Iodine, thyroid, and breast cancer??
Comments
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Chevfan, you really need to join the iodine yahoo group where you will find lots of people who have experienced what you have and can answer your questions. Go to the websites naturalthyroidchoices or stopthethyroidmadness where you will find lots of great information. Then find a doctor who really knows how to treat thyroid problems naturally. You do not need to figure this out by yourself and continue to suffer. There are answers.
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Althea,
I am not talking about radioactive iodine.
Are you aware of what taking iodine can do to a person who has thyrotoxicosis? I can practically throw them into thyroid storm. Which is a life-threatening condition. Very severe and very scary. I know. I've been in three of them. When you have had an episode in the ER with a 204 heart rate, believe me, afterwards, when you read things like the above you can't stop busting out laughing - and at the same time get mad for people who write this kind of stuff without considering how they can put other people's lives in danger. Thyroid storm kills much faster than BC.
Again, this whole "iodine prevents/cures cancer" is totally BS to me, sorry to be so blunt. As someone who was mildly hyperthyroid all her life (with elevated iodine levels), diagnosed with Graves in 2003 and gone into thyrotoxicosis until June of 2009 when I had the RAI treatment to partially kill my thyroid, the fact that I DID get BC throws out the window everything that is written in that book. If a medium Free T4 value of 3.8 with highs as much as 9.2 (thyroid storm) didn't stop the cancer, what will? dying on the consultation table in the ER? Of course it will stop the cancer then, because the patient will be dead as well.
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Crunchy and everyone else ....need advice on getting flouride out of my water.
I have researched and researched and there are those who argue for and against each system. Some say it is almost impossible to get flouride out and not to trust the ads for filters that say they can. They also warn that if the internal parts of the filter are plastic that I would be adding estrogens to the water unless the filter has only stainless steel insides.
What to do?
I have two friends who have well water and am thinking of having theirs tested to see if I could get my drinking water from them.....But that wouldn't do me any good on showering, etc. AND it might need to be filtered too...which usually involves plastic.
I can't drink bottled water because it comes in plastic and may have sat in high temperatures in trucks and warehouses.
Help!!!
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I know, I know... I'm probably wasting my breath, but...
Does anyone know of any primary research to support the theory of iodine being beneficial in the setting of human breast cancer (preventive, treatment, or cure)? For me, I haven't found anything other than preliminary testing that generally concludes that more studies need to be done, and not that iodine should be used as a supplement. Jeffrey Dach's website mentioned in this thread cites a Dr. Brownstein testimonials of "...three cases of spontaneous regression of breast cancer after iodine supplementation. " Ack. Hardly a credible source. The iodine yahoo group - a credible resource? Oh my.
Slightly off topic for this thread, but in response to other posts - what about fluoride? Anybody have credible sources to show the Evils of Fluoride in terms of standard water treatment?
Seriously - if iodine were such an easy fix, why isn't it documented? Why aren't we all cured? If fluoride is as "horrible" as some people claim, wouldn't the vast majority of people in this country (who drink from fluoridated public water sources) be suffering with horrible ailments? Here's one article about fluoride -does anyone have facts that disagree with its conclusions?
*********************************************
Fluoridation: Facts and Fiction
* Does water fluoridation cause a decrease in bone health?
No.
* Do studies show an increase in cancer rates in communities where fluoride is added to the drinking water?
No.
* Is dental fluorosis or mottling of the teeth the first visible sign of fluoride poisoning in children?
No.
* Is fluoride a poison?
No.
* Is fluoride an enzyme poison-does it inhibit the activity of enzymes in humans?
No.
* Are there harmful contaminants in the fluorides used for water fluoridation?
No.
* Is the cumulative effect of exposure to fluoride from water, air, toothpaste, and foods prepared with fluoridated water dangerous over a lifetime?
No.
* Is adjusted water fluoridation considered more harmful than naturally occurring fluoridation?
No.
* Is fluoridated water harmful to fish?
No.
* Has "industrial grade" fluoride been tested for safety and effectiveness?
Yes.
* Are fluorides used to fluoridate water supplies a waste product of the phosphate fertilizer industry and aluminum manufacturing industries?
No.
