Hashimotos-Iodine And Selenium

Tracy L. Anderson · July 2012

I have stated the Bullet Proof Diet and having been taking the top 11 supplements. I have been catching up on the Podcasts and am listening with Chris Kressler. He states that taking iodine can be bad for someone with Hashimoto's but it may be all right if they are getting sufficient selenium.

I am a bit confused now. I am taking the recommended amount of selenium, but should a person with Hashimoto's take iodine?

Incidentally I took fluoride tablets as a child because it was thought to be good for my teeth. I had so many cavities!

I started using neem toothpaste about 6 months ago which has no fluoride and I have the healthiest gums ever that never bleed and no cavities!

Tracy

kitty · July 2012

Do you have hashimotos? Yes, dont take iodine for hashimotos. It can worsen it dramatically. Iodine for thyroid disorders is only useful if one actually has a iodine deficiency. Otherwise, the thyroid problem stems from another cause. How are you being treated? Taking Levothyroxine or thyroxine? Or nothing? how recently was it diagnosed? Are your T4 and T3 levels low?

I would not take iodine UNTIL youve had your serum iodine levels tested. To make sure its worth taking. Are you seeing an endocrinologist? I say go ahead with the selenium but DONT go over the daily dose. You can get radium poisoning if you do. just have 4 brazil nuts or something. Check your vitamins to see if there is added selenium. If there is then maybe dont do the brazil nuts.

Are you hoping to fix your thyroid problem naturally? Have you considered that you are gluten intolerant? There has been some research showing that gluten intolerance can sometimes lead to thyroid problems. If you are gluten intolerant then you get an autoimmune response and Im sure you know that in Hashimotos your body is attacking your thyroid. Yay! not.

Iodine is a major chemical component of the thyroxine hormones. T4 and T3 are made of tyrosine and iodine. Thats why iodine can be helpful.

Anyway have your iodine levels checked before you take any more. Most people get enough through their daily intake, and if you have hashimotos, I would not take extra until you find out if you are really deficient.

Best of luck and feel better!

kittyk

Tracy L. Anderson · July 2012

Yes I have Hashimotos. I was diagnosed by blood work in1995. I thought I was run down and tired because I had two small kids and worked. I went to the MD because of Migraines. The migraines went away when I got my thyroid leveled out but I am still always tired.

I get them mixed up but I think that the T4 is always a little low.

I also have IBS but I have been virtually symptom free. First I started drinking Kefir and Kombucha. I use my own grains and SCOBY for both and I use raw milk. Then I went grain free. So yes, I believe I am gluten intolerant and went my whole life without knowing. Neither did my Gastroenterologist even mention it. And I understand there should be not 80/20 for me since I have an inflammatory immune problem. Actually two: The IBS and Hashimotos.

I do see an Endocrinologist. I would love to be treated naturally.

Tracy

kitty · July 2012

Hashimotos is way more complex to treat naturally than hypothyroidism cause there is an immune attack on the thyoid. hmm.. Have you tried emailing chris kresser? He had natural solutions for thyroid problems of all sorts and he does talk to people via email and skype.. Are you eating the bulletproof diet and staying in the green zone? Dave says that helps the immune system and inflammation. So potentially that could help you a little. There will need to more than just that, but it could help a little.

Wish I could be of more help but Its been a long while that youve had it. I reckon see if chris can help you..

kittyk

nikitita · July 2012

Hi Tracy,

I have just joined this forum only because of what you have said. I too was diagnosed with Hashimotos about 2 years ago, the symptoms you have were exactly like me. I worked with Lugols iodine, Colloidal Silver & a Homeopathic formula made for me by a well respected practitioner I knew at the time. Within 6 months I was cleared. My Homeopathic Practitioner was extremely concerned that I was taking & doing too much Iodine( also transdermally), but when I did more I felt better, so I continued on that path. Later on, after being re tested, my practitioner agreed, saying my tests were showing I needed more iodine, so he would butt out on the subject. I was told that Hashimotos could be caused by a bacteria , that was the 1st time I had ever heard that one,hence my decision to add Ionic Silver (colloidal silver is more what we know it to be called, but not correct) to what I was doing. Mate i am not saying this could be the answer, but it certainly worked for me. Here is a forum I joined in my journey to find answers, I have learned a lot. The moderator has written a book on much research done, including her own journey of discovery, perhaps you could join this forum & learn about others like us there too. worth joining, so much to learn in this place.

Kind regards, and I hope I won't get jumped on for my opinion,but it is also what I have experienced.

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Nikitita

cath · July 2012

Iodine eliminated my Hashimoto's. But you have to definitely take the selenium at the right dose and going gluten free helps a lot. It may take some time and you need guidance from either an iodine literate doctor or the Yahoo Iodine Group. It was worth it.

There is a lot of new thinking about Hashi's since the Iodine Movement started in 2005 and so many Hashi's patients have been cured at the right dosage of iodine and using the whole Iodine Protocol.

