50% while thyroid illness, thyroid cancer, autoimmune thyroid disorders; breast, prostate, endometrial and ovarian cancers began to increase. Although salt had been iodized, the bromine from the bread was stripping out iodine at a faster rate. Patients suffering from thyroid abnormalities such as hypothyroidism (under active), hyperthyroidism (overactive) and autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid (Hashimoto’s Disease) were all shown to be deficient of iodine when tested. During treatment, when all iodine levels were restored, their thyroids once again functioned normally and the swelling subsided.

When lacking in iodine, the thyroid tissue proliferates in order to glean more iodine from the bloodstream. When inflamed, toxic or affected by an autoimmune condition, the thyroid tissue also expands to remove excessive iodine or thyroid hormones from the bloodstream. An iodine deficiency causes the thyroid gland to readily absorb radioactive iodine which destroys thyroid tissue. Why treat patients with radioactive iodine because they are deficient of normal iodine? During threats of atomic fallout, people are given 2-4mg of iodine to protect their thyroid glands.

So firm is our trust in orthodox medical statements that we assume iodized salt has solved iodine deficiencies in man because it has successfully prevented goitre formation – an extreme iodine deficiency. This amount of iodine was estimated to be 150-200mcg and the salt had a token effect. Iodine from salt yields about 10% of the prescribed 200 mcg because the chlorine in salt occupies 90% of the iodine receptor! (Iodine, chlorine, bromide and fluoride are a group of halogens that displace each other on iodine receptors.)

Furthermore, we believe that fluoride protects our teeth. This depletes us of iodine every day from gargling with fluoride so close to the thyroid gland and absorbing fluoride from toothpaste. But what about all the other symptoms of iodine deficiencies that are not as obvious as a bulging neck? They have been increasing in direct proportion to our dwindling iodine intake. Popular complaints today of polycystic ovaries, fibrocystic breast disease, infertility and children with ADD are in the hands of gynaecologists and physicians who may not know them to be treatable with iodine. A full description of iodine deficiencies will confirm that iodized salt has not really alleviated any of them. (Ref: 2, 3, 13, 18)

Symptoms of iodine deficiencies

General: Iodine deficiency affects motor skills, decreases reaction time, manual dexterity, muscle strength, and coordination. Lower IQ readings were registered in people who are iodine deficient. In pregnancy an iodine deficiency can cause ADD or mental retardation in the foetus (cretinism)

Hypothyroidism: (under active.) An iodine deficiency results in a lack of thyroid hormones and affects mitochondrial receptors within cells that release energy. Iodine is required for making T4 (called thyroxin) that contains 4 iodine atoms. A low body temperature and slower metabolism are symptoms of hypothyroidism but they will persist if T4 is not converted to T3, the active form regardless of iodine intake due to a lack of enzymes that require selenium.

Hyperthyroidism (over active) and autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid (Hashimoto’s Disease), Grave’s disease or a toxic thyroid can also be due to iodine deficiencies. In many cases these conditions respond well to iodine supplementation with the thyroid returning to normal size without surgery or radioactive iodine.

Energy: Low energy and fatigue or tiredness, especially in the morning. Low blood pressure. Sleep disturbances, including the desire for 12 or more hours of sleep at a time. (Ref 16, 19)

Fitness: Shortness of breath on exertion with a very fast pulse and chest pain with stiffness of joints and muscular cramps explains the term: poor exercise tolerance. Also: heart palpitations, frequent respiratory infections and asthma. Excessive all over perspiration regardless of heat or exertion.

Digestion: Difficulty in losing weight with swelling of the face (myxoedema).and general fluid retention. High LDL cholesterol and increased blood fats. Difficulty in swallowing, indigestion, flatulence, constipation and irregular bowel movements.

Circulation: Intolerance to cold and/or heat. Cold hands and feet, poor circulation. In extremes: Raynaud’s Syndrome whereby hands and feet turn white in response to the cold.

Mental picture: Depression, fatigue, apathy, slower thinking and reaction times, headaches and migraines, visual disturbances and eye protrusions, mood swings and loss of memory.

Skin: Dry and coarse skin with a yellowish tinge, dark brown eyelids, brittle finger nails, dry brittle hair and increased hair loss. Acne.

Reproduction: Menstrual problems-such as PMS and menstrual irregularities including heavy periods, fertility problems. Reduced libido, benign and malignant tumours, cystic breasts and ovaries, uterine fibroids and fibrocystic breast disease.

Sinus infections, post-nasal drip, allergies, frequent bladder infections.

Thyroid swollen (struma), tender throat and neck as the thyroid enlarges and may form a goitre.

Extreme iodine deficiency: Heart disease, cancer of the thyroid, ovaries, breasts and prostate.

Low thyroid function frequently coincides with low adrenal function whereby most of these symptoms tend to overlap.