* Does water containing 1.0 ppm fluoride contain poisonous amounts of fluoride after boiling?
No.
* Are fluorides approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?
Not Required.
* Can the fluoridation of public water supplies be documented as a scientifically proven method in the reduction of dental caries?
Yes.
* Does the fluoridation of public water supplies target the group which would benefit the most from its addition, namely infants and young children under the age of 12, and does it have any known benefit for adults?
Yes.
* Does fluoridation constitute experimentation on humans without their consent?
No.
* Is fluoridation compulsory mass medication? Is everyone compelled to drink fluoridated water?
No.
* Are there legal ramifications for mandating the use of an "untested" product for public consumption?
No.
* Is water fluoridation a cost-effective means to prevent tooth decay?
Yes.
* Is fluoridation considered wasteful because a small proportion of the water goes for human consumption?
No.***********************************************
Same with plastics and cosmetics and and deodorant and non-organic foods and whatever else the fearmongers and conspiracists happen to be flinging around at any given moment.
My unsolicited advice: Research reputable sites for accurate and complete information. Look for sites displaying the "HON code" for medical ethics to help determine which sites are credible and legitimate. Stay away from commercial sites and one-sided articles and testimonials. Beware of red flags and verify everything you read. It's great to read a variety of articles and interpretations, but then look for primary research to confirm. Look at both "sides" of an issue and decide for yourself which approach is the most credible. Never rely on a single source, especially message boards, private messages, or "newsletters" from commercial sites. Ask for opinions and weigh the evidence. Discuss the pros and cons to get a balanced view.
Ugh... yep, it's one of those days...
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* Is fluoride a poison?
No.Then why is it such an issue if young children swallow their flouride toothpaste? Virtually any substance acts as a poison if it is consumed in large enough quantities.
Toothpaste by itself isn't a big concern, neither is water flouridation, or vitamins with flouride, but when you put them all together, the dosage can go beyond a safe level. It is not any one source, but the cumulative effect that is cause for concern, especially for people who are more sensitive than the average person to those effects.0 -
Chevfan, there are several women on the 3,900 member Yahoo Iodine Group who have normalized their cycles as iodine got absorbed. I would join and ask. Stephanie is especially informed.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/iodine/
Like many others on this group, I "lurk" over there and have received a great education plus reading the dramatic personal experiences has been helpful. There re a lot of email posts as you might guess. Do you have an extra email address you can use?
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Molly Ann,
I am a member of that group (unless I managed to delete during one of my recent brain fog experiences). I am literally overwhelmed with all the posts on that group.
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molyann,
several months ago I had joined that group as well. Besides the immense amount of spam emails I got, I didn't see ONE documented reference about REAL medical studies. I didn't see any reference saying what Iodine in excess can do to people suffering from thyrotoxicosis (HYPER-thyroid). Iodine would help HYPO-thyroid persons, as it stimulates the thyroid function. The people on the other side of the spectrum could die from it. Literally.
The whole idea might sound terrific to people who didn't have to deal with thyroid problems before, and never did a thorough research on this subject.
To me it looks like just another scam preying on the hopes of people to make money. If you think I'm too brutal, then answer me this: how come that only the "miracle Iodine medicine" sold by these people is the only one that is efficient?
Who knows? If I wouldn't have had the experience I had, maybe I would have fallen for it too. Hope can make you do many things, not all of them good for you.
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Luna, I use a Berkey filter, which is all stainless steel. It has a separate fluoride filter. I'm guessing there are probably reverse osmosis filters available that are plastic-free.
