THE Iodine Thread - Page 2

[Theloose]

So iodine detoxes halides and other heavy metals including mercury and arsenic. What's a nursing and/or pregnant mom to do? I've also heard that iodine changes the taste of your milk (and generally not for the better).

Is starting slow enough? Do the benefits outweigh the risks, even with no precautions? Are there other precautions to take? How does opening detox pathways fit in? Age of nursling? How about supplementing the nursling?

I think my detox pathways are stuck closed and that iodine might just open them for me. Is there any way to know besides just trying it? My history says I'm very likely to be bromide toxic, so I'm kind of wary.

Are there ways of telling how toxic you are in advance of taking a loading dose?

Anyone with answers or ideas or just other angles of looking at it is welcome to comment! As far as I know (I did my research about a year ago), a lot of these questions just haven't been answered yet. But now the benefits are stacking up for me and so I want to minimize the risks to dd...

[Panserbjorne]

WhoMe, I tend to research things to death and for ME the benefits outweighed the risk. I chose to start at 50 mg (which is on the higher side) after I was tested. When I began I had a newborn and a toddler nursing. The little one was somewhere between 4 and 6 weeks. I had no issues at all (likely as a result of pituitary issues as I experienced no discomfort even starting at that dosage) and only had benefits. I felt better immediately following the loading test. My milk didn't change taste-wise as far as I know (dd would've told me.)

I've been on it for 3 years now (wow!) and the benefits have remained the same but it didn't do all of what I expected it to do. It didn't clear our metals and glutathione was a necessary part of our process.

I still say that support while nursing is important not only to open the pathways, but to minimize the risk to the nursling as you begin. But hey, that's me! There is also a whole supplement list that is deemed necessary and I feel that is true.

At this point we all take it, dh and kiddos all get it directly as well. We are doing well on it and honestly if you have the risk factors my feeling is that if you start slowly (unlike me!) the benefits do outweigh the risks, by a LOT. Especially for your child. Thyroid hormone is passed via breastmilk and if you are deficient in iodine you likely aren't passing it in sufficient amounts. There is a major benefit to the nursling. Plus if they are getting iodine they are able to detox at the same time....just support the pathways!

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by Panserbjørne

I still say that support while nursing is important not only to open the pathways, but to minimize the risk to the nursling as you begin. But hey, that's me! There is also a whole supplement list that is deemed necessary and I feel that is true.

At this point we all take it, dh and kiddos all get it directly as well. We are doing well on it and honestly if you have the risk factors my feeling is that if you start slowly (unlike me!) the benefits do outweigh the risks, by a LOT. Especially for your child. Thyroid hormone is passed via breastmilk and if you are deficient in iodine you likely aren't passing it in sufficient amounts. There is a major benefit to the nursling. Plus if they are getting iodine they are able to detox at the same time....just support the pathways!

Yeah, I tend to research things to death too, but sometimes I get impatient and learn more by just doing. I've already decided that for us, iodine while nursing is a path I want to go down, and it's time to start down that path. So now I'm trying to figure out the details. I obviously want to do it as safely as possible, but haven't found anyone IRL that I can turn to. So I'm talking it out here (some people like to learn by example, right?)

Are you saying your approach is to put in place all the iodine support nutrients, then add iodine? How do I know if my pathways are supported enough? Can I just assume that since I know what the pathways are and what the nutrients are, I'll be able to support with if/when it comes up? How urgent of a thing is it? If it takes me a few days/a week/a month to realize that something is blocked, have I done major harm? I'm thinking my major toxin is bromine, and not mercury, if it matters.

If I start dd on the protocol before me so that she's better able to process the junk I throw at her, how long before are we talking? Should she be all the way on maintenance before I start? Is just a day or two long enough? I know it's all very individual, but I'm looking for a ballpark.

[FireWithin]

Just starting to read this. Thanks so much Jane. Look forward to adding another major piece to my health puzzle.

[AngelBee]

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[Periwinkle]

THank you for starting this Jane!

Does anyone have a link where you can order the iodine excretion urine test? I clicked the 2 links provided but nowhere on those pages did I see a way to order this test.

Also, does anyone know if you should test a few times and average results or if just one test is sufficient? I'm wondering if it's like cortisol testing where levels go up and down throughout the day. Thanks!

[Panserbjorne]

the loading test has you collect one sample prior to supplementation and then collect urine every time you pee for 24 hours. They assess the retention rate...how much is used by the body essentially. I test every now and again to see how I'm doing. But I'm also being studied.

[Panserbjorne]

Well, I used to be more worried about metals but the more I read the less I'm convinced that it actually mobilizes them to any significant extent. I simply support the pathways (you know what those are!) add the nutrients and make sure I watch for any signs that the nursling is being affected. Extra glutathione (usually glutathione + NAC) was essential for us and does protect the breastmilk. You should also be doing high doses of C, mag, selenium, D etc.

Honestly if you start slow and if you have very few risk factors (well, the babe has few risk factors) then you should really be fine. It's a nutrient. Therapeutic doses may not be the brightest idea off the bat and this rec will vary depending on the age/frequency of nursing in baby.

How old is your dd? I didn't give it directly to my son until he had been on it through me. Even then it was early....but since we'd already journeyed so far I was okay with it. Same for dd but she was high risk.

I would say start slow, continue supporting pathways, look into glutathione, read up on the salt flush, think about clay (calcium bentonite) and watch. If you get uncomfortable then it's time to reassess.

