|
|
| Iodine - A Review W.H. Auden has said that "Likewise, a medicine that was once a noble craft has fallen into a blandly standardized one-size-fits-all format; a medicine that once considered and addressed the vagaries of each individual in its equations now only listens and responds to the standard average dialect of pooled data: What our bodies are trying to say, for each one Talks in a local Dialect of its own that can alter during Its lifetime." The necessity of Iodine for Health has been well established in both medicine and natural health care for numerous decades. More recently, because of the impact of water fluoridation, increased exposure to heavy metal contamination, herbicides, pesticides and radioactive pollution, as well as low levels of selenium in soil where crops are grown, the need for iodine in the daily diet is crucial. Iodine-deficiency disorders- 2 billion individuals worldwide have insufficient iodine intake, with those in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa particularly affected. Iodine deficiency has many adverse effects on growth and development. These effects are due to inadequate production of thyroid hormone and are termed iodine-deficiency disorders. Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of preventable mental impairment worldwide. Assessment methods include urinary iodine concentration, goitre, newborn thyroid-stimulating hormone, and blood thyroglobulin. In nearly all countries, the best strategy to control iodine deficiency is iodisation of salt, which is one of the most cost-effective ways to contribute to economic and social development. When iodisation of salt is not possible, iodine supplements can be given to susceptible groups. Introduction of iodised salt to regions of chronic iodine-deficiency disorders might transiently increase the proportion of thyroid disorders, but overall the small risks of iodine excess are far outweighed by the substantial risks of iodine deficiency. International efforts to control iodine-deficiency disorders are slowing, and reaching the third of the worldwide population that remains deficient poses major challenges.Lancet. 2008 Oct 4;372(9645):1251-62 Iodine: deficiency and therapeutic considerationsIodine deficiency is generally recognized as the most commonly preventable cause of mental retardation and the most common cause of endocrinopathy (goiter and primary hypothyroidism). Iodine deficiency becomes particularly critical in pregnancy due to the consequences for neurological damage during fetal development as well as during lactation. The safety of therapeutic doses of iodine above the established safe upper limit of 1 mg is evident in the lack of toxicity in the Japanese population that consumes 25 times the median intake of iodine consumption in the United States. Japan’s population suffers no demonstrable increased incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis or hypothyroidism. Studies using 3.0- to 6.0-mg doses to effectively treat fibrocystic breast disease may reveal an important role for iodine in maintaining normal breast tissue architecture and function. Iodine may also have important antioxidant functions in breast tissue and other tissues that concentrate iodine via the sodium iodide symporter. Altern Med Rev. 2008 Jun;13(2):116-27 While the current US government limits on iodine intake (RDI) is extremely low, at 0.15 mg. or 150 mcg. daily, the best levels seem to be equal to the standard amount of iodine ingested by the Japanese at about 14 mg.; the best health range for iodine being between 13 - 38 mg. Iodine serves many functions for health, and it is activated in the body by selenium. Because many crops are grown in areas where low selenium soils are prevalent, iodine supplementation is very useful. Here at CHI we recently spent some time evaluation an product known as Nascent Iodine. Nascent Iodine is similar to the form of iodine used by Edgar Cayce and is noted in his readings. Over several weeks I enlisted the cooperation of three people I know who can benefit from iodine supplementation. One is a young woman with Down Syndrome, the second is a woman with a history of goiter and migraine, and the third is a natural health professional colleague of mine. The feedback received, as compared to the results from kelp supplementation by the first two users was very good. Both felt better energy levels and better digestion. One of the users had a slight gum infection which rapidly cleared up. None in the test made any note of odor or no burping following the use of Nascent Iodine. Our natural health organization has for many years assisted people with iodine products. We now highly endorse the use of Nascent Iodine. Because of the work of Guy Abraham MD, a new test is now available to your iodine status. If you would like more information about the uses and benefits of iodine please contact us. We can also help you with obtaining Nascent Iodine and the Iodine test. Because March is Women's Health Month, the following information about iodine for health is important: In 1976, JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) reported that if women experience Iodine deficiency and are prescribed T4 thyroid medication (Synthroid & Levoxyl), T4 medication further increases their risk for Breast Cancer. Nascent Iodine, containing the full complement of iodine substrates, may be helpful to those using this medication.
|