thenewme, you dismissed these when I posted these few examples before, but since you're now saying you've seen no evidence other than Dr. Brownstein's case studies, I would point you once again to just a few of the studies and reviews in peer-reviewed journals. Yes, to date, the evidence lies primarily in animal studies, but obviously the studies that have laid the groundwork point VERY strongly to iodine as a valuable adjuvant therapy and/or preventative in humans.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16025225
This paper reviews evidence showing iodine as an antioxidant and antiproliferative agent contributing to the integrity of normal mammary gland. Seaweed is an important dietary component in Asian communities and a rich source of iodine in several chemical forms. The high consumption of this element (25 times more than in Occident) has been associated with the low incidence of benign and cancer breast disease in Japanese women. In animal and human studies, molecular iodine (I(2)) supplementation exerts a suppressive effect on the development and size of both benign and cancer neoplasias. This effect is accompanied by a significant reduction in cellular lipoperoxidation. Iodine, in addition to its incorporation into thyroid hormones, is bound into antiproliferative iodolipids in the thyroid called iodolactones, which may also play a role in the proliferative control of mammary gland. We propose that an I(2) supplement should be considered as an adjuvant in breast cancer therapy.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14965610
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18645607
"The protective effects of iodine on breast cancer have been postulated from epidemiologic evidence and described in animal models. The molecular mechanisms responsible have not been identified but laboratory evidence suggests that iodine may inhibit cancer promotion through modulation of the estrogen pathway. To elucidate the role of iodine in breast cancer, the effect of Lugol's iodine solution (5% I(2), 10% KI) on gene expression was analyzed in the estrogen responsive MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Microarray analysis identified 29 genes that were up-regulated and 14 genes that were down-regulated in response to iodine/iodide treatment. The altered genes included several involved in hormone metabolism as well as genes involved in the regulation of cell cycle progression, growth and differentiation. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the array data demonstrating that iodine/iodide treatment increased the mRNA levels of several genes involved in estrogen metabolism (CYP1A1, CYP1B1, and AKR1C1) while decreasing the levels of the estrogen responsive genes TFF1 and WISP2. This report presents the results of the first gene array profiling of the response of a breast cancer cell line to iodine treatment. In addition to elucidating our understanding of the effects of iodine/iodide on breast cancer, this work suggests that iodine/iodide may be useful as an adjuvant therapy in the pharmacologic manipulation of the estrogen pathway in women with breast cancer."http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17956159
"Several studies have demonstrated that moderately high concentrations of molecular iodine (I(2)) diminish the symptoms of mammary fibrosis in women, reduce the occurrence of mammary cancer induced chemically in rats (50-70%), and have a clear antiproliferative and apoptotic effect in the human tumoral mammary cell line MCF-7."0 -
Day, just a footnote, I agree that people with hyperthyroid issues should NOT start taking iodine without testing, medical supervision etc. The relationship between iodine, thyroid, and breast cancer is not a scam, although certainly (as with many other things) there are unscrupulous companies/websites with exaggerated claims etc. I for one am glad that you're weighing in with your perspective... I'm sorry you went through that and hope your experience will remind us all that hyperthyroid cases can and must be handled very carefully with appropriate testing, monitoring and treatment.
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People with hyperthyroid should NOT start takingiodine, period. The relationship between iodine and thyroid is well documented and known for a long time. People with normal thyroid levels should not start taking iodine without testing, medical supervision, etc. Otherwise they might throw their thyroid out of whack, and who knows? might even have the surprise to discover they have Graves Disease and be thrown into thyrotoxicosis. After all, one can be a carrier of the gene all their life and not know it, as it is only triggered by certain factors, the most known being psychological and physical stress (not overextertion stress, but severe infection stress for example). The thyroid decides what it sees as "stress".
This whole iodine thing worked on so many because it is a known fact that hypothyroidism (sometimes associated with Hashimoto's) and the associated weight problems has a pretty high incidence in the US.
Anyway, all the links you provided show LAB tests. Just LAB tests. Not a single study "in the field". None of them talks about effects on increased thyroid function. And I did find some interesting things even in those (true, onlyone shows the full text, the other ones only abstracts).
Ex:
"Further, we show that a moderately high I(2) supplement (0.05%) causes some of the characteristics of the "acute Wolff-Chaikoff effect"; namely, it lowers expression of the sodium/iodide symporter, pendrin, thyroperoxidase (TPO), and deiodinase type 1 in thyroid gland without diminishing circulating levels of thyroid hormone." So, "without diminishing". What happens with "increasing"? What happens when the levels are already increased?
"Furthermore, when estrogen-responsive and estrogen-independent tumors were transplanted into mice, estrogen-responsive tumors had higher radioactive iodine uptakes than estrogen-independent transplants." Seriously? Considering that I had RAI (radioactive iodine) in a pretty high dose treatment to kill my thyroid on the 12th of June last year, and I got my BC diagnosis in August, shouldn't that RAI have killed my BC as well? If it was so simple, wouldn't radioactive iodine be already used successfully on all strongly ER+ BC patients?
