I’ve been reading a lot about iodine recently this and this is one of the best places for condensed info/experience. Just wanted to add a few things I picked up. T3 is the most important hormone, and T4 is more of a prehormone. One crucial thing is that selenium is in the enzyme that converts T4 to T3 however selenium deficiency is as common as iodine deficiency. Apparently having high selenium or high iodine but not both creates bad side effects which is why some people have a bad reaction to high iodine dosing. I saw one rat study that showed a similar effect…photos of thyroid cells responding badly to high iodine(increasing in size, aka goiter), then normalizing with the addition of selenium.
I just started dosing around 6.5 mg of iodine and 100 mcg of selenium and was really surprised by the strong chlorine like smell of my urine the first two days(googled iodine smelly urine and found other people having the same experience), as well as some light skin allergy that quickly resolved…seems to be inline with what I’ve been reading about iodine causing you to excrete bromine, chlorine and some other heavy metals. I suspect most people should start with lower dosages just to test for bad reactions rather than diving in head first.
Japan seems to be a strong argument for increasing iodine, the average person ingesting somewhere around 13 mg daily…some people with a high range of around 20 mg(the average intake in the US in the 1940s apparently was around 9mg). The Japanese are some of the healthiest people in the world, and iodine intake seems to be a large part of that. I have read, however, where some Japanese had thyroid problems that only improved by reducing their iodine intake, so like most things, individuals vary, and dosage can be critical.
I agree that there can be problems with the software in some digital thermometers. But you cannot say that all are the same. Some when you retest and the probe is already warm, will switch to analog mode and will take longer to signal a result as the measurement is done with a steady state result, not a projection. In any case, any thermometer will show if you have an improvement in temperatures with IR. The real problem can be with the initial diagnosis.
I used to always be hot, loved the cold, but this past year I always wake up freezing. My morning temps have been from 96.6 -97.3 over the past 10 days. I started 50mg of Iodoral 4 days ago and have not seen any difference in temps, taste, urine smell etc. How long until I should start seeing/feeling a difference?
side note: this morning my rising temp was the lowest yet, 96.6, took my temp a few minutes later and it was 97.5, but I still felt freezing cold. Time for a new thermometer?
You can check thermometer with someone else. If they get 98.6, it will get the job done.
IR works when the problem is iodine deficiency [ID]. If there are actual problems with the thyroid or TSH production in the pituitary, you need more than IR. And rT3 can be a factor as well.
IR also does not do much when you are not ID. So your iodine intake history is of interest.
When IR is done, there may be other problems, but at least ID is taken off of the table.
To get more specific we need to be doing this in your own thread.
I started iodine replenishment on Sunday at 12.5 mg of iodoral at my doctors orders. I’ve been on TRT and T3 meds a year and half with good results. I recently did a urine iodine test and I was near the bottom of the range and my doctor advised iodoral daily and a recheck in 3 months. It appears the test may not be reliable, however after reading this thread I’m pretty much sure I’m iodine deficient anyway.
My main reason for posting is that on my 3rd day of IR (yesterday) I started feeling horrible, almost flu like symptoms. I read up and found out about the bromine poisoning and that makes sense to me because I have to wear FR clothing for work. I took 3 grams of vitamin c and did a salt water flush and I started feeling better within a couple hours of getting the urine flowing.
Today I feel fine. I will continue the vitamin c while on IR and as long as I don’t have anymore bouts of suspected Bromine poisoning I will probably increase my dose so I can get to 750mg of iodine stored ASAP and then cut back to a maintenance dose. I guess I need to figure out how to deal with the bromine situation long term since I am stuck wearing FR clothes all the time to make a living.
No need to take 12.5 Iodoral indefinitely.
Your body can store 1.5 grams max, 15,000 mg. That is why I suggest an IR load of 750mg then drop to a maintenance dose. For maintenance, 6.26 mg every other week plus iodized salt should be adequate in most situations.
Fire retardant clothing can also contain some metallic compounds may need consideration.
I worked with a guy who was a fire fighter. They had firepants that they had to wear while on duty. The fire retardant was antimony based. There were a lot of health problems and wrecked hormones.
That should be taken to a different thread, not in this sticky.
If you take 50mg iodine per day, any bromine dumping would be greatly accelerated. You may need that to drive that process.
I’ve been doing a little more reading it looks like there are good reasons not to jump in with both feet in high doses of iodine, first there was one study I read about where a group of japanese who had thyroid problems were only improved by reducing their iodine intake, and when a danish study tracked the incidence of hypo and hyperthyroidism after national supplementation in salt, there was an initial jump that disappeared over the years.