(Ref 2, 5, 20, 21)

Supplementation with iodine

Caution: Firstly, if you know you are allergic to iodine, do not take it. Some people test for sensitivity by painting Lugol’s iodine under the foot with an ear bud. If you have an iodine allergy, the skin will react by itching or forming blisters within hours. Exceeding the recommended dosage for a particular treatment is not recommended. Quantities of high or long term iodine ingestion should be monitored by your doctor. Iodine is needed by pregnant women; they do not have to avoid it!

Lugol’s iodine. According to Dr Abraham’s research: “the optimal daily dose of iodine for a person is approximately 12.5 mg.” This amount of iodine is very close to the 13.8 mg average intake of mainland Japanese. “12.5mg is equivalent to 2 drops of Lugol’s iodine, taken in a little water. If you don’t like the taste of Lugol’s add vitamin C or lemon juice to it, but then it becomes potassium iodide exclusively. (I place a drop of Lugo’s onto brewer’s yeast tablets spread out on a saucer and allow them to dry.) “A lot of people who are routinely put on thyroid hormone for hypothyroid conditions could normalize their thyroid by simply supplementing extra iodine (and perhaps L-tyrosine), instead of taking thyroid medications” During the 1880s to early 1900s Lugol’s iodine was used to successfully treat Grave’s disease (90% hyperthyroidism). They did not use radioactive iodine, surgery or goitrogenic drugs. They achieved complete remission. (Ref 26 sub 14, 15

The pitfalls of iodized salt: Ironically, iodine combined with salt is counter productive as only 10% of the 200mcg DRA is delivered to the bloodstream. 20mcg is hardly even close to the 12.5mg that has now been established as the ideal amount. People eat too much salt or no salt at all. Prior to fooling everybody that iodizing the salt would prevent goitre, doctors used to routinely use adequate amounts of Lugol’s iodine to treat their patients. After the introduction of iodized salt, the incidence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis – an autoimmune inflammation that causes hypothyroidism, increased dramatically. It was concluded that goitrogenic foods had caused this. (Ref 26 sub 9, 11)

Side effects: Are usually temporary: Iodine is mucolytic (breaks down mucous} so you may experience a runny nose, increased salivation or sinus headaches. Iodine is also anti-parasitic and anti-microbial in action and so signs of detoxification or “die-off” may result. If there is a long-standing iodine deficiency, one may experience hyperthyroidism for a while or have a sore throat with a slight thyroid swelling. After a week or two, you settle down and feel very good!

Overdose: a metallic taste, mouth sores, swollen salivary glands, diarrhoea, vomiting, headache, rash. Difficulty in breathing. Goitre. (The thyroid may swell up to remove excess iodine from the blood.) Fatal iodine dose: 2 – 3 g. Give milk to treat emergency ingestion. (Ref 9, 13, 14, 18)

Other sources of iodine:

Eating foods rich in iodine.  All sea food, radishes, asparagus, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, potatoes, peas, strawberries, mushrooms, lettuce, bananas, egg yolk, and especially onions. It is hard to determine accurate therapeutic doses of iodine every day from dietary sources as we eat them randomly, but tuck in anyway.

Kelp and seafood: A few grams of seaweed a day provide as much iodine as you need and any excess will be excreted – but be aware that inorganic forms of iodine may cause iodine allergies whereas inorganic iodine seldom if ever does. Lugol’s iodine (6 drops in ½ glass water 4x day.) treats food poisoning, especially sushi poisoning, which is ironically very rich in iodine.

Painting iodine tincture: onto a small area of the body. Use the basic brown iodine tincture. Apply it to the inner thigh in about a 4cm square area. Your body will absorb it rapidly – within hours if you are iodine deficient. If not, the stain will last a few days. When absorbed, repeat the dosage. This may be a hit and miss process and test results are not absolute because they can vary according to humidity and the acidity of your skin.

Iodine tablets: Potassium iodide can be taken in tablet form. This is the closest to Lugol’s drops, but is not a combination of iodine and iodide, so ideally try making your own tablets: 2 drops of Lugol’s onto a brewers yeast tablet. Allow it to dry and return to the container. This works well, and adds the much needed selenium and some B vitamins to the dose.

Iodine tablets to purify drinking water. This removes dangerous microbes and parasites like: viruses (polio, hepatitis), bacteria (cholera, salmonella, streptococcus), and parasites (Giardia Lamblia, Cryptosporidium) from the water. Iodine intake is 8 parts per million when drinking this water. Adding vitamin C or a little cider vinegar or something acidic like lemon juice after the initial decontamination period of 30 minutes improves the taste of the water and converts iodine to iodide; the form it is transported in. (Ref: 23, 24)

The thyroid function

Controlling fatigue, stress and nervous conditions: Low energy relates to low iodine reserves and the inability to supply thyroid hormones for releasing cellular energy. A healthy iodine reserve in the thyroid will help you to enjoy abundant energy, make you able to concentrate and you will no longer come down with constant infections, feel ratty or just want to sleep during the day.

