Iodine, thyroid, and breast cancer??
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I have a couple of questions, I read we can test our iodine levels with tincure of iodine painted on the fat part of the arm, is this true? I also read we can use it daily if we test low to bring our levels up to a normal level. Has anyone heard of doing this?
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kira-
According to the moderators at the Iodine Yahoo Group, that is not a valid method to test iodine levels.
There are many who use Lugol's(same formula as Iodoral - only liquid) topically. It is different than just the tincture of iodine. You need both the potassium iodide and the iodine - and that is the formula that is Lugol's/Iodoral. Lugol's can be taken internally or painted on topically. It is harder on the gut for some people, especially at higher doses - so many take Iodoral instead or use both. Lugol's is not as well absorbed topically as internally, so you would need a much higher amount topically. You can use coconut oil or castor oil to help with absorbtion topically. I take 100mg of the IOdoral tablets a day - but I also will paint my thyroid and breast with Lugol's and coconut oil a couple of times a week.
There is a wealth of information in the New Member documents and files at the Yahoo Iodine Group as well as in Brownstein's books.
Beth
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Thanks Beth. Can I buy Lugo's at my local health store? I will be checking out the Yahoo Iodine Group didn't know about it. I am on meds for an underactive thyroid, and have been for years.
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kira-
Your health food store, may or may not have Lugol's - I ordered mine online - J. Crow's Lugol's - I think from vitacost or swanson's.
I learned the hard way that it makes a whole lot of sense to not just do the Lugol's/Iodoral - but to also take the companion nutrients - Vit C, Magenesium, unrefined sea salt, selenium.... I know it may seem a lot to add - but there is a reason for everything. It is worth doing some more research.
Good Luck,
Beth
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I'm already doing most of the nutrients you mentioned the only one I haven't incorporated into my rutineis the unrifined sea salt.
By the way thanks for the info on where to order it. I really feel iodine is one of the many nutrients my body was lacking for a very long time.
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kira- Right now a lot of stores are out of iodine because of the nuclear radiation disaster in Japan (people stocking up as it can protect if exposed). There are also places price gouging to take advantage of the situation, so be careful. I have found the lowest price for Iodoral and Cofactor nutrients at breastcancerchoices.org. I know they sold out again this week, but will e-mail you when they have it again. The funds also go to their non profit, which I like. They also offer a free 24 hour urine test to check your iodine level if you are a BC woman. Just go to their site and click the Iodine tab. I believe there is a link there. Good luck.
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DesignerMom, Thanks so much for the info I will be checking out the site you mentioned.It is really sad places taking advnatage of the situation in Japan. My brother lives there, and things are really bad.
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I'd love to keep this thread going, as I think there is something to the iodine/breast cancer/breast cyst correlation. I have started rubbing Lugol's over the girls and I am starting to notice a difference. I've always had a lot of cysts, so I am hoping this will get rid of them. I also noticed that the inflammation I have always had on my chest is looking less red.
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I know this thread hasn't been active for a little awhile, but I thought it was the right place to share an observation.
I'd been taking Iodoral for a year or so, but ran out around the time of the Japanese earthquake. Because prices for it had doubled or tripled on most sites (due to worldwide concerns re. nuclear fallout), I was using a liquid iodine supplement I had around, but would often forget to take. Anyway... long story short... I was without Iodoral for two months and just got some again last week. In that time, I'd noticed that the brown age spots on my hands had gotten noticeably worse, but within a week of starting Iodoral again, they're completely gone.
To me, though annectodal, this is pretty compelling evidence that a sufficient iodine intake either allows our bodies to repair or rid itself of unhealthy cells. Deanna
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Thanks for sharing, that is fascinating Deanna. I know when I stopped it for my Stage 1 DEIP surgery (I never stopped it again for the follow ons!) I got a terrible rash like infection in my bottom area! NOT FUN!!! (Your lucky all you got was darker spots! he he he).
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That's funny, Deanna, because I had a similar thing recently. I was without iodine for three weeks during the Japanese nuclear scare and got age spots on my forehead! Now they're fading again. What on earth can be going on?? Are age spots just cellular debris rising to the surface?
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Okay, I am going to chime in on my own observation. When I was younger I was plagued by cold sores. They didn't recurr until chemo and as usual lasted 2-3 weeks. Since chemo, I have continued to have a few outbreaks. As I am on Iodoral (50mg a day) I have noticed they are completely healed in about 3 days. It truly is amazing. This has happened about 3 times now. When my Onc offered me Acyclovir for it, I politely declined and said Iodoral works better.
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Our diets would be seriously lacking in iodine so I decided to try taking Kelp tablets and see what effect it has on my goitre. I did confer with my GP and he didn't see there would be a problem. I'll let you know if it shrinks it.
Sue
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Susie-there is not enough iodine in kelp to make a difference. If you have a goiter, your body is starved for iodine. Have you read Dr. Brownsteins book? I can also send you some iodine files I saved if you want to pm me your email.
As for the skin issues, they can be linked to thyroid and also to toxic liver. Remember how grandma called them liver spots? Since iodine helps to detoxify the body, it would make sense that the spots would go away. A healthy liver is the best way to ward off disease.
I just cannot imagine how I would feel without iodine. Actually, I do know. I remember all too well how I felt before I understood it and started supplementing. It is shameful that it is not readily available in drug stores anymore. Big Pharna as done a bang up job of vilifying this important element for cell health and getting it off store shelves.
If you cannot find iodoral, check to see if you have a compounding pharmacy that will compound lugol's for you. I am lucky to have one by me, so I had no shortage. He actually compounds his own iodine/iodide formula that also contains the selenium and mag. and the price is the about the same.