Hope this helps somebody. I wish I knew about iodine supplementation 20 years ago.

cath · July 2012

Nikitita, my endocrinologist feels there is some infectious component involved in both Hashi's and Graves Disease. He referred to some medical literature and reminded me that former President George Bush (father), Barbara Bush, and their dog Millie all had Graves Disease at the same time. The infection passed after a few months and they recovered.

nikitita · July 2012

We all need to look further in many of these issues and not just accept what mainstream is telling us.When I was diagnosed it completely floored me. Many people I know of have been diagnosed with Hashimotos, but until I went down , the connection never occurred to me. When this was diagnosed,( and the suggestion of a bacteria was put forward) I thought back to the previous few months when a visitor had been in my home (a Hashimotos diagnosis of previous years), my immune system was down as it had been a very busy year workwise and I had been under extreme pressure, so a candidate for something. This person heaped all her woes & troubles on me for several days & added to my stress,*I believe I contracted the Hashi's from her.* 2 months later I was diagnosed, 4 months later I was clear .Started Lugols , mainly because I was really drawn to it after exploring what to do. Lugols is now part of my life 5-6 days a week, ( got up to 40 drops a day at 1 time) at various doses according to how i feel. Yes i do take the companion nutrients, probably not as correctly as i should though.Dr David Brownstein's book on iodine is a great help on the subject too.

nikitita · July 2012

Cath I also used Lugols to get me through a suspicious breast lump.It is an amazing solution and each week another door opens to me on more info about our deficiencies on Iodine. A Natural health Practitioner in NZ opened my mind to this wonderful solution, until then it was just in the back of my mind. Had always felt Iodine was important, but never really got it on HOW important until my issues surfaced.Australian soils are very mineral deficient, Iodine is a amjor one I have come to realize.Then they added Fluoride to our water...*fluoride displaces Iodine in our body*, hence the need to add it back.

Leesa · October 2013

Half of what I read says no iodine. the other half says iodine with selenium

Leesa · October 2013

Iodine eliminated my Hashimoto's. But you have to definitely take the selenium at the right dose and going gluten free helps a lot. It may take some time and you need guidance from either an iodine literate doctor or the Yahoo Iodine Group. It was worth it.

There is a lot of new thinking about Hashi's since the Iodine Movement started in 2005 and so many Hashi's patients have been cured at the right dosage of iodine and using the whole Iodine Protocol.

Hope this helps somebody. I wish I knew about iodine supplementation 20 years ago.

I just started both today. Iodine and selenium. guess i'll see how I feel. what blood test should I ask for after a month or so?

mmejoanna · October 2013

I've been on Iodine for Hashimoto's for about a month now, with Selenium. I've recently learned you want (get this) 25-50 mg/day for Hashi's!!! That a lot of us have trouble with Iodine until we reach those high doses. There is an Iodine group on Yahoo and a few articles...I can look for links etc if you want...

So far I HATE being on it. Granted, I have a few days until I'm in that target dose, so hopefully I will feel better then? It's hard to imagine that more of it will make me feel better, but, I've got my fingers crossed. Right now, my symptoms are of a typical bromide-detox reaction, and it sucks big time... fatigue, depression, runny nose, weird phlegm issues in general, tender breasts, and other fun things I don't want to mention in public.

Fasten your seatbelt and read up on bromide.

PS

I'm planning to get a thyroid panel once I've been a month on the high dose, and also a bromide test.

STACKINEUROS · October 2013

um I don't take any iodine at all. Do I actually need to be taking it? I do have some selenium in one of my supplements? how essential is iodine supplementation? For a relatively healthy person?

mmejoanna · October 2013

um I don't take any iodine at all. Do I actually need to be taking it? I do have some selenium in one of my supplements? how essential is iodine supplementation? For a relatively healthy person?

It's one of the primary supplements that Dave suggests taking:

http://www.bulletproofexec.com/optimize-your-supplements/

ninjaRob · October 2013

um I don't take any iodine at all. Do I actually need to be taking it? I do have some selenium in one of my supplements? how essential is iodine supplementation? For a relatively healthy person?

It's one of the primary supplements that Dave suggests taking:

http://www.bulletpro...ur-supplements/

__________________________

I am curious as well, why I most of my life had a thyroid that I thought was fine and only in attempting the bulletproof thing (with some errors! too much iodized salt) I gave myself what was likely Hashi's and I have been self treating so far. it is based on the idea that the majority of people have access to flouridated water only can slide to sub clinical hypoT, like everyone's cold footed Girl friend.

Dave recently said on one of the newer podcasts that 12.5mg iodine is what he has recently found to be an acceptable daily dose, I think from Dr. Brownstein, but I fail to have a good source at the moment.

To the OP, I have proven to myself without a doubt that my thyroid will go bizerk in a scary way when I take iodine(right now only sprouts brand Potassium Iodide) w/o the presence of adequate selenium, with selenium, I have stopped the attacks and I have been working up .5mg/daily 4 days on and 2 days off a couple months and I feel i am slowly gaining back some resilience in my thyroid. HRV is huge in supporting the thyroid's stressed efforts to perform.

mmejoanna · October 2013

UPDATE: "The Boing Effect"

After one month at lower levels, I finally upped my dose to what is suggested for Hashimoto's (and breast cancer) patients - between 25 and 50 mg/day. Dave suggests 1 mg/day for normal folk, so this is a LOT.

A couple hours after taking it, I started to feel awesome. It was noticeable and abrupt. All of a sudden my mind felt clear and lovely, and my body felt good... Yesterday I spoke with another iodine-using-Hashimotos-person who told me there is a name for this, "The Boing Effect". The author of "The Iodine Crisis" coined the term. Apparently if you are very deficient in iodine, when you finally get a certain threshold in your system you feel this amazing feeling. The euphoria of Saturday has calmed down, but my mind still feels completely different and much more clear and positive. I'm stunned.

Here's a page where someone pulls an excerpt from her book about it:

http://curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=2061737

Hashimotos-Iodine And Selenium

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