Iodine?!

[Prefect]

I have sensory problems, cognitive deficits, and anxiety (without classic CFS symptoms) that has been more severe in the past year than usual.

A friend of mine yesterday gave me a hard time when she found out I've been consuming only sea salt for years. I don't eat processed foods, so it turns out my sources of iodine intake are almost nil.

Could iodine deficiency be causing all this?! Shouldn't I have a goiter and gain weight? If anything I've been losing weight.

 

[drob31]

Iodine is a tricky one. From all the research I've done, I've found people who recommend very high doses, to those who say smalll doses will trigger hashimoto's.

The general consensus seems to be up to a 1000 mcg a day is ok, and you need selenium with it to protect the thyroid.

 

[PinkPanda]

I don't tolerate iodine well, even in small doses. A thyroid doctor can check for enlarged thyroid which is a sign of iodine deficiency.
I would be careful with just supplementing iodine, especially in higher doses. Where I come from, the normal iodine supplements contain 100-200µg.

 

[amaru7]

I don't tolerate iodine well, even in small doses. A thyroid doctor can check for enlarged thyroid which is a sign of iodine deficiency.
I would be careful with just supplementing iodine, especially in higher doses. Where I come from, the normal iodine supplements contain 100-200µg.

I had the same exact experience. My blood test showed borderline high TPO even long after stopping iodine intake, which is a hint for possible start of hashimoto. Plus I had sides from it, didn't tolerate it well.

Sorry to say that to you and I hope you can find something that does improve your issues. (I still have them too)

 

[helios]

I had zero iodine show up on hair tests + a really high Ca/K ratio which indicated hypothyroid. I did not have an enlarged thyroid and my TSH and T4 tests were in the normal range so no thyroid med, but doc put me on iodine drops. I was really disappointed in them, and didnt notice any change on them, and when I painted it on my skin it would it would disappear in under 10 minutes which supposedly indicated I was low in iodine even many months after supplementing. Frustrated one day I took 20x the recommended dose and actually felt it that day - I went hyperthyroid. It was too extreme but I loved the energy surge. I tried again at a lower dose but still on high side and noticed nothing again. I then again trialed the really high dosage and nothing now. I read about co-factors and started to take these with iodine drops hoping this was the missing piece of the puzzle but no difference. I then read about someone who was also not getting good absorption with iodine, and they said they noticed a difference when they took kelp. I tried kelp and I could feel a bit more energy (nothing to get really excited over tho) and after taking kelp for a few months, I noticed now when I painted the lugols iodine solution on me the stain would stay there for a couple of hours, so it would seem the kelp did boost my iodine levels. I was really disappointed it did not boost my mental energy or cognition more though.