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vivre, I agree with you about a healthy liver being one of the keys to vibrant health, along with a healthy colon and a healthy heart, I guess. OTOH, I'm wondering if the term "liver spots" ever had any real connection to liver function, or were our grandmothers simply referring to the color and maybe the shape of those things? Out of curiosity, I just tried to see if there's a relationship between age spots and the liver, but my computer is going wacky these days, and just keeps bringing up stupid product ad sites rather than the links I'm after. So I'd be curious if you've ever read or heard anything specific about a relationship between age spots and possible liver toxicity. Deanna
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Deanna, I'd be interested in hearing what you find regarding liver spots. My mom has several new ones just this year. I was with her two weeks ago at her primary care physician when she asked him what were these dark spots on her hands, arms, neck and chest. "Oh, everybody gets those." Whatever "those" things are, I'd really like to know.
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I've been using the Lugol's 2%, about 2 drops a day, but think maybe I should be doing the Idoral. I understand its a much higher concentration and in pill form. I don't have a doctor to confer with about the iodine as my BS doesn't believe in it, so would be doing this on my own. I don't want to take too much, but seems like a lot of folks take a pretty high dose. Any feedback is appreciated.
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nckick, iodoral is basically lugols in pill form. Iodoral is coated with a pharmaceutical glaze, which allows it to dissolve further along in the digestive tract. Some people get stomach upsets from lugols but not from iodoral. You should be able to achieve whatever dosing level you want with either form.
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NCkick- If you haven't already been there, take a look at breastcancerchoices.org It is very informative about iodine therapy for BC. They use to offer a free iodine loading test to BC women. Then when the results come in, you can have a free phone consult with Dr. Flechas, who is one of the most vocal advocates of iodine use for BC and other things. You can also buy Iodoral on their site at the best price I have found. The proceeds go to their non profit. Good luck!
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How much iodine is in Iodoral? I have been adding 1 Tbsp of dulse to my morning smoothie - is that enough iodine? It says it is 330% of the RDA.
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Every 6 months or so, my one ovary acts up and starts to hurt. I apply iodine and after a few days it is gone Fews years back, they found a cyst on ultrasound. I applied iodone topically and a followup ultrasound showed it was gone. I do the same on breast or thyroid bumps too.
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I have been dealing with Hypothyroidism since age 28. Now age 41 with BC. My TSH, T3 and T4 levels were fine before Dx. However, my PET/CT revealed a nodule on the lower part of my thyroid that was not palpable. When I expressed concern about it, 2 different doctors, BS and Onc said, " "Oh, we can deal with that later" (via ultrasound and potential needle biopsy) and the other said, "No one your age ever dies of thyroid cancer." I have to beg for my thyroid levels to be checked along with my chemo bloodwork because I have no idea what chemo may be doing to my thyroid gland and hormone levels. No one except me, is concerned.
I have also noticed a fair amount of members here who later developed thyroid cancer after BC treatment. That is eery.
You are all onto something. I have heard lots of scholars say that they believe BC is an endocrine disease. So, should everyone take iodine or Iodoral? What doses? Forgive my lack of knowledge.0 -
Sweetbean, the USRDA for iodine is just 150 micrograms per day. 150 mcg = .15 mg
Iodoral is available in 2 sizes: 12.5 mg. and 50 mg.
Here's a link that explains the rationale for the higher recommended intake:
http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/opt_Iodoral.htm
If my math is correct, the supplement you're taking provides .45 mg. vs. 12.5 for one tablet of Iodoral.
Hope this helps! Deanna
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Thanks for that Deanna - I'm just taking kelp supplements at the moment so not getting anywhere near that amount. I should go and see an edocrinologist. It would be great to shrink my goitre and avoid surgery.
Sue
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Sue-you must read Dr. Brownstein's book, "Iodine, Why You Need it and Why You can't live without it" and his thyroid book is fantastic too. It is undeniable that there is a link with iodine deficiency, breast and thyroid cancer. Every doctor I heard speak at the Health Freedom Expo last week expounded on the importance of iodine.
For those of you who may be following Stephanie's yahoo iodine group, I would like to announce that she has committed to coming to my Think Beyond the Pink, Women' Wellness Weekend in October. She will be doing a lecture and be available for questions. There is no one who knows more about iodine than Stephanie. Save the date (Oct 21-23). I will be sending email blasts with details to members of my website so stay tuned. It is going to be a fantastic weekend and lots of fun! Dr. Hal Huggins will be speaking too. He is the Godfather of Holistic dentistry, and he will be talking about the links to dental issues and breast cancer.
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HI,
Everyone here seems to be discussing hypothyroidism, what about hyperthyroidism? In the months before my diagnosis I had often commented that I felt I was coming "down with something", my throat felt kind of sore and I was achy, my sleep pattern disturbed, exhausted etc. Then I was diagnosed with BC. During chemo these feelings went away, and I felt good for a change (strange, eh?!). Recently, 3 years out, I have been feeling the same as pre-diagnosis, and now my doctor says my TSH levels are low indicating hyperthyroidism - is there a link here too? Makes me wonder, may be one day we will all get the answers to our questions.
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vivre, I would love to have your web site. Can you PM it to me?
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Vivre - I'm already a believer in the link of bc to thyroid problems even though the studies aren't conclusive. When I read the breasts process iodine as well, that convinced me.
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susieq58, I never new the breasts process iodine. Where did you read that info? I would love to read about it.
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Any idea how much iodine is in sea salt?
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