Anyone diving into natural thyroid care will quickly discover that everything traces back to one vital mineral: iodine.
Indeed, Dr. Alan Christianson, a New York Times bestselling author and Naturopathic expert on thyroid health, plus one of my mentors says:
There is nothing you can do that has a bigger effect on your thyroid health than consuming the right amount of iodine. – Dr. Alan Christianson
In the Old Days
Before I became a Naturopathic Doctor, way in the beginning of my thyroid health journey, my sources of Natural Health information were Health Food Stores and books I found there. (remember kiddies: there would not be internet for decades)
I was advised to take Kelp to help my thyroid, since that particular seaweed is a good source of iodine. I didn’t particularly like the taste but found it in capsules which was much more palatable.
This advice was based on the idea that since iodine is a component of the thyroid hormone, taking supplemental iodine would cause the thyroid to create more hormone.
Fast forward to today. We know that logic is not true to human physiology. Taking more iodine does not create more thyroid hormone. In fact, depending on how much you take, it can bite you in the butt.
What we know about iodine today
In certain parts of the world, the places away from the ocean where the soil did not have iodine and they did not get seafood, it was observed that some people developed goiters from a lack of iodine.
In their infinite wisdom, the food industry produced iodized salt to ensure that people get enough iodine so they don’t develop goiters. That may have been a good idea, but it turns out that it is more complicated than that today.
There are so many hidden sources of iodine in our foods – without even eating seafood – that the pendulum has swung the other way. Most people are eating too much iodine! So much so that those people susceptible to thyroid imbalance get sick.
It turns out that iodine is a goldilocks mineral, meaning that too little can create a problem as well as too much can create a problem. The reality is that each person needs to determine what is right for them with this updated information.
Too much iodine?
This is the iodine paradox. Too little causes a problem. As well, too much causes a problem.
What is the ballpark figure for iodine intake for adults? About 50 – 200 mcg daily.
At levels above sufficiency, not a huge amount of extra iodine for susceptible people, this excess amount can have a big impact on their overall health. It can produce iodine-induced hyperthyroidism, autoimmune thyroid disease, and even goiter (which we saw in some iodine deficient people).
Not everyone; many people who are not susceptible to thyroid disease can be perfectly healthy with above sufficient levels of iodine. However, those susceptible to thyroid disease can be in trouble.
Then there is outright iodine excess at about 300 mcg of daily intake. Looking at the numbers, that’s not all that much!
It is easy to get to that point, especially when we realize how much iodine we can find in processed foods, a multivitamin, and even hidden in body care products.
Dr. Christianson offers a key insight: “What we know now is that there is a very narrow ‘sweet spot’ for iodine in the body. And, this is where things get tricky, we can easily find ourselves outside of that sweet spot if we’re not careful.”
The right amount of iodine
We get iodine through the foods we eat. With food processing and today’s food production practices, it turns out that iodine is in a lot more than seafood.
Most people would suspect that seafood and seaweed contain a lot of iodine. You know, Abalone, Cod, Haddock, Oysters, Swordfish, Clams, Mackerel, Salmon, Sardines, Crab, Tuna as well as seaweed like Kelp, Dulse, Kombu, and Nori. Yes!
Reality check: A single can of sardines packed in oil can contain 35 mcg of iodine, and those in water. brine or tomato sauce can contain up to 100 to 200 mcg!
But did you know that conventional dairy products also pack a lot of iodine due to the iodine disinfectant used when milking cows? Yes, milk, cheese, yoghurt, and even ice cream have high amounts of iodine in them.
Not to mention processed meats like bacon, bologna, ham, pepperoni, salami, and sausage.
But did you know that bread is often made with an iodine-based dough conditioner, making bagels, bread, crackers,
muffins, tortillas, and even gluten free bread full of iodine!
One source you may never suspect are conventionally produced egg yolks! Yes, eggs and egg products like hollandaise sauce and egg noodles also are loaded with iodine.
