Iodine and Thyroid

[wondering]

This happened years ago and again in the last couple of weeks, so may be helpful for some. Various times in my life I have had depression and even after getting hormones tuned up there has been some nagging mild depression that creeps up. My T4 and T3 levels look good, but my TSH has sometimes crept upwards. Recalling what Dr. Mariano used to say: TSH is the brains opinion of our thyroid levels. Sometimes it's a good opinion and sometimes not. Iodine has been reported to both help in conversion of T4 to T3 and uptake of Thyroid to our cells. What is true for certain I don't know. I did just have a spot urine test and my iodine was rock-bottom. Makes sense as I have been home cooking and been using sea salt, so no iodine. I started taking small doses of Iodoral and first few times a few palpitations and definitely energy perked up - almost too much. Perhaps, thyroid was circulating but not being used? Just because blood levels of T3 and T4 are where you want them to be, doesn't mean they are being used? IDK, but within a week, the cloud has significantly lifted and I think I will take half-pill of Iodoral 2-3 times a week - it's working for me.

 

[Vince]

How about trying a lower dose of iodine. 500 mcg or less, daily. I use 325 mcg daily.

 

[wondering]

How about trying a lower dose of iodine. 500 mcg or less, daily. I use 325 mcg daily.

Well, I have an almost full bottle of Iodoral, so half a pill a few times a week is fine. If an adequate amount was coming from diet, I would think there would be days with higher doses and lower doses. Not like I'm spacing out for weeks.

 

[maliksab]

I use lugol 12.5 mg drops. Definitely iodine has changed my life to better

 

[Gman86]

I use lugol 12.5 mg drops. Definitely iodine has changed my life to better

In which ways has it improved things?

Do u just take all 12.5mg in water first thing upon waking?

I’ve tried messing around with high dose iodine before, but got a little worried about negative effects it may have. Currently playing it really safe and just doing 2.5mg per day. Have used as high as 50-100mg/ day. I’ve heard that 12mg/ day is the sweetspot for women trying to conceive, as well as to have a healthy pregnancy. So maybe around 12mg/ day might be the sweetspot for most people

How’d u settle on using this specific dose?

 

[MIP1950]

This happened years ago and again in the last couple of weeks, so may be helpful for some. Various times in my life I have had depression and even after getting hormones tuned up there has been some nagging mild depression that creeps up. My T4 and T3 levels look good, but my TSH has sometimes crept upwards. Recalling what Dr. Mariano used to say: TSH is the brains opinion of our thyroid levels. Sometimes it's a good opinion and sometimes not. Iodine has been reported to both help in conversion of T4 to T3 and uptake of Thyroid to our cells. What is true for certain I don't know. I did just have a spot urine test and my iodine was rock-bottom. Makes sense as I have been home cooking and been using sea salt, so no iodine. I started taking small doses of Iodoral and first few times a few palpitations and definitely energy perked up - almost too much. Perhaps, thyroid was circulating but not being used? Just because blood levels of T3 and T4 are where you want them to be, doesn't mean they are being used? IDK, but within a week, the cloud has significantly lifted and I think I will take half-pill of Iodoral 2-3 times a week - it's working for me.

'Pooling' is the term for thyroid hormones in the blood but not being taken up by the cells. I've read that it could be due to low iron, low selenium or low cortisol. I have experimented with Lugol's and ended up crashing. I have a bottle of Magnescent, nascent ioidine, which is supposed to be more bioavailable.

If the issue isn't primary hypothyroidism, but secondary(as with secondary hypogonadism,related to the hypothalamus/piuitary) I don't know if iodine is a substitute for the actual thyroid hormones. Dr. Mark Starr, author of 'Hypothyroidism Type 2' uses Lugol's in conjunction with desiccated thyroid(Armour or NP). I've worked up to high dose on liquid T3 and T4 for my depression and ED. Still assessing. I seem to still feel low with T4;not depressed, but melancholy. With mixed state bipolar illness, my mood is constantly in flux so it's difficult to discern the illness from anything I'm taking. I need to switch to only T3, the active thyroid hormone and compare how I feel and function.

 

[maliksab]

In which ways has it improved things?

Do u just take all 12.5mg in water first thing upon waking?

I’ve tried messing around with high dose iodine before, but got a little worried about negative effects it may have. Currently playing it really safe and just doing 2.5mg per day. Have used as high as 50-100mg/ day. I’ve heard that 12mg/ day is the sweetspot for women trying to conceive, as well as to have a healthy pregnancy. So maybe around 12mg/ day might be the sweetspot for most people

How’d u settle on using this specific dose?

I was dialed on my trt for years until couple years back i started getting really tired and depressed. I tried few anti depressent which made me more lethargic and then some thyroid meds at different dosages but sideffects were horrible. I came accross dr. Brownstein iodine videos and then bought the book. I gave his protocol a try.. started with 50mg and dude i came back alive literally! Nothing less than 50mg in beginning worked for me and im Been taking iodine since then and reduced my dose to 12mg.
It improved my energy, cognition, anxiety and libido. Some of us are really iodine deficient.
I suggest you to buy his book “ iodine why you need it “
Try 50 mg lugol solution with breakfast for 2-3 days and you will know if you need it or No. people who are deficient notice right away the feeling. If you dont feel the effect that means you’re not iodine deficient.

 

[Gman86]

I was dialed on my trt for years until couple years back i started getting really tired and depressed. I tried few anti depressent which made me more lethargic and then some thyroid meds at different dosages but sideffects were horrible. I came accross dr. Brownstein iodine videos and then bought the book. I gave his protocol a try.. started with 50mg and dude i came back alive literally! Nothing less than 50mg in beginning worked for me and im Been taking iodine since then and reduced my dose to 12mg.
It improved my energy, cognition, anxiety and libido. Some of us are really iodine deficient.
I suggest you to buy his book “ iodine why you need it “
Try 50 mg lugol solution with breakfast for 2-3 days and you will know if you need it or No. people who are deficient notice right away the feeling. If you dont feel the effect that means you’re not iodine deficient.

Thanks for the reply and anecdote.

How long did u take the 50mg for?

How long u been using 12mg? Did u notice any differences, good or bad, going from 50mg to 12mg?

When in the day do u take it, and do u take it with or without food? TIA

 

[maliksab]

Thanks for the reply and anecdote.

How long did u take the 50mg for?

How long u been using 12mg? Did u notice any differences, good or bad, going from 50mg to 12mg?

When in the day do u take it, and do u take it with or without food

Thanks for the reply and anecdote.

How long did u take the 50mg for?

How long u been using 12mg? Did u notice any differences, good or bad, going from 50mg to 12mg?

When in the day do u take it, and do u take it with or without food? TIA

50mg for 6 months and every time i Was cutting my dose i noticed fatigue. Since i was travelling so i bought Iodoral tablets 12.5mg which was easier to carry than lugol, i am now been taking 12.5mg for more than a month and i feel good. It could be iodoral tablets might be stronger or consistent dose than the lugol drops but I haven’t felt the need to take 50mg.

 

[maliksab]

I

Thanks for the reply and anecdote.

How long did u take the 50mg for?

How long u been using 12mg? Did u notice any differences, good or bad, going from 50mg to 12mg?

When in the day do u take it, and do u take it with or without food? TIA

I take them with breakfast with vitamin d 5000