• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

CLTA4 Associated with Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases

Changexpert

Changexpert

Senior Member
Messages
112
For past year, I've tried numerous forms of iodine like generic kelp, Lugol's 2%, modifilan, ecklonia cava extract, potassium iodide, and even nascent iodine. The reason why I took iodine was because I've been suffering from hypothyroidism (sensitive to coldness, low energy, hair loss, brain fog, etc) for years, and it has been only getting worse with recent two major surgeries I had. Also, my urine test showed that I have close to zero level of iodine.

However, taking iodine, both by ingestion and transdermal absorption (rubbing iodine on the belly) has caused severe side effects. Side effects included increased hair loss, muscle twitching, joint pains, insomnia, and severe brain fog. The extent of side effects was proportional to how much iodine I took. After talking to a few members on the forum, I realized that iodine can induce Hashimoto's or Graves autoimmune disorder for some people.

I was still not convinced, which is why I took many kinds of iodine available on the market. Regardless of which forms I tried, the side effects came on within a day. I gradually gave in to the fact that iodine is not for me, but still could not figure out why.

Fortunately, by going through my MTHFR results once again, I finally figured out that CLTA4 genes are associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases. I am heterozygous for many CLTA4 genes and homozygous for one of them. I can finally let go of iodine in peace and may seek for T3 only or dessicated thyroid. I am sure @ahmo would be thrilled to see this post.

PS: I am not associated with MTHFR.com website in any way.

Source: http://snpedia.com/index.php/Rs231775
 
out2lunch

out2lunch

Senior Member
Messages
204
Changexpert said:
I was still not convinced, which is why I took many kinds of iodine available on the market. Regardless of which forms I tried, the side effects came on within a day. I gradually gave in to the fact that iodine is not for me, but still could not figure out why.

Fortunately, by going through my MTHFR results once again, I finally figured out that CLTA4 genes are associated with autoimmune thyroid diseases. I am heterozygous for many CLTA4 genes and homozygous for one of them. I can finally let go of iodine in peace and may seek for T3 only or dessicated thyroid.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info about CLTA4! :)

You and I are cut from the same "troubled iodine" cloth. I was diagnosed with Hashi's almost 20 years ago. While the antibodies now only appear during severe illness or times of extreme stress, they will also appear when I take large doses of iodine. Thyroid tests revealed that my TSH goes up, my T4 goes down along with my T3, without changing my desiccated thyroid dose. Which also translates into worsening hypo symptoms. And stopping the iodine results in the T4 and T3 gradually increasing with TSH decreasing, again without changing dosing.

From what I've read by knowledgable functional medicine docs, and from my own personal experience with iodine supplementation (even though my levels also test as deficient), taking iodine with Hashi's is hugely problematic. Iodine can suppress the thyroid gland if taken in doses "too high." But where's the divide line for someone with autoimmune thyroiditis? Very small doses seem to be a safer bet.

FWIW, this is what I take daily, one drop under the tongue:

http://www.naturalbalance.com/solutions/energy/thyadine.html

Since I started taking this at the beginning of the year, I've had the best thyroid results ever. No more up and down yo-yo TSH/T4/T3, and Reverse T3 isn't sky high like it has been for the past few years. I'm on Acella desiccated thyroid twice a day with one drop of the Thyadine in the morning, and I can finally say my hypo symptoms are now a thing of the past.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.