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I realize eating seaweed is more paleo - and I do like seaweed -- but I just realized that the multi vitamin we switched to a year and a half ago doesn't contain any iodine. I thought all multi's contained 150 to 200 mcg of iodine but this one contains nada. I don't want to megadose -- just know that I'm getting a standardized daily amount. It is impossible to know what you are getting with actual seaweed. I've had reactions from overdoing kelp strips. It seems some tissues have more affinity for iodide and others for iodine. Therefore, something like a Lugol's solution would be good but the pharmacies here all say a prescription is needed. A place called J Crow's sells it on-line but I don't know if it's legit. I take natural thyroid plus a little cytomel (am trying to wean off cytomel entirely) so want to be very cautious.

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I take Armour thyroid plus Cytomel. A while ago I tried J Crow's Lugols and had a really bad reaction to it (and I've taken alllll kinds of supps with no reaction). Made me feel awful. Now I take Seagreens Iodine + (made with seaweed, obvs). – Gazelle Sep 27 2011 at 22:30
Iodine also chelates zn cu and fe.......be careful. – The Quilt Sep 28 2011 at 1:17
Selenum is must with it. – majkinetor Sep 28 2011 at 5:33

5 Answers

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Iodine is toxic and an oxidant (which is why it's used as a topical antiseptic). Iodide, a salt, is a required nutrient. There's no reason to use any supplement containing reduced iodine (I2). Nutrition literature commonly confuses the two terms.

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It's nice having a chemist posting here. I appreciate your insight on these matters. – Travis Culp Sep 28 2011 at 0:15
Could you point out the dose at which iodine becomes toxic. Without it, the speech is meaningless, since water is toxic too. – majkinetor Oct 19 2011 at 13:33
Iodine? I2? Or Iodide? I-? – Matt Oct 20 2011 at 0:55
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Matt, in response to your comment below, Dr. Brownstein claims that in his practice he has seen the best results from a mix of KI and I2. There is also talk that breast tissue responds best to I2. – College Mar 20 2012 at 16:18
Hi Matt, I have been searching the Internet to find if iodide alone or the combination of iodine and iodide is better. Certain sources claim the body needs both forms, for different functions. Would you say that iodine (I2) is toxic, but that the "stabilized I2 in the triiodide form" is completely safe to take? – Kev Jun 10 at 15:41
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I like Iosol and have seen the best results from that (Used to take Iodoral).

The dosage is smaller and more controllable (1.83mg per drop). It's easy to take and like I said, results were best with it (I take 3-4 drops daily at the moment). It contains only Iodine and no Potassium Iodide, which is rumored to clog the thyroid in excess. Not sure about that but it's better to be safe than sorry.

It's also incredibly cheap and has 600 servings! So overall, it's a winner for me.

Don't forget to include selenium.

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I was thinking of ordering the Iosol and diluting per their website's instructions. – Alexandra Sep 28 2011 at 3:45
Hi Bill, I ordered the Iosol yesterday after speaking with someone at the company. I was incorrect in thinking that the product only contains iodine -- this was something I got from a positive comment about the product on another forum. However, the rep at TPCS said the product contains iodine and ammonium iodide. I'm going to start with a very dilute amount. I may also try topically for a tiny cyst I have on my finger. Thanks for your thoughts on the product. Hoping it will warm me up a bit and help me wean off the last tiny bit of Cytomel I take. iodine and ammodium iodide. – Alexandra Oct 5 2011 at 16:17
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@Matt

Thanks Matt -- I tried to reply up near your comment but the comment button wouldn't work.

If iodine is toxic, then why does Lugol's contain both -- 40% iodine and 60% iodide as potassium salt? -- this has been used for approximately 100 years by physicians. I think I must be misunderstanding something about the different forms -- is "reduced iodine" different than what's in Iosol?

I do not want to risk irritating my thyroid gland so this is why I am considering the Iosol which is just iodine. Some studies suggest that the thyroid gland prefers iodide -- other tissues iodine.

Over at the Iodine Project, the docs think that both forms together as in Lugol's or Iodoral are optimal.

I just don't want to suddenly bombard my body with high dose iodine or iodide -- I wanted to experiment starting out with the miniscule amount of whichever has the least chance of irritating my thyroid. I've always taken in a multi prior to this new multi that has zero. Then I wanted to work up gradually as per the suggestions on Paul Jaminet's Perfect Health site.

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Lugol's solution is essentially stabilized I2 in the triiodide form. I've not seen any reference that our bodies prefer I2 over I-. Though I'd be glad to read anything on the subject. – Matt Oct 20 2011 at 0:58
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You can add kelp granules, sprinkle them on pretty much anything

http://www.vitacost.com/Maine-Coast-Sea-Vegetables-Organic-Kelp-Granules-Salt-Alternative

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That's what I use. Sprinkled on fage ain't bad. – ben61820 Sep 28 2011 at 2:32
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What kind of reaction did you have from kelp? Did it make your throat swell at all? If so, have you tried iodized salt? If you look at this thread, you'll see that I and Julianne had that reaction to kelp, but both of us do ok with iodized salt.

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Throat would swell a bit and I would feel exhausted, achey. I love the taste of kelp/dulse and wakame -- also nori but nori is very low in iodine. Kelp is the highest in iodine and I just really was eating way too much. They all taste delicious to me. – Alexandra Sep 28 2011 at 3:44

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