Even sea salt, Pink Himalayan Salt, and of course, iodized salt contains iodine. For the record, Kosher salt, pickling salt, and Celtic Sea salt have negligible amounts of iodine.
Other foods that are iodine-free include nuts and seeds, all land vegetables and fruits, meats like beef, poultry and pork, and whole grains and legumes.
How can I get an idea about how much iodine I am consuming?
Glad you asked.
Dr. Christianson has created a simple tracker that estimates how much iodine you are taking in. And it’s free!
Just click this link and you will be taken to his questionnaire that assesses your iodine intake and also signs you up for evidence-based guidance in a newsletter. It’s painless and you can unsubscribe at any time.
What about iodine tests?
The commonly available iodine tests are not necessarily good for assessing individuals. That’s because they fluctuate so much, it’s hard to interpret the results for your situation.
However, they can be useful in population studies. And as you may know, you individually are not a population average.
Where can iodine be hidden?
You need to read labels to find hidden sources of iodine! This is not only food labels but also labels on supplements. And don’t forget to read what is in your body care products and cosmetics,
Thanks to Dr. Christianson for compiling these lists.
Become familiar with the words in these lists, because iodine is hidden in these ingredients.
| IN FOODS | IN SUPPLEMENTS | IN COSMETICS |
| Agar | Atomic iodine | Algas |
| Agar-agar | Bioavailable iodine | Alginate |
| Algas | Calcium iodate | Ammonium iodide |
| Alginate | Detoxified iodine | Carrageenan |
| Algue rouge marine | Glandular blends | Chondrus crispus |
| Carrageen | Iodine | Chondrus extract |
| Carrageenan | Iodine-enriched yeast | Ethiodized oil |
| Carrageenin | Ionic iodine | Fucus vesiculosus |
| Carragenano | Kelp extract | Gigartina species |
| Carragenina | Mineral iodine complex | Hydroxypropyl bistrimonium |
| Carragheenan | Nano iodine | Iodoform |
| Chondrus crispus | Nascent iodine | Iodopropynyl butylcarbamate |
| Chondrus extract | Potassium iodate | Irish moss |
| Euchema species | Potassium iodide | Irish moss extract |
| Extrait de mousse d’Irlande | Raw liquid iodine | Kelp extract |
| Fucus vesiculosus | Saccharomyces cerevisiae | Laminaria species |
| Galgarine | Seaweed extract | Potassium iodide |
| Gigartina chamissoi | SSKI | PVP-iodine |
| Gigartina mami losa | Stabilized iodine | Red marine algae |
| Irish moss | Sodium iodide | Sea vegetable extract |
| Irish moss algae | Thyroid blends | Sodium iodide |
| Irish moss extract | Trace mineral iodine | TEA-hydroiodide |
| Laminaria digitata | Triple iodine | Undaria pinnatifida |
| Laminaria species | Whole food iodine | |
| Red marine algae | ||
| Sea vegetable extracts | ||
| Sodium alginate |
For those with thyroid disease
If you already have been diagnosed with thyroid disease, the biggest take-away is that you can often lower thyroid antibodies and decrease your thyroid medication dose by clearing excess iodine from your body.
This means assessing what your iodine intake is now with this tracker and finding overt and hidden sources.
And, by the way, susceptible people can reduce their likelihood of developing thyroid disorders by keeping their iodine levels no higher than sufficient.
The first place to look is if you are taking a multivitamin. Switch to one without iodine, like Dr. Christianson’s Thyroid Specific Formulas or one from Vital Nutrients or Pure Encapsulations.
The next step is to clear out any body care products or cosmetics that contain substances listed on the label that actually are iodine. See the list above.
Then, it is possible to do a dietary reset by avoiding high iodine foods for a while, six months or so, to lower your overall body load of iodine.
Dr. Christianson has created the Thyroid Reset Diet, and I can guide you through that in Naturopathic medical appointments
You may want to start with a free food list to follow so that you can set aside high iodine foods and shop for those on the list that are low in iodine.
If you are serious about it, get the book Thyroid Reset Diet and call me at 928-649-9234.