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Thank you Julia....I will check into the Berkey. I will call them as I did not see anything on their site about flouride. You must be happy with yours to recommend it. Which one do you use?
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We have the 5-gallon one (can't remember the name of that model)... you do have to buy the fluoride filters separately (I guess some cities are lucky enough not to have their water poisoned!). We are VERY happy with it, although I wish it tied into our water line so we didn't have to manually refill it. We go through a lot of water (I use it for all cooking, even boiling pasta, plus our three dogs drink it... don't want them getting diseases!) and have to refill it every couple of days or so.
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after reading all the post here I wanted to say that I was treated with radioactive iodine 2 different times in 1990 for Graves disease. Since then a couple years ago I developed a kidney stone found out it was caused from a bad parathyroid gland and had it have it removed and was told the RAI could have caused this and then in 2007, shortly there after came up with breast cancer and once again have read that the RAI may have caused that also. I am on synthroid now and have been on it for at least 17 years now. Thyroid was holding good on meds until my radiation for breast cancer (hmmmm) and then it went hypo again so I would say it was zapped in the radiation treatment. Synthroid has been upped two times since all this started. I honestly believe there is a link between the radioactive iodine and breast cancer. I was told at the time I took that that they had no idea what all it could cause years down the road. I reccomend to anyone with Graves or a hyper thyroid to have surgery and let them remove it and do not mess with the RAI.....jude14
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Radiating the thyroid with the radioactive cocktail increases your risk of breast cancer. Similarly, a lot of people on this forum have gone hypo after rads to their breast.
Is there a reason you take Synthroid rather than Armour Thyroid?
Stephanie from The Iodine Group says the samething as you do--remove the thyroid rather than RAI.
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Jude,
My thyroid presented too many risks to be operable. It was VERY irrigated and also it was encroaching my vocal box (my voice was getting very deep) and the surgeon was afraid that trying to take it out surgically it might damage my voice irreparably. So I had to go on the RAI road.
mollyann,
I had read the same thing and had discussed it with my endocrinologist, and we weighed the pros and cons - considering that my hyperthyroid status had brought me near death three times, I chose to have the RAI done. I DO know for a fact that the RAI did NOT cause my BC - as there was only a month and a half between the RAI and the diagnosis, and I had started suspecting something was amiss BEFORE the RAI, just waited two periods to see if there was a change in the breast sensitivity with the periods or not.
I am not sure if the chemo will or not totally kill my thyroid at this point - so far, I am still euthyroid. And I do not intend to have rads - the cons are way more than the pros. So I guess only time will tell. Talking about iodine - I sure miss eating seafood though, the last time I had a good seafood dinner I had the third thyroid storm. And that was the only time I had seafood since September 2003. I LOVE seafood. Sigh.
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Hi Crunchypoodlemama,
Thanks for citing your sources. I'm not dismissing the research at all - I'm just trying to balance it with the contradictory research I've seen. I've read those same articles many times and have not come away with the same conclusions as you. I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I'm interested in discussing these issues if you care to share your thoughts.
-The low rate of breast cancer in Japanese women may or may not be a direct result of their high consumption of seaweed. Even if it is, what is to say that it's the iodine component and not something else in the seaweed?
- You seem to be overlooking some critical phrases in the research you cited, such as "Thus, we suggest that I(2) could be considered for use in clinical trials of breast cancer therapies." (emphasis mine. Source HERE) "Could be considered for use in trial" to me means just that - it's a very preliminary finding that needs more study.
-"this work suggests that iodine/iodide may be useful as an adjuvant therapy in the pharmacologic manipulation of the estrogen pathway in women with breast cancer. " (source HERE). "Adjuvant" generally refers to therapy IN ADDITION TO conventional therapy.
-"In this review we show the usefulness and advantages of animal models in the study of nutritional factors associated with breast cancer in order to propose new prevention strategies. We review briefly different experimental approaches as well as some physiologic effects and mechanisms of some nutritional factors studied with animal models of mammary carcinogenesis. Nutritional factors reviewed were: a) energy restriction and high-fat intake, b) soy and phytoestrogens, c) retinoids and carotenoids, d) conjugated linoleic acid, and e) brown seaweed and iodine. Source HERE. Exactly what does that article say about the benefits of iodine supplementation in prevention/treatment/cure of breast cancer?