So it might be that the iodine is fixing something over time, or that low iodine has actually damaged the thyroid, or maybe high iodine is causing problems because of selenium deficiency, anyways plenty of reasons to ease into iodine dosage(I know we are all eager to see results). Incidently I had an alergic skin reaction and kind of chest pain like heartburn that went away after about a week dosing at 6mg per day. I’m wondering if some of the people who are having good results with super high doses might have some kind of underlying infection that is getting corrected? Is there any chance that iodine is helping immune systems directly by being antimicrobial? I saw one study in india where low iodine was correlated strongly with high toxoplasmosis infection rates.
We evolved from life forms in the sea where there is lots of iodine. Fish have thyroid glands and hormones and obviously it is not to regulate their body temperature, however thyroid hormones probably regulate mitochondrial activity. I expect that there will be roles for iodine that are never understood.
With low iodine, every system is compromised directly and then there are cascading secondary effects when the effects of compromised systems affect each other and the rest of the body and brain. Control systems can be dysfunctional.
When one is iodine deficient, the thyroid can be enlarged and nodular. One can already be in a hypo state with TSH independent nodules producing T4 and T3. However, thyroid levels can still be low as iodine is low. When you restore iodine levels, these hidden hyper cases are then exposed in the population. We use iodine to avoid goiter and metal retardation in society. During a transition to iodized salt, there will be these transient cases. Once a population is using iodized salt [or bread], there will be an over all benefit and the transient problems will not occur in the future. I also often state that iodization programs do not create hyperthyroidism, but will bring these cases forward in time. Iodine is not responsible as the cause. I also point out that when one avoids iodized salt, one goes from hypo to hyper - clearly a lack of iodine causes both the hypo and hyper states.
When one is iodine deficient, I advocate a 750mg IR program. Many can do this in 15 days. If you do this over 2 months, the result will be the same, however, benefits will be both delayed and less obvious. 50mg/day provided dramatic effects for me. However, I did need to reduce the dose after a week as my digestion was affected. Because I was on TRT and my TT, FT and E2 were all in good shape, I was in a position to feel good once my iodine levels were up; and my thyroid obviously responded well.
After iodine replenishment, I suggest lower maintenance doses. Myself, I take 6mg every two-three weeks. I disagree with ongoing high dose iodine as I see no reason to do that.
I would like to make a question specially to KSMAN is curious thing about thyroid.
My friend has TSH 4.8 he was a person who got all the side effects of finasteride. His testosterone was 650, good E2, prolactin.
He used androsten (tribulus from pharma) and proviron (mesterolone) and he started feeling well, libido returning, no more ED, more energy etc. And his TSH dropped without any T4, iodine replacement.
My question is if happened because he had low androgens and when he restored his normal androgen levels and fixed all his problems his thyroid started to work better. Because if it decrease TSH naturally and fix the other problems maybe we don’t need to replace T4, iodine but just fix the androgen receptor (some people even with good Testosterone, perfect labs and good DHT take some proviron or masteron and restore their sexual function so maybe your DHT level can be good but your DHT don’t reach the androgen receptor)
[quote]KSman wrote:
You can check thermometer with someone else. If they get 98.6, it will get the job done.
IR works when the problem is iodine deficiency [ID]. If there are actual problems with the thyroid or TSH production in the pituitary, you need more than IR. And rT3 can be a factor as well.
IR also does not do much when you are not ID. So your iodine intake history is of interest.
When IR is done, there may be other problems, but at least ID is taken off of the table.
To get more specific we need to be doing this in your own thread.[/quote]
I will be scheduling a doctors appointment soon. I haven’t had blood work done in a while. Can you point me in the right direction of what to have the doctor check? I would love to make my own thread. What forum? Thanks
I am taking 100mg of Levothoroxine for my Thyroid condition daily (doctor prescribed 50 and 75mg every other day but I bumped it up) and the doctors say my levels are back to “normal”, after following this thread and others I started monitoring my temps, morning can be 96.1 - 96.3 and daytime high of 97.5-98.3.
I’m trying to get the recommended blood tests done here in the Middle East but it’s like pulling teeth. Any idea why my temps are still low despite being treated?
brazilianguy, your friend may have changed his iodine intake, so that is an uncontrolled variable. In any case, if he has been iodine deficient, he needs to address that.
XDoodlebugger, when a doc refers to normal thyroid levels, you have to be very careful as most docs are quite clueless. There can be a lot of pathology in those normal ranges. Please evaluate your iodine intake. If you have been using iodized salt, you may have an iodine deficiency and most docs will not consider that and treat iodine deficiencies with thyroid drugs. Your temperatures are still low. Use your temperatures as as a measure to guide your thyroid meds [or IR]. If you want more detail, provide your labs in your own thread, not in this sticky.
[quote]KSman wrote:
We evolved from life forms in the sea where there is lots of iodine. Fish have thyroid glands and hormones and obviously it is not to regulate their body temperature, however thyroid hormones probably regulate mitochondrial activity. I expect that there will be roles for iodine that are never understood.