Thyroid self – test

Too tired to get up in the morning? Feeling dull yet irritable and nervous? Is your hair falling out, skin dry; are you gaining weight, feeling sluggish and constipated? Perhaps your thyroid gland is the problem. Keep a thermometer at your bedside. On waking, place it under your armpit for 15 minutes. Lie quietly. If your temperature reads 97.6 deg. F (36.6 deg. C) or lower regularly for 3 or more days and you do not have a fever or a hot flush at the time, you should be getting suspicious; you may have a thyroid problem. Even if blood tests show normal levels of thyroxin, this is no indication of how well your thyroid hormones are functioning. Ladies who menstruate should check this temperature during the commencement of their cycle. Have a look at the list of iodine deficiencies and see how many apply to you. Then consider iodine supplementation and help from an experienced practitioner.

Iodine content:

The thyroid gland weighs about 26g and usually contains 0.06% iodine (15.6mg)

The total amount of iodine in the body is about 50mg on average, but only 10 – 15mg of this is found in the thyroid gland. The second largest reservoir of iodine is in breast tissue (Ref 1, 26, 27). The healthy functioning of the thyroid is essential to maintaining metabolism, protein synthesis and the mobilisation of calcium and body fats. Thyroid hormone is an insulin antagonist in that it favours the breaking down of glucose and fat burning and thus slims one down. It regulates muscle contraction. It is necessary for the central nervous system as well as skeletal and sexual maturation. Our thyroid hormone output is constant throughout life but increases at puberty and during pregnancy.

Making thyroid hormones

In reaction to the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), iodine is absorbed from the bloodstream or small intestine as iodide. Calcium is important for the activation of this hormone. Once in the bloodstream, iodide is transported to the thyroid gland, becomes iodine again and bonds to the amino acid tyrosine. After a little molecular rearrangement, the hormone T 4 (thyroxine) is formed. T4 is stored in the thyroid gland and released into the bloodstream. From T4 it becomes the more active version: T3 (tri-iodothyronine) in the thyroid cells by type l 5″-deiodinase, a selenium-dependent enzyme upon stimulus from the TSH. It bonds to a carrier protein and reaches cell receptors where the hormone is released. Energy release takes place deep within cell mitochondria.

The reverse thyroid hormone:

Enzymes in the liver activate reverse thyroid hormone (rT3) that is also made out of thyroxin to shut down excessive thyroid activity. This is how the thyroid gland regulates the metabolic rate: by sending out both types of hormones for stop and start signals under the direction of the pituitary gland in response to feedback from the brain. When something goes wrong with the metabolism, it is because of the dominance of the one or the other of these T3 hormones. T3 and rT3 have opposite effects and favour different parts of thyroid receptors on cells. T3 favours beta-adrenergic receptors on cells that bind with messengers known as calchetomines (ephedrine and norepinephrine) and thus metabolism is increased.

In times of stress or fasting the liver releases enzymes to make rT3 out of T4 instead and they displace T3 on the alpha-androgenic receptors but attaching to them in reverse. This shuts down metabolism as a counter measure. This is why slimmers get so frustrated! Stress, starvation diets, micronutrient deficiencies, toxins, liver congestion, and drugs like cortisone interfere with weight loss. This rarely spoken of hormone: reverse T3 is designed to keep the weight on, if not compound it! (Ref 6, 10, 20, 22)

Balancing thyroid hormones

When a thyroid problem is present it affects the adrenal function as well, because of overlapping symptoms such as constant tiredness, lack of concentration, poor sleep, headaches, skin discolouration and weight problems. T3 is not as abundant as T4. T3 has a half life of 1 day whereas T4 lasts for 1 week. rT3 that is also made out of T4; but in the liver, competes with T3 for the same receptors, so either a catabolic or an anabolic effect occurs. A patient who is steadily gaining weight and not responding to T4 (Eltroxin) supplementation needs more T3 to help displace rT3 that has been overwhelming the receptors. According to Martin Milner, the patient needs a blend of T4 with a slow releasing T3, because it has a much shorter half – life.

Without a constant and reliable supply of T3; levels of rT3 remain too high for too long. Stress, cortisone and extreme fasting cause rT3 to overwhelm the T3 receptors. Cyclic AMP (adenosine monophosphate ) plays a critical role in powering up T3. Forskolin from the coleus forskohlii plant is effective in boosting levels of cyclic AMP and assisting the fat burning activities of T3.