-Rat and other animal studies are notorious for having promising results that fail to apply to human results. Even in vitro studies don't necessarily apply consistently to actual human results in vivo.
-As Day has poignantly illustrated, iodine supplementation can be dangerous and even life threatening, and so IMHO should never be considered without strict supervision and testing from a medical doctor (and never on the advice of a message board or yahoo group- yikes!)
-Iodine deficiency is rare in developed countries like ours. Deficiency is common in developing countries, but is there a corresponding incidence rate of BC? I don't know.
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Hey, look at these scans after taking iodine!
Iodine Treats Breast Cancer, Overwhelming Evidence by Jeffrey Dach MD
Dr. David Brownstein Reports Spontaneous Regression of Breast Cancer After Iodine
In his Iodine book, David Brownstein MD reports three cases of spontaneous regression of breast cancer after iodine supplementation.(1)(page 63)
The first patient, Joan a 63 year old English teacher, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989, declined conventional treatment, and took 50 mg per day of Iodoral, (Iodine). Six weeks later, a PET scan (left image) showed, "all of the existing tumors were disintegrating".
Left Image: Pet scan showing breast cancer )(red arrows) Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The second patient, 73 year old Delores, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003. She declined conventional treatment with radiation and chemotherapy. Instead, Dolores took 50 mg of Iodoral daily. A follow up ultrasound of the breast 18 months later showed," It appears that these malignancies have diminished in size since the last examination. Interval improvement is definitely seen," Two years later a follow up mammogram and ultrasound failed to show any abnormality and were read by the radiologist as normal.
The third patient, 52 year old Joyce was diagnosed with breast cancer two years prior (left image), and started on Iodoral 50 mg per day. Three years after starting Iodoral, her follow up mammograms and ultrasound exams show decreasing size of the tumor with no progression.(1)
Left Image: Mammogram showing breast cancer courtesy of wikimedia commons.
Iodine Deficiency Causes Breast Cancer - The Overwhelming Evidence
Human Studies of Areas with Low Iodine
Iodine deficiency is associated with a higher rate of goiter and breast cancer. Similarly, higher dietary Iodine intake is associated with less goiter and breast cancer. For example, Japan has the highest dietary intake of iodine (13 mg per day), and the lowest rates for goiter and breast cancer. However, when Japanese women immigrate and change dietary intake of Iodine to the lower 150 mcg/day in America, breast cancer rates increase.(1)
Iceland is another country with high Iodine intake and low rates for goiter and breast cancer. The high dietary iodine came from the fishing industry before WWI. In those days, the fish meal was fed to dairy cows providing milk with high iodine content. After WWI, the fish meal was eliminated from the dairy cows, and breast cancer rates soared ten-fold. (2)0 -
"Left Image: Pet scan showing breast cancer )(red arrows) Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons."
Huh?
Are we talking about this Dr. David Brownstein?
Because the only other one I found who is listed for the "center for Holistic Medicine" is a Family practitioner, with special expertise in acupuncture, allergies and nutrition disorder.
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"
Hi Mollyann,
Do you personally feel that Jeffery Dach is a credible and reliable source?
I don't, and here are a few reasons:
* As mentioned above, the "article" you referenced is a testimonial, not primary research, and it talks about only THREE patients and cites Dr. Brownstein's book via a link to his bookstore. IMHO not a professional or reliable source at all.
* The title of his article, "Iodine Deficiency Causes Breast Cancer - the Overwhelming Evidence" is sensationalistic, alarmist, misrepresented, and unsubstantiated.
His evidence is rather UNDERwhelming IMHO:
1. Regurgitation of Dr. Brownstein's 3-patient testimonial (btw, is there a published primary research of that study available online anywhere?).
2. A study showing that Japanese women have lower rates of breast cancer and also eat lots of seaweed. Once again, correlation does not equal causation.