With low iodine, every system is compromised directly and then there are cascading secondary effects when the effects of compromised systems affect each other and the rest of the body and brain. Control systems can be dysfunctional.
When one is iodine deficient, the thyroid can be enlarged and nodular. One can already be in a hypo state with TSH independent nodules producing T4 and T3. However, thyroid levels can still be low as iodine is low. When you restore iodine levels, these hidden hyper cases are then exposed in the population. We use iodine to avoid goiter and metal retardation in society. During a transition to iodized salt, there will be these transient cases. Once a population is using iodized salt [or bread], there will be an over all benefit and the transient problems will not occur in the future. I also often state that iodization programs do not create hyperthyroidism, but will bring these cases forward in time. Iodine is not responsible as the cause. I also point out that when one avoids iodized salt, one goes from hypo to hyper - clearly a lack of iodine causes both the hypo and hyper states.
When one is iodine deficient, I advocate a 750mg IR program. Many can do this in 15 days. If you do this over 2 months, the result will be the same, however, benefits will be both delayed and less obvious. 50mg/day provided dramatic effects for me. However, I did need to reduce the dose after a week as my digestion was affected. Because I was on TRT and my TT, FT and E2 were all in good shape, I was in a position to feel good once my iodine levels were up; and my thyroid obviously responded well.
After iodine replenishment, I suggest lower maintenance doses. Myself, I take 6mg every two-three weeks. I disagree with ongoing high dose iodine as I see no reason to do that.
No one is allergic to elemental iodine.[/quote]
KSman; when you are saying your maintenance dose at 6mg every two-three weeks, I am a little lost. Would you say 1 mg per day is too much? Guess I am asking how you do your maintenance dosing.
KSMAN, no he didn’t change his iodine intake I’m sure he didn’t take anything to his thyroid.
He is now a normal guy without any medicine, he has energy, libido, no ED anymore.
He just took proviron with androsten and his TSH dropped to 1.5 and he is now cured from any low t symptom. He doesn’t take anything now.
Will do, I have just been able to take some tests today, TSH, E2 and Free Testosterone plus a couple of others. I’ll start a thread when I get the results.
I’ve ordered an iodine supplement (kelp) that I will pick up the second week of Feb when I am back in the US for a visit. I’ve had no luck finding anything here. My salt is not iodized.
[quote]KSman wrote:
XDoodlebugger, when a doc refers to normal thyroid levels, you have to be very careful as most docs are quite clueless. There can be a lot of pathology in those normal ranges. Please evaluate your iodine intake. If you have been using iodized salt, you may have an iodine deficiency and most docs will not consider that and treat iodine deficiencies with thyroid drugs. Your temperatures are still low. Use your temperatures as as a measure to guide your thyroid meds [or IR]. If you want more detail, provide your labs in your own thread, not in this sticky.
[/quote]
[quote]KSman wrote:
You can check thermometer with someone else. If they get 98.6, it will get the job done.
IR works when the problem is iodine deficiency [ID]. If there are actual problems with the thyroid or TSH production in the pituitary, you need more than IR. And rT3 can be a factor as well.
IR also does not do much when you are not ID. So your iodine intake history is of interest.
When IR is done, there may be other problems, but at least ID is taken off of the table.
To get more specific we need to be doing this in your own thread.[/quote]
Could you please point me in the direction of what tests and blood work I should get done? I want to start my own thread. Thanks.
Estrogen as you read can damage the conversion from T4 to T3. But sometimes you can have good testosterone levels, good e2 levels, prolactine, free testosterone etc. And you will still feel bad. But why? What I’m searching is that sometimes our brain receptors for estrogen and androgen may have different results from the bloodwork. For example you can have a good results but you have problems in your receptors. Then your androgen receptors are weak compared to your estrogen receptors.
Then your TSH will be high even with good hormone level.
Woman when they get pregnant their TSH may increase. Woman in TRT replacing estrogen may need to increase their T4 if they are hypothyroid and if they aren’t they will need to start a replacement.
But this is one thing that I’m still searching about. I think it makes more sense than just take T4 or Iodine in normal person that never had hypothyroid and now with libido problems the TSH increased. Like finasteride can increase the TSH is the same thing that I wrote above.
After reading this and trying to diagnose myself my temp in the morning was 95.5 average. during the day never got over 96.5. I took 50mg of iodoral for 2 weeks sunday with no change, until Monday morning. I woke up nauseous and achy, back killing me couldnt find comfort. I puked thatmmorning and felt horrible all day. the next morning was rough but by the afternoon I felt great,alert, and my aches and even shoulder pain gone now since Tuesday. my morning temp is 97.3 but during the day it may drop to 96.5 and I have seen it up again in the afternoon. should I stay on a higher dosage to try and raise my temp or go to maintenance levels? I am still shocked and confused, but amazed that I feel better.I assume I had bromine poisoning. I would love to hear any input. thanks!