Soil depletion has led to deficiencies of iodine and selenium. Other key nutrients for efficient thyroid function are: tyrosine, anti oxidants, zinc, copper and essential fatty acids. Most important of all is to know the symptoms of iodine deficiencies that cause both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Lack of iodine is also associated with autoimmune inflammation or thyroiditis to a large degree (antibodies to constituents of thyroid cells). With hyperthyroidism (over active) and autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid (Hashimoto’s Disease) and Grave’s disease, patients may need a 24 hour urine analysis to first determine their iodine status. When iodine deficiency has been established, patients respond well to iodine supplementation with the thyroid returning to normal size. When deficient in iodine, the thyroid readily absorbs radioactive iodine and this can ruin thyroid function for life. First give iodine a chance. (Ref 16, 19)

Balancing thyroid hormones and setting up a dosing schedule requires skill and patience. It is only when the patient is relieved of symptoms and not “shutting down” that all is well. Patients with hypothyroidism and even goitre respond well to iodine supplements and may not even require prescribed thyroid medications. If there is a poor response to thyroid hormone balancing or to iodine supplementation there may be a condition known as: hypo metabolism present. With a similar set of symptoms including a lowered body temperature and a lack of enzyme function, hypo metabolism is caused by a combination of mercury poisoning (usually from dental amalgam) and damaged gut membranes due to microbial infestation and parasites. Fortunately for patients today who are in the hands of doctors of integrated health, a full investigation can lead to a more holistic treatment of these conditions. (Ref 28, 29)

Antimicrobial function:

All our blood passes through the thyroid gland every 17 minutes. Iodine present in the thyroid tissue kills germs that may have entered the bloodstream form injuries, inhalation or from the lower digestive tract. (When food is eaten, most bacteria including e-coli and salmonella are destroyed by the hydrochloric acid in the stomach. If the stomach acid is not strong enough, these food-derived microbes are not destroyed. As a backup the thyroid gland monitors microbes within the bloodstream.) During these 17 minute cycles, iodine reserves can become depleted if dietary supplies are not maintained. It is interesting to note that a sore throat heralds a microbial onslaught and is perhaps a request for more iodine, to assist in preventing infection from the bacteria, moulds, yeasts, viruses or parasites that we are constantly being exposed to. This is particularly true during long aircraft flights. (Ref 25)

ADD children and the thyroid connection.

Pregnant women deficient in iodine are very likely to give birth to attention deficit children. Here’s a good tip from www.naturodoc.com “It is possible to repeatedly change an irritable, impatient, and restless child under ten years of age into a calm, patient individual within two hours by giving one drop of Lugol’s solution of iodine by mouth in a vegetable or fruit juice or in a glass of water made acid in reaction by adding a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. This is useful for calming a hyperactive child.” (Ref 15)

You also need to be aware of the many ways that iodine is constantly being stripped out of the body by drinking chlorinated water, using oral hygiene products containing fluoride and being exposed to dioxins and other toxins. Even analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs interact with iodine. The habit of crunching into large helpings of raw cabbage, broccoli, cassava, kale, peanuts, uncooked and whole soya bean foods, turnips and seeds of mustard and rape (canola oil?) are all undermining your iodine status.(Ref:2, 9) This could explain why foods can cause weight gain regardless of calories.

Factors that influence iodine efficacy for hormone production and interaction.

Selenium: The enzyme: l 5″-deiodinase is dependent on selenium for the conversion of T4 to T3 (tri-iodothyronine). If T4 (Eltroxin) is given artificially to treat hypothyroidism, symptoms will persist if there is a selenium deficiency.

L-tyrosine is essential for adrenal, thyroid and pituitary output. Low plasma levels of l-tyrosine are associated with hypothyroidism and a lack of dopamine and the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. Abundant tyrosine is found in most meats. Wheat is one of the highest sources of tyrosine for vegetarians. (Wheat is only well tolerated by blood type A and AB secretors. This may explain a craving for wheat, in spite of being intolerant to its lectins.) It is best for vegetarians to take an amino acid supplement or 500mg of l-tyrosine every day. (Ref 11, 12)

Tin. Just as calcium relates to magnesium as does zinc to copper, so iodine partners off with tin. They share either side of cell receptors that control thyroid and adrenal functions concerning the heart. Tin and the adrenals affect the left cardiac output, characterised by breathing difficulties or asthma. Shortages of tin also show up as severe acne and pimples. (Ref 15.) On the right, iodine and tyrosine affect the right hand cardiac output that is affected by oedema, particularly the swelling of hands and feet. Both sides need to be adequately supplied with nutrients to prevent fatigue and depression.

Vitamin A is necessary for the production of thyroxin and helps the thyroid to absorb iodine; a key nutrient. (Ref 22)

Coleus (Coleus forskohlii) increases cyclic AMP, activates the thyroid stimulating hormone and assists in the conversion of T4 to T3. This helps to boost cellular energy within the mitochondria.(Ref 19)

Calcium and Magnesium: Calcium is needed to activate TSH which binds to receptors and with magnesium, helps to induce the conversion of ATP to cyclic AMP. (Ref: 20.)