3. He "cites" a slew of legitimate scientific studies (and some very dubious sources as well) that make it appear as though he merely pasted a list of search results without reading them to see exactly what they conclude and whether or not they showed "overwhelming evidence" that iodine deficiency causes human breast cancer! It's laughable, really.
4. For example, he concludes by saying: "In Conclusion
Current Iodine research calls for use of molecular Iodine for all patients with breast cancer. (10)(11) Other cancers such as lung and prostate may also benefit. Further research on Iodine as cancer chemotherapy should receive top priority for NIH funding.
Iodine in the form of Iodoral tablets is available OTC, on the internet without a prescription." (He even provides a link to another very dubious source, a commercial website that sells Iodoral!)
Ummm, had he taken the time to read the articles he was referring to (citations 10 and 11), he would surely see that they don't support his headline AT ALL! :
"This research recommends the initiation of human clinical trials testing molecular iodine as an adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. " Source HERE (Dach's citation#10)
"Conclusion: Although there is suggestive evidence for a preventive role for iodine and selenium in breast cancer, rigorous retrospective and prospective studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis." Source HERE (Dach's citation #11)
How on earth, specifically, does either of those citations "call for use of molecular iodine for all patients with breast cancer???"
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More reasons I believe Dr. Jeffrey Dach is NOT a credible/reliable source:
* His whole premise is promoting the use of BioIdentical hormones, and I've spelled out my thoughts on that issue in another thread.
* His site appears to be nothing more than a huge collection of links, to both legitimate sites/research and to dubious, questionable, and quack websites, so he loses all credibility for me, personally. Pasting a long list of credible sources doesn't make one credible, especially when the sources are twisted and mis-stated, and mixed together with commercial sites and disproven information.
* Does he have any of his own primary research? Any personal involvement with research?
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Fascinating discussion about iodine. I would suggest that if you are hesitant to supplement with iodine, why not incorporate more seaweed into your diet instead? There's tons of varieties in any local asian food store, and it's delicious!
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thenewme and others ~ As someone who had thyroid issues in the distant past and has been using a minimal amount (12.5 mg) of Iodoral since learning about it here post-bc dx, I am so glad that those of you who have been tenacious about your research on both sides are really debating this now. I have nothing to add, except that I'm out of Iodoral and have been wondering whether or not to stick with it. Since being on it, my always-lower-than-normal body temperature has normalized, but the Integrative Medicine specialist at UCLA, who has a PhD in Biochemistry and is actively involved in research, and who is also very pro supplementation, flagged it as one of 2 out of 16 supplements I take that isn't doing anything for me, so had advised me to stop it. I'm still a bit on the fence, so really appreciate this in-depth discussion today.
Calypso, as far as seaweed products, do you know if they're likely to be contaminated, which is what I've heard about kelp supplements? Deanna
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I have a question.....If iodine was added to salt to make sure we got enough (although I hear there isn't as much in it as there used to be, who knows how much there used to be)
Anyway, if iodine was added to salt to make sure we get enough....and now breads and other things use bromide instead of salt ....and people with high blood pressure and other things avoid salt...and most packaged foods use sodium instead of the old iodized salt......THEN if we have no noticeable health problems....wouldn't it be a good idea to supplement with some minimum level of Iodoral if we don't eat a lot of iodine rich foods? There must be some safe level for people with no known health issues requiring avoidance of iodine and iodine rich foods????? Yes? NO?
Clearly, our bodies need some level of iodine. We have learned that avoiding the sun is making us all deficient in D3. I'm reading that K2 is going to be the "new D3". So, now that we avoid mercury filled tuna etc., are we starving our bodies of iodine?
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Hi Deanna,
It sounds like your doctor is really on top of things! That's great that he (she?) is willing to look at your specific statistics and history and recommend such a specific regimen of supplements based on facts and current research! I'm envious! Since you have a history of thyroid problems, I assume they've done thyroid function tests and whatever other tests would be useful in making sure your thyroid is working optimally? My take on it is that iodine is like most other substances - some of us need more, some less, and there are no easy one-size-fits-all answers like Dr. Dach would have us believe.
