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When
you spend some time online researching the question “is it safe to take iodine
when you have Hashimotos” you will soon realize there are conflicting opinions,
and information about how much iodine is safe to take.
If
are feeling confused, you are not alone. It can be a challenge making sense of
it all. For this reason I would like to answer this important question from my
Naturopathic perspective.
Firstly
let’s take a look at some facts that we all know to be true
+ Your body does not make iodine.
Consequently, this mineral must be derived from the diet or from an iodine
supplement.
+ Your thyroid requires a constant supply as
iodine is an essential component of your thyroid hormones.
+
Nutrient rich blood
continuously circulates through your thyroid so iodine is
simply absorbed as required.
+
About 80% of your body’s iodine
stores are held in your thyroid.
+
When your thyroid has enough iodine it stops
absorbing iodine from the blood supply.
+
This mineral is normally
only required in trace amounts. Adverse effects are more likely
when excessive amounts are taken.
+
Iodine deficiency is a common
world health problem.
+
Iodine is critical to overall health,
not just the thyroid. For example, iodine plays a role in the
immune response, is essential for normal growth and development of a developing
baby, and is particularly important to safeguard breast and prostate health.
+
In Australia, iodine supplements, or thyroid supplements that contain iodine
usually supply microgram,
not milligram quantities of iodine.
+ A
microgram measurement of iodine is routinely abbreviated as ‘mcg’ or ‘µg’.
+ It’s important to
know 1000 micrograms equals 1
milligram.
+
The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the US
Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health (NIH) have both
set the safe upper level of intake
from all sources at 1,100 micrograms (1.1 mg) daily.
+ Hashimoto’s disease is a complex autoimmune
thyroid problem.
It’s associated with chronic inflammation which over time can lead to
destruction of the thyroid gland.
There
is no evidence to suggest that iodine alone will solve a complex thyroid
disorder such as Hashimoto’s
It’s
true, iodine alone will not
help heal your thyroid. However it is still an important nutrient for day to
day function of the thyroid.
If
your iodine stores get too low this will place further pressure on your
thyroid. Taking what is considered a safe amount of iodine is usually necessary
to support ongoing thyroid hormone activity.
Single
iodine may not be the solution
Iodine
is ideally best taken in combination with selenium. In fact, selenium is an
important nutrient to consider if you have a diagnosed autoimmune thyroid
disorder.
Ongoing
research shows selenium can help reduce raised thyroid specific antibodies. This is promising
research for those with Hashimoto’s.
Selenium
helps reduce the risk of iodine aggravating your thyroid if you did opt to take
a sudden and excessive amount of iodine.
When
I hear someone with Hashimoto’s report a bad experience with iodine it does
raise two key questions in my mind. Did they take too much? Were they also low
in selenium?
A good
quality thyroid health formula contains both iodine and selenium. The nutritional
panel or supplement facts section on a label is the best place to check the
amount of iodine and selenium.
You
may already know that here in Australia nutritional companies are not permitted
to recommend more than 300 micrograms of iodine, and 150 micrograms of selenium
per day for adults.
Your
take home message: not too much, not too little
It’s
a myth that any amount of iodine is dangerous when you have Hashimoto’s. In
truth, it’s really about balanced intake. The controversy is centered on how much iodine is safe to take.
Studies
do indeed confirm taking iodine well above what is generally recommended can
trigger an autoimmune reaction, particularly if selenium is in short supply.
Yes,
you can get too much of a good thing and opting to take extreme amounts of
iodine may be harmful when you have diagnosed Hashimoto’s disease.
An
iodine overload could actually cause a flare up, and worsen your hypothyroid
symptoms. As with any type of autoimmune condition tissue destruction is at an
all-time high when you experience a flare up.
In
summary…is it safe to take iodine when you have Hashimotos?
+
Iodine supplements can help prevent and treat an iodine deficiency.
+
Iodine supports ongoing thyroid hormone production and is normally only
required in trace amounts to be effective.
+
Selenium is a mineral that safeguards your thyroid. Adequate selenium intake
can also reduce the risk of iodine aggravating your thyroid if you opted to
take excessive amounts.
+
When you are taking a prescribed thyroid medication your medical practitioner
can advise if an iodine supplement will be suitable for you.
Read
the following related articles:
Author Bio:
Louise O’ Connor,
the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who
is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian
Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.
The Natural Thyroid
Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve
healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details,
Click on
The-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com
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