Other key nutrients are: potassium, zinc, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, bismuth, lithium, most of the B-vitamins and especially vitamin B6. In many cases the adrenals are also affected by these micronutrient deficiencies. (Ref 14, 21, 22)

The therapeutic uses of iodine.

According to some well respected medical books: “Iodine does not seem to help in the treatment of specific diseases.”

“Iodine has only one known function in the body – it is essential to the thyroid gland for manufacturing thyroxine” (Ref: 1, 3) Most people do not venture beyond these closed doors. If we only needed iodine for our thyroid hormones, it would not be present in other tissues, including the breasts. Since the 1880’s when Jean Lugol started using iodine therapeutically a number of doctors and researchers have effectively treated iodine deficiencies as opposed to diseases that are merely symptoms of a lack of iodine.

Microbial diseases and toxins: Iodine promotes the excretion of toxic minerals such as: lead, mercury, and cadmium. Iodine supplementation can be taken to assist the treatment of microbial diseases including: viruses (polio, hepatitis), bacteria (cholera, salmonella, streptococcus), and parasites (Giardia Lamblia, Cryptosporidium). For example: Lugol’s iodine solution gets rid of Salmonella throughout the body. 6 drops in ½ glass water 4x day. Also: yeast/fungal forms of Candida. Topical use with Betadine can be included in mouthwashes or vaginal douches. Iodine attaches to the stomach wall, the intestinal linings and other internal membranes in the respiratory and urinary systems and the vagina. This helps to destroy microbes in these areas.

Dr Jonathan Wright is a great believer in iodine and here are some of his recommendations: For treating persistent bladder infections, 10-15 drops of potassium iodide (SSKI) can be taken in a little water every 4-5 hours. Once relief has been obtained, revert to normal supplementation levels. As a safeguard against microbes that may attack you on long airline flights, the same high doses of SKKI can be taken. And yes, this will also help tummy upsets or food poisoning on the rest of your trip! It is also a great immune booster and helps to alkalize the blood. Proof of its rapid efficacy is the relief one can get from gas and bloating caused by yeasts and fermenting food in the digestive system. Iodine also helps to break up, mobilise and expel mucous – with all the bugs! (Ref: 5, 7, 9, 23, 24)

Cancer treatment and prevention: Thyroid cancer is high in areas where the iodine intake is too low. Today iodine is being used by some open minded therapists for preventing cancer: especially in breasts, ovaries, uterus, prostate and the thyroid gland. Iodine alkalizes the blood, making it a less favourable environment for cancer and being anti-microbial, it can eliminate bacterial, viral or other infections that may also be associated with the cancer. Breast cancer can occur when the ratio of estrone and estradiol is higher than estriol (the good oestrogen). The total count of oestrogen metabolites are measured within a 24 hour urine test. When at risk, 6 – 8 drops of Lugol’s iodine are given daily. The urine is once again measured and once the estriol balance is restored, the dose can taper off.

A famous doctor marvelled: “I saw iodine and iodide both could increase a woman’s own secretion of oestriol while it lowered her oestrone and oestradiol.” This favourable balance of oestrogen can reduce the cancer risk by as much as 58%.(It would seem ideal to first balance hormones this way?) Iodine treatment also helps to treat and prevent fibrocystic breasts and ovarian cysts. Modern research has estimated that the amount of iodine required for protection from breast cancer and fibrocystic breast disease is 20 – 40 times more than the 200mcg recommended for preventing goitre. (Ref 26, sub 4, 5) The polycystic ovarian syndrome is also largely due to an iodine deficiency. (Ref: 5, 8)

Structural and tissue issues: Iodine is recommended to treat Dupruyten’s contracture – the thickening and shortening of fibrous tissue in the palm of the hand, so fingers curl up. As no other treatment seems to work, iodine is worth a try. The same applies to Peyronie’s – the same thickening, but of the penis, so it twists over). Eye conditions such as contracted eyelids and sockets that become too shallow (pop eyes) as well as sticky films on the cornea clear up once iodine levels are sufficient. For excess mucous production, iodine is a mucolytic agent that breaks up mucous – and helps to expel all the microbes and toxins that are trapped in it. Iodine supplementation is also recommended for treating haemorrhoids, keloids, parotid duct (salivary) stones and sebaceous cysts. Once you supplement with iodine, for whatever other reason, it is worth noting how all these peripheral issues may clear up. Iodine is responsible for protein synthesis and is needed for healthy skin, hair and nails. Lustrous hair is noted after a few weeks on Lugol’s.

Low energy and stress: Fatigue can be caused by a poor pituitary-adrenal axis recovery in response to stress. Evidently, iodine is helpful in this respect and may also clear up headaches and migraine headaches. By assisting in adrenal and thyroid function it also helps to elevate moods and energy levels.