Lots of interesting iodine information in this 2009 publication: Source HERE
"A number of health effects can be attributed to both deficiency and excess of iodine in the diet. While inadequate intake of iodine leads to hypothyroidism and compensatory increase in the size of the thyroid gland (goitre), excessive intake of iodine can be associated with both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. "
Luna5 -I'm curious about where you read that most packaged foods don't use iodized salt. Everything I read says the opposite. According to the CDC (source HERE), an estimated 70% of the world's edible salt is iodized, and that includes the developing nations where it is much less common than in the US.
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This came from the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Iodine slowed tumors from growing and from creating new blood vessels in patients between biopsy and surgery! It also helped apoptosis (them to die off).
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The antineoplasic effect of molecular iodine on human mammary cancer involves the activation of apoptotic pathways and the inhibition of angiogenesis.
Vega-Riveroll L et al.Breast cancer is the most frequent malignant neoplasia in women. One factor thought to influence the incidence of breast cancer is diet. Japanese women, who have a high dietary intake of iodine (5280 vs 209
g/day in western population) due to ingestion of seaweed, have the lowest incidence of breast cancer in the world. In normal mammary gland, iodine deficiency is involved in dysplasias, which are reversible with I2 but not with iodide administration. Recent data generated in our laboratory showed that continuous treatment with I2, but not iodide, has a potent antineoplastic effect on tumoral progression in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-treated virgin rats (50-70%). Also I2 treatment in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, but not in normal mammary cells (MCF-12F), shows a significant apoptotic effect induced by activation of Bax-caspases and AIF-PARP-1 pathways. Based on these findings, a study of women diagnosed with cancer (mammography and tru-cut biopsy) was initiated. Patients were divided into placebo or I2 (5 mg/day) groups for 2 to 5 weeks before surgery. One day before beginning the I2 treatment and the day of the surgery, urine and blood samples were collected. The day before surgery, a second mammography was obtained. In the tumor samples proliferation (PCNA), apoptosis (TUNEL), and vasculature area (CD-31) were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Bax, Bcl2, p53, and VEGF proteins were analyzed by Western blot. Circulating TSH and T3 levels were measured by RIA and urinary iodide by HPLC.
The results showed that although tumor size did not differ between groups, a significantly lower proliferation and increased apoptotic rate were observed in tumors from women supplemented with iodine.
In these tumors the ratio Bax/Bcl2 increased, p53 levels were unchanged, and VEGF levels and vasculature area diminished significantly. Serum TSH and T3 showed no changes in any group, indicating that I2 treatment had not compromised the thyroid status. We propose that I2 supplements should be considered for use in clinical trials of breast cancer therapies.
We thank Dr. Jorge
lvarez-Aguirre2,3, Dr. Alonso Gallegos-Corona2, Lic. Concepci
n Correa-Tinajero3, Alejandro N
ez-Nolasco2,3, and Silvia Serrato-guila2. This work was partially supported by: PAPIIT-UNAM IN201207, and CONACyT 44976-M and 85952.0 -
I looked up Iodoral and, per Optimox, " Iodoral® is a precisely quantified tablet form containing 5 mg iodine and 7.5 mg iodide as the potassium salt" and they recommend 1-4 tablets a day??
That sounds awfully high, IMHO, given this information: (source HERE)
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adult men and women is 150 μg/day. The median intake of iodine from food in the United States is approximately 240 to 300 μg/day for men and 190 to 210 μg/day for women. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for adults is 1,100 μg/day (1.1 mg/day), a value based on serum thyroptropin concentration in response to varying levels of ingested iodine.
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Jane,
Once again, the article you posted concludes: "We propose that I2 supplements SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR USE IN CLINICAL TRIALS of breast cancer therapies. "
At least to me, that is VASTLY different than saying all breast cancer patients should go off half-cocked and start loading up on multiple, multiple times the recommended upper level of iodine therapy on the advice of some yahoo on the internet.
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And as usual, nothing about the dangers to people who are on the "hyper" side of their thyroid functions. And the only valuable and good source of this cure is the one sold by ... guess who?
I'm still waiting to see the credentials of these two doctors. I really am.Honestly, i am not being sarcastic or anything.
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I found some another interesting article about iodine and breast cancer. I am taking only a normal dose in my daily vitamin supplement. Since I don't know my levels, I have not done anything with Iodoral. I will ask my Internist to double check my levels for thyroid when I go in next Dec for my annual physical.
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