[linguistmama]

I have some hypothyroid issues and am thinking about starting some Lugol's. I take Blue Ice COL right now and Natural Calm. I would plan to get some Brazil nuts for selenium and be prepared to do salt flushes. Anything else I should be taking if I go this route? I have Sodium Ascorbate so that would be good for Vit C right? What would be a good way to get B vitamins? I prefer whole food sources if possible or else whatever would be most effective. I get headaches from various pills that I've tried over the years so I wouldn't be surprised if I got them from trying this. My 14 mo is also still nursing.

TIA!

[changingseasons]

just subbing for now... bbl to read this thread!! I just ordered an iodine supp, but haven't started taking it yet. (It's Atomidine- any opinions about that brand?)

[JTA Mom]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Jane!

Originally Posted by JaneS

Iodine therapy might require a large commitment to detoxing. I know it is for me and my past experiences with it just didn't jive with the chaos of my life in the last 2 years, so here I am now trying again. It doesn't seem to as big an issue for others though, the majority of cases as I understand it just improve with iodine! Only you can determine whether it's worth it for the potential of solving your current issues and preventing future ones.

Each of the supplements has a specific reason why it is recommended, mostly for antioxidant support while detoxing and support of various body functions that will not work in presence of a deficiency. Most of them (selenium, magnesium, vitamins A/D) are typically low in most people anyway! Deficiencies in any of these nutrients can cause disease states (such as depression, thyroid and immune dysfunction, et al) on their own.

I know I'm low in magnesium. I'm prone to migraine headaches AND I developed pre-eclampsia in my last pregnancy. Now, it was really late in pregnancy (36 weeks) and it was mild pre-e, but still. What does iodine detox, specifically? I have a bunch of amalgam fillings that I can't just get rid of. Will iodine cause the mercury to leach out & into my breastmilk? I really don't want to 'poison' ds.

My basal temp has been low for a long time, which I chalked up to bf, but now that I put that together with the ovarian cysts, the exhaustion, migraines and just feeling under the weather, it make sense. I switched to sea salt during pregnancy, and my body does a LOT better on it than 'regular' table salt. Even if I'm heavy handed on it, I don't bloat, etc. I'm just afraid of doing something wrong while taking iodine. Like, do I need to take a magnesium supp, cod liver oil, etc? And in what doses? I don't have the $$ for a naturopath, so I am doing this on my own. Is there any link that can give me a sort of 'if you are low on this (fill in nutrient), take this amount of *blank* in addition to this much iodine'? I just don't want to cancel out the iodine I'm taking by either not taking a supporting supplement or taking a blocking one (like a calcium one).

Thanks!

Ami

[aris99]

Did anyone get pins and needles and twitching/spasms w/iodine? I woke up w/pins and needles in my hand, muscle twitching in my hand and a headache...the headache subsided w/mag...is this iodine/potassium related or something else? I'm taking 2 iodoral in the am and 2 in the pm. I wish we could all amass our experiences w/iodine supplementation....a spreadsheet w/how much we're taking, what else we're taking and our symptoms....I know I know who has the time...*sigh*

[Metasequoia]

Originally Posted by linguistmama

What would be a good way to get B vitamins? I prefer whole food sources if possible or else whatever would be most effective.

Raw, grass-fed beef liver. I swallow small pieces whole, sprinkled with Celtic salt & kelp - with a glass of water.

[mom61508]

I'm a BF mamma who's debating iodine supp as well but scared for dd(almost 12 months). I have hypo/hashis/adrenal fatigue. It's really the hashis that has me still avoiding iodine supp.
What to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Metasequoia]

I've been thinking a lot about iodine lately - there's a book I think I saw recommended in A Grain of Salt (the Grain & Salt Society's newsletter) - or maybe I'm thinking of the sea salt book...

Anywho, I've been trying to add more sea veggies to our diet for iodine, but I'm thinking that Lugol's might be the way to go. I'm also avoiding high costs - how much are the loading tests?

I'm also still nursing Ds, so I think I'd rather start slow.

How much would you give to children? They already take D, K2 & CLO drops, what's one more?

I've always thought of the Japanese' iodine intake when their good health was brought up.

I already take Blue Ice, selenium & magnesium, so it looks like I'm all set. Can someone tell me about the salt flush? Headaches tend to be my usual reaction to toxins (or anything, really) & I need to be able to function.

Thanks for starting this thread, Jane.

[chlobo]

Iodine loading Test

Ok, I am doing the iodine loading test today. So I had to take a full 50mg Iodoral pill. Now I feel nauseous. Could it be from the iodine?

I'm taking the rest of my supplements as usual.

ETA: I"m interested in the salt flush as well. Someone recommended I do a C flush for other reasons. I'm wondering if its ok to do both, maybe alternating weeks.

[Metasequoia]

Lyme patients will do salt & C simultaneously....

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by Metasequoia

Lyme patients will do salt & C simultaneously....

Do Lyme patients do Salt & C flushes together? That sounds rather harsh to me. I always thought they just drank salt/c water throughout the day.

[Metasequoia]

I knew I had read about detox pathways & iodine before! In the August 2007 issue of Grain of Salt, there's an article on breast health that starts on page 7 but continues on page 24. Page 24 talks about iodine & detox pathways.

http://www.celticseasalt.com/PDF/SNL07.pdf

What about Iodoral? How does it compare to Lugol's?

[aris99]

what's blue ice?