Thyroid disorders: Iodine supplementation helps prevent goitre, autoimmune and toxic thyroid conditions, thyroid and other cancers and hypothyroidism. A toxic thyroid can be helped by taking 4 – 6 mg of iodine daily. Iodine produces thyroid hormone T4 – thyroxin and it converts to T3 is called triiodothyronine. Adequate thyroid output helps to control weight, burn fat’ regulate blood sugar and prevent and treat diabetes. Iodine keeps us slim! (Ref 5)

pH control of blood and heart matters: Modern diets and stress tend to make us acidic, causing oxidative stress. Microbial and parasitic infections tend to thrive in an acid environment as do cancer cells and tumours. Iodine can help bring the serum pH up to 7.4 so the body can maintain optimum function and it helps to regulate blood pressure and prevent abnormal cardiac rhythms. Iodine is also beneficial for raising high density cholesterol and reducing LDL levels.

For excreting radioactive iodine: from nuclear fallout and in nodules on thyroid gland. (If deficient in iodine, we absorb radioactive iodine) Potassium iodide tablets are given to protect citizens living in vulnerable areas from nuclear fallout. Children 1 – 2 mg iodine, adults: 2 – 4mg.( Ref 5)

Why do hypothyroidism and weight gain sometimes persist?

Iodine antagonists: Chlorine in water, fluoride and bromine (a food additive) are all halides and can displace iodine because they have lower atomic numbers than iodine. We drink water that contains chlorine and use oral hygiene products that contain fluoride on a regular basis. These substances displace iodine, often at a faster rate than it is replenished from dietary sources. To make matters worse: during the 1980 bromine was added as a dough enhancer to bread. Bromine also displaces iodine. Too much bromine can cause goitres. If reserves are already low, eating this bread can create an iodine deficiency. Tests showed that subjects exposed to bromine became sleepy with decreased concentration. What did you eat for lunch?Prior to using bromine in the bread industry, iodine was used as a dough enhancer and helped to prevent rather than contribute to hypothyroidism and iodine deficiencies. (Ref 26 sub 6, 7, 8)

Excessive anti-thyroid (goitrogens) in foods are consumed by eating natural foods in good faith to prevent cancer and cure other diseases but raw, uncooked: cabbage, cassava, kale, peanuts, uncooked and whole soya bean foods, turnips and seeds of mustard and rape (canola oil?) are all undermining your iodine status.(Ref:2, 9) Analgesic and anti inflammatory agents also interact with iodine. (Ref 9, 18)

Reverse T3 blocks thyroid hormones: this is a real fly in the ointment! When threatened with starvation as caused by fasting or extreme dieting (less than 800 kilojoules a day) or in times where a possible burnout is detected, the liver bangs out a thyroid blocker: reverse T3. This happens when T4 (thyroxin – often supplied as the medication Eltroxin converts to T3 as well as reverse T3. Both can occupy the same receptors. When reverse T3 is formed in excess, no thyroid metabolism is stimulated. (Often a patient takes a thyroid supplement and symptoms persist.) Reverse T3 is a survival mechanism used to compensate for starvation, famine, pregnancy or extreme caloric restriction (severe dieting or illness and loss of appetite). Reverse T3 ties up the receptors and can only be displaced by biologically active T3 (triiodothyronine) hormone and this won’t happen if a patient only receives T4 (Eltroxin) supplementation. Upping the dose will not help either! Even if blood tests appear to be normal, if symptoms persist there is an imbalance. Levels of reverse T3 need to be checked in relation to T3.

Genetic gremlins: Thyroid resistance, also called peripheral cellular resistance, is the inability of the cell to accept and utilize circulating thyroid hormone. In most congenital cases of peripheral thyroid resistance there is an alteration in the c-erbAB gene. Mutations in this gene can lead to as much as a 97% reduction in binding of T3 to the nuclear receptor sites where transcription of beta-adrenergic receptors occurs.

Elevated cortisol and oestrogen: Thyroid resistance may also occur in the form of elevated cortisol. High, prolonged cycles of cortisol excretion due to stress directly stimulate reverse T3 production. High levels of oestrogen can also displace thyroid hormones off their receptors. When selenium is deficient, the production of T3 is inhibited and fat deposition as well as water retention creep up, due to the lack of fat burning T3. The whole metabolism slows down. Yes, stress can make you fat, tired and sluggish. A very effective way to escape from a stress loop like this is to meditate regularly. The relaxation and detachment lowers cortisol activity without drugs.

