Thyroid Treatment Tip #6
The Dangers of IODINE!
The problem with iodine is if you walk into a health food store and you tell the manager (who usually has no medical background and has no idea what tests need to be run), “I have a thyroid condition. How can I help myself?” they’ll probably give you iodine, which is one of the WORST things that you can do!
According to one of the foremost leading thyroid experts and author of the book, Why Do I Still Have My Thyroid Symptoms Even When My Lab Tests Are Normal?, Dr. Datis Kharrazian, taking iodine is like throwing gasoline on a fire. Iodine is a red hot supplement these days and as I’ve mentioned, if you walk into any health food store and tell the manager that you have a thyroid condition, the first thing they’re going to reach for is an iodine supplement. This is the worst thing that you can do so DON’T DO IT! Check your multi-vitamin; does it contain iodine? If so, do not take it! It could make you worse!
Granted, iodine is vital to thyroid function. It’s a major co-factor and stimulator for that enzyme, TPO, but for a person with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, for a person with an auto-immune thyroid, for a person where their immune system is attacking their thyroid, supplementing with iodine is literally throwing gasoline on a fire.
Iodine stimulates production of TPO. This, in turn, increases levels of TPO anti-bodies dramatically, which indicates an auto-immune flare-up. Some people develop symptoms of an overactive thyroid, while others have no symptoms despite the tests showing elevated levels of TPO anti-bodies; this is why you need to run the tests. I always advise anyone with an auto-immune thyroid or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis to avoid supplements containing iodine–and yes, this also includes multi-vitamins.
You would be amazed at how many people walk into my door with severe thyroid conditions and they’re taking a multi-vitamin and many other supplements, thinking they’re helping themselves and they’re actually hurting themselves because they’re making their condition worse.
They’re over-stimulating or exceeding metabolic capacity of their immune system and it’s causing a “massive fire” that attacks their thyroid. Now I know this seems confusing, but the reality is that most health food store managers have no idea of the testing that needs to be done to get a thorough work-up completed on a Hashimoto’s thyroid patient.
I’m going to be addressing those tests in future secrets but, trust me, you need a thorough work-up. In fact, most patients who are suffering with chronic thyroid problems, who are taking medications and they still have symptoms even though their lab tests are “normal,” they need a thorough work-up. They need the tests done.
If you are sick and tired of BEING sick and tired…call one of our offices and schedule a Consultation.