Toxins and drug reactions: Dioxins and PCB’s can also cause excessive reverse T3. The chlorine that combines with organic matter from the burning of plastics, for instance, can enter the food chain and the gasses are inhaled by us. The chlorine displaces iodine throughout the body. It severely disrupts reproduction and causes infertility and severely mutated offspring. Other toxins that do this in animal studies include chlorinated paraffin’s, polychlorinated biphenyl, hexachlorobenzene, 3-methylcholanthrene, 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl, 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-p-dioxin and clofibrate. Prescription drugs that reduce T3 and increase rT3 include; dexamethasone, propylthiourcil, iopanic acid (radiographic contrast agent) Beta blockers, amiodarone, propranalol and forms of cortisone like prednisone as well as oestrogen therapy (HRT). (Ref 20).

Heavy metals and microbial infections: Low body temperature leads to poor enzyme function and is not only caused by iodine deficiencies or reverse T3. The weight gain could be due to hypo metabolism caused by poor digestion and nutrient assimilation of another kind. Especially where a lot of bloating and gas is experienced, toxicity from dental amalgam combined with a leaky gut and microbial infections may have wrecked your digestion and slowed down the metabolism. Iodine helps to excrete metal toxicity and kill gut bugs. (Ref : 28, 29)

Food reactions: gluten allergies can trigger off autoimmune reactions. Gluten molecules are similar in structure to thyroid and adrenal hormones. The immune system attacks them all. Lectins in food not suited to a blood type can also overwhelm thyroid function.

Factors that cause r T3 to dominate: Pregnancy, fasting, liver disease, renal disease, stress and cortisol.

Article on bromide poisoning

References and recommended internet addresses:

All internet information was accessed during January and February 2008.

1 Reader’s Digest Guide to MEDICINES and Supplements. 2004 edition. Editor: Pat Kramer. P: 384, 385.

2 Thorsons Complete Guide To Vitamins and Minerals. By Leonard Mervyn. 2000 edition. Publisher: Thorsons. P: 191 – 194

P: 345, 346 Medical uses of tin.

3 Radiant Healing by Isabel Bellamy and Donald MacLean. 2005 edition. Joshua Books. P: 225

4 The Vitamin Bible by Earl Mindell. 1994 edition. Published by: Arlington books. London. P: 77, 78, 115, 107.

5 Let’s get Well by Adelle Davis. 1992 edition. Published by: Thorsons. P: 252, 316, 293, 274.

6 Clinical Gynaecologic Endocrinology & Infertility by L.Speroff, R Glass, N. Kase. 1973 edition. Publisher: Williams & Wilkins p647.

7 The Cure for all Diseases by Hulda Regher Clark. 1995 edition. Publisher: Pro Motion Publishing. P: 202, 239, 248, 442,

8 TOWNSEND LETTER January 2008 P: 66. www.townsendletter.com

9 Dr Jonathan Wright’s Nutrition & Healing Vol 7, issue 1. Jan 2008. P: 6. Vol 6, issue 11. Nov 2007. P: 4, 6.

10 Textbook of Physiology. G. Bell, D. Emslie-Smith, C. R. Paterson. 1980 edition. Publisher: Churchill Livingstone. P: 472 – 476

11 Prescription for Nutritional Healing by J. Balch and P Balch. 1990 edition. Publisher: Avery. P: 31, 213.

12 Live right 4 your type. P. D’Adamo & C. Whitney. 2001 edition. Publisher: Penguin. P: 53,

13 Internet article by:Donna Dimarco. Why Iodine? This is the closest to the truth about iodine based on information from Dr. David Brownstein, M.D., the author of the book Iodine. Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, Medical Alternative Press, 2004, Pages 20, 38-39

Donna’s references:

1. Abraham, Guy, The Safe and Effective Implementation of Orthoiodosupplementation in Medical Practice. The Original Internist, 11:17-36, 2004. Also, conversations and fax.
2. Abraham, Guy, The Wolff-Chaikoff Effect: Crying Wolf?
www.optimox.com
3. Brownstein, David, Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, Medical Alternative Press, Pages 20, 38-39, 80-81, 2004. Also conversations and lecture notes.
4. Flechas, Jorge, Iodine Seminar, given at Bio-energetic Conference in Orlando Florida, May 22, 2005.

5. Oketlund M.D., The Clinical Utility of Fluorescent Scanning of the Thyroid. In Medical Applications of Fluorescent Excitation Analysis. Editors Kaufman and Price, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL pg 149-160.

6. PDR for Nutritional Supplements; First edition, Medical Economics, 2001, p 73

7. Soldin OP, Tractenberg RE, Pezzullo JC. Do Thyroxine and Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels Reflect Urinary Iodine Concentrations? Ther Drug Monit. 2005 Apr;27(2):178-185.

8. Vermiglio F, et al, Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in the offspring of mothers exposed to mild-moderate iodine deficiency: a possible novel iodine deficiency disorder in developed countries.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Dec;89(12):6054-60.

9. Wolff, J. and Chaikoff, I.L., Plasma Inorganic Iodide as a Homeostatic Regulator of thyroid Function. J. Biol. Chem, 174:555-564, 1948.

14 http://www.acu

15 Lennon Limited 7 Fairclough Road PORT ELIZABETH 6001 ”Metinox may be used for the treatment and prevention of acne, blackheads, pimples and boils. METINOX rarely produces side-effects, but nausea, colic, myalgia, constipation and arthralgia may occur with prolonged usage.”
16 Townsend Letter Feb/March 2007 Page 80 – 85. Hypothyroidism: Optimizing Medication with Slow-release Compounded Thyroid Replacement. By Martin Milner, ND.

17 Your Gateway to Health and Wealth by Prof. W. Serfontein. 1998 edition. Publisher: Warmprint publishers. P: 39, 64, 132.
http://www.mbschachter.com/ All of Dr. Guy Abraham’s research papers relating to the Iodine Project may be viewed and downloaded free from the Internet by accessing the Optimox website and clicking on Iodine Research. August 7, 2005. 19 http://www.anaesthetist.com/icu/organs/endocr/thyroid/Findex.htm#thyfx.htm

18 Iodine: Its Role In Health and Disease Some New Exciting Concepts by Michael B. Schachter, M.D.

1. Phillippou G, Koutras DA, Piperingos G, et al. The effect of iodide on serum thyroid hormone levels in normal persons, in hyperthyroid patients, and in hypothyroid patients on thyroxine replacement. Clin Endocr. 1992; 36:573-578.
2. Abraham GE, Flechas JD, and Hakala JC. Orthoiodosupplementation: Iodine sufficiency of the whole human body. The Original Internist. 2002; 9:30-41.

3. Pennington JA and Schoen SA. Total diet study: Estimated dietary intakes of nutritional elements, 1982-1991. Internat J Vit Nutr. 1996; 66:350-362.

4. Eskin B, Grotkowski CE, Connolly CP, et al. Different Tissue Responses for Iodine and Iodide in Rat Thyroid and Mammary Glands. Biological Trace Element Research. 49:9-19, 1995.

5. Roti E, Vagenakis AG. Effect of Excess Iodide: Clinical Aspects. In Werner and Ingbar’s The Thyroid – Braverman LE and Utiger R-D. Ed, Lippincott, 316-329, 2000.

6. Pennington JA and Schoen SA. Total diet study: Estimated dietary intakes of nutritional elements, 1982-1991. Internat J Vit Nutr. 1996; 66:350-362.

7. Velicky J, Titlbach M, Duskova J, et al. Potassium bromide and the thyroid gland of the rat: morphology and immunohistochemistry, RIA and INNA analysis. Ann Anat. 1997: 179421-431.

8. Sangster B, Blom JL, Sekhuis VM, et al. The influence of sodium bromide in man: A study in human volunteers with special emphasis on the endocrine and the central nervous system. Fd Chem Toxic. 1983; 21:409-419.

9. Gaitan E, Nelson NC, and Poole GV. Endemic goiter and endemic thyroid disorders. World J Surg. 1991; 15:205-215.

10. Furszyfer J, Kurland LT, Woolner LB, et al. Hashimoto”s thyroiditis in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1935 through 1967. May Clin Proc. 1970; 45:586-596.

12. Thomas BS, Bulbrook RD, Russell, MJ, et al, Thyroid function in early breast cancer. Enrop. J Cancer clin, Oncol. 1983;19:1213-1219.

13. Von Basedow GA. Exophthalmos durch Hyperrophie des Zell gewebca in der Augenhoehle. Wsrchr Ges Heilk. 1840; 6:197.

14. Thompson Wo, Thompson PK, Brailey AG, et al. Prolonged treatment of exophthalmic goiter by iodine alone. Arch Int Med. 1930; 45:481-502.

15. Starr P, Walcott HP, Segall HN, et al. The effect of iodin in exophthalmic goiter. Arch In Med. 1924; 34:355-364.

16. Underwood, EJ. Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nutrition. Academic PressNew York, NY, p. 271-296, 1977.

29 http://www.drlowe.com/QandA/askdrlowe/thymetab.htm (contradicts Wilson’s syndrome – hypo metabolism)

27 http://www.vrp.com/articles.aspx?page=LIST&ProdID=1766&qid=&zTYPE=2

28 http://knoxintegrativemed.com/wilson’s syndrome.htm (more about Wilson’s syndrome )
20 http://www.drwells.net/nutrition/topics/Hypothyroid.htm

21 Herbal Medicine Healing Cancer by Donald R Yance Jr, page 161, 85

22 Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 830

23  http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00880.htm

24 Purification http://www.magellans.com/store/article/344?Args=
25 http://www.naturodoc.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=NATURODOC&Product_Code=ND-Lug1&Category_Code

26 http://iodine4health.com/ortho/ortho.htm Sub- references: