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Thread: iodine

  1. #1
    Goddess foxytina_69's Avatar
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    Default iodine

    does anyone have any info or links about iodine? i buy sea salt, but i never know if i should get the one without or with iodine.
    "you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb

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    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    try this Foxy http://www.vegansociety.com/html/foo...ion/iodine.php

    i eat kelp powder for my iodine.
    'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'

  3. #3
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    From http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C471059.html :

    'Iodine
    A essential mineral that is an integral part of the thyroid hormones, thyroxin and triiodothyronine which have important metabolic roles and govern basal metabolism. The best known iodine deficiency symptom is goiter. Other iodine deficiency problems are reduced vitality, hypothyroidism, inability to think clearly, low resistance to infection, loss of control of the muscles of the mouth resulting in mouth contortion and drooling, defective teeth, tendency to obesity and cretinism which is a congenital abnormal condition marked by physical stunting and mental deficiency.'

    'Some studies have indicated some vegans have a low iodine intake. Plant-sources of iodine include: seaweeds, vegetables and grains, although amounts of iodine in the last two sources will depend on the iodine content of the soil that they were grown in. Ordinary kitchen salt is often fortified with iodine.'
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  4. #4
    Cloudy's Avatar
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    Quote Gorilla
    i eat kelp powder for my iodine.
    How do you eat it? Just toss it into anything? I bought some and it smells pretty intense!
    I bet Yoda was a vegan

  5. #5
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    I buy dried seaweed "salad" and sling a handful into my stir-fries whenever I remember - I like the taste. However I think kelp powder or tablets are meant to be better from the point of view of getting a predictable dose.

    Iodised salt would also do the job, but given that we are being urged to consume less salt I'm not sure that is the way to go.

  6. #6
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    Quote Cloudy
    How do you eat it? Just toss it into anything? I bought some and it smells pretty intense!
    I have eaten it plain taken about a tablespoon and drank water. I have added it to soups when it was ready to serve, used it in steamed vegetables after they were prepared. I have also mixed it in vegetable drinks with my juicer.

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    Melissa assilembob's Avatar
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    On the flip side of this (I am certain that I fit into the symptoms for deficency) an excess of iodine is a contributor to poor skin...like mor zits and such.
    I already have acne. I can't win!

    ~Mel
    ~Mel

    "Sweet songs the youth, the wise, the meaning of all wisdom...to believe in the good in man" - Legend

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    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    Cloudy, i only use small amounts (about half a teaspoon for two people) of kelp powder a couple of times a week in soups, stews, curries, stir-fries etc. it doesn't taste too strong if you put it in something richly flavoured like that.

    assilembob i'm sure i don't consume excess iodine, but i have acne too. there are many causes of acne so i think it's more important to try and get enough iodine, especially if you already have problem skin.
    'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'

  9. #9
    tails4wagging
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    Thanks for that Gorilla, I wanted to know how much as I have recently baught some kelp powder.
    I am sure Iodine is lacking in me as I don't like seaweed-yuk!!.

  10. #10
    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    i don't really like seaweed much either Tails as i bought some strips of hijiki and they taste very strong. the kelp powder is much more palatable!
    'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'

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    The vegan stock called Vecon has kelp added and it's very nice in soups and gravies.

    Also, dried seaweed powder and seaweed extracts are often used as organic fertilisers, so I suppose vegetables grown that way would definitely contain iodine.

  12. #12
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: iodine

    http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/...disease/115556




    Iodine, Salt, and Hyperthyroidism

    Excess consumption of refined, iodized salt is one of the major causes of hyperthyroidism and it’s a well-known trigger for Graves’ disease.

    Iodine, a mineral that is highly toxic in its pure form, is essential to life in trace amounts. Molecules of iodine react with the amino acid tyrosine to form thyroid hormone.

    Sea salt is the most widely available source of natural iodine. Sea salt, which is typically brown or gray-tinged, contains 98 percent sodium chloride and 2 percent mineral salt. Mineral salt is made of more than 80 different elements, including magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus and iodine salts. Sea salt is taken up by plants, animals and, since the beginning of time, consumed by humans.

    Refined salt is a chemical composed of 99.9 percent sodium chloride, and 0.1 percent additives. In the last half century, potassium iodide has been regularly added to refined salt to help prevent iodine deficiency. Aluminum and sugar are also added to help stabilize the product’s composition and prevent caking. The 80 minerals found in sea salt, with proven health benefits, aren’t found in refined salt.

    Iodine deficiency is rarely seen today. At one time, glacial runoff caused deficiencies of iodine in glacial areas such as the Alps. The use of sea salt is the best way to prevent iodine deficiencies. However, refined salt, a chemical as clean as heroin or white sugar, is inexpensive to manufacture yet profitable for those who produce it. Refined salt is used as a preservative for processed, pre-packaged foods, adding months to the products shelf life.

    Early on, however, scientists recognized that this unnatural form of iodine present in refined salt had the potential to cause problems. The body cannot handle refined salt in the same manner it handles sea salt. The kidneys have trouble metabolizing it and blood pressure rises. The thyroid gland is confused by its appearance and consequently forms thyroid antibodies. On top of this, the amount of unnatural iodine consumed in the United States far exceeds the minimum daily requirement.

    The body needs 75-150 mcg iodine daily for optimal thyroid hormone production. The typical American diet provides 300-700 mcg daily, and diets rich in processed and fast foods contain an excess of 1,000 mcg. Writing in The Nature Doctor in the early 1950’s, the Swiss physician Dr. H.C.A. Vogel reported that amounts of iodine greater than 150 mcg caused palpitations and triggered Graves’ disease in people genetically predisposed to autoimmune thyroid disease. This has been confirmed by the German Commission E, the world authority on herbal medicine in its warnings to avoid kelp, because of its high iodine content.

    Curezone, an organization dedicated to natural health warns that not all products labeled as sea salt are natural. Some products are harvested mechanically from dirt or concrete basins and subjected to harsh chemical degradation. The finished product is robbed of minerals and often contains additives although it originally started out as sea salt.

    Resources For more information on sea salt, refined salt and hyperthyroidism, the salt cure and online resources for purchasing sea salt, see http://curezone.com/foods/saltpage.asp

    Other sources for sea salt from the May 2005 issue of O, the Oprah Magazine, include:

    Maine Sea Salt, www.maineseasalt.com Borsari Seasoned Salt, www.igourmet.com Espirit du Sel Sea Salt, www.igourmet.com Flaky Fleur de Sel, www.brownetrading.com Blessac Salts from France, www.amazon.com Nirmala’s Kitchen Salt Blends, www.nirmalaskitchen.com

    There's some iodine related stuff in the The Hair And Shampoo Thread as well.
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  13. #13
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    Default Re: iodine

    For iodine I use a liquid supplement called Atomodine along with a multi mineral that has some iodine in it. I found that getting salt out of my diet was extremely beneficial as regards my asthma and sinus allergies. It was very difficult at first but eventually I got used to it. Now I only get a couple hundred mgs of sodium per day which I am happy about.

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    Default Re: iodine

    Some soils are quite rich in iodine. If you eat locally sourced vegetables/fruits it's worth finding out the iodine status of your soil if you're concerned about iodine in the diet.
    No guru, no method, no teacher

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    Default Re: iodine

    Cloudy, I grind kelp powder with some sesame seeds and a very tiny bit of salt (the kelp is already salty). Play with the amount. You generally want twice to three times as much sesame seeds as kelp.

    Maybe something like: 3 TBSP sesame seeds + 1 Tsp Kelp powder + pinch of salt
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  16. #16
    cobweb
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    Default Re: iodine

    I read somewhere recently that much of our iodine comes from pollutants such as chemical cleaners

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    I suffer from hashimoto disease, which means that my thyroid doesn't work properly, and in this case taking too much iodine is actually dangerous. The symptoms are general lack of energy, low concentration span, needing lots of sleep. If you have any of these symptoms, it's best to get a blood test done to check how much extra iodine you actually need/or if you should better avoid it like I have to do now. Good luck!

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    Oh yikes! Thanks for that info AV. I went to the doctor, my blood test showed no thyroid prob. I went to a naturopath (I'm severly cold, tired, can't concentrate all the time). She told me to take my temperature before waking every morning. I did this for about a month and she told me I had a thyroid prob and needed iodine. She advised me to take two drops iodine. My iron is fine by the way.

    I went back to my doctor and told them this and she laughed in my face and told me that was inaccurate and basically the naturopath is a nut job. Regardless, the doctor was an asshole and I really can't stand that pompous bullshit attitude. It's not like that doctor helped me from being cold and weak. She couldn't tell me what was wrong with me. I'm still weak and cold now (stopped taking iodine) so I just started to take it again (in liquid drops).
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    Hey Nix,

    Well I don't really understand how the naturopath established that you have iodine defficiency and your doctor doesn't sound very friendly, hower I can tell you how my doctor discovered my problem.

    I had the same symptoms as you mentioned, even though I was already taking large dosis of iron tablets prescribed by my doctor. So I had to take iodine tablets for 2 months and then go for another bloodtest. He then discovered that the iodine levels were fine, so he suspected Hashimoto, which means that my thyroid destroys itself (it's a very common disease, heriditary). So I had to go for a thyroid x-ray and a thyroid scan, and see a specialist doctor. The results showed what was suspected, my thyroid is tiny and half-destroyed and it does not produce the hormones which it is meant to produce.

    So I had to start taking hormone tablets, and it took another 2 bloodtests over a 6 month span to establish exactly what dosis of hormones I should take. Now, about 8 months later, I feel much better. The doctor explained that it takes a good 6 months for the tablets to start working and also you have to be very strict and take them on an empty stomach in the morning at least one hour before eating your breakfast, so it's annoying but I do feel better.

    So my advice is to ask your doctor to refer you to a specialist who can scan and x-ray it and do another blood test. My doctor told me to stop taking any iodine or kelp now, as both interfere with the hormone tablets. Also, if you are taking iron tablets, you have to wait at least 30 minutes after taking your hormone tablets as they also interfere with it.

    If your doctor discovers that your thyroid is fine, then it may be other factors affecting you: a bad mattress and pillow, meaning that you don't sleep properly, not enough fresh air, not enough exercise, stress, unhappiness, etc.

    I hope this helps and that you find a good doctor who can help you. Also find out if any of your family members suffer from thyroid problems, because all thyroid problems can be heriditary.

    Good luck, Astrid

  20. #20
    Nyx's Avatar
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    Thanks AV. Well basically she recommended it because the old school method of finding a thyroid prob is through temperature testing. From there thyroid conditions can be teated with iodine. I saw a naturopath because I am morally opposed to taking all those non-vegan, animal tested drugs from doctors. It's actually become more of a fear now (taking them), as a lot of them contain nasty stuff.

    I have never once had a doctor actually help me and my family doctor has been avoiding by me for about 13 years due to the fact he literally only saw me for about 15 seconds in which he just handed out medicine like candy.

    When I switched doctors they put me on a slew of medicines for about seven-eight years which also didn't work. They listened to me enough to tell me extremely subtly that I was wrong and they were right, but it was "ok" to have my own opinion.

    I dont trust doctors.

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  21. #21

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    Hhm, well I am also against taking drugs that have been tested on animals, obviously! But for my thyroid defficiency I take simple hormone tablets, which do not contain any drugs and were not tested on animals. And my blood test, scan and xray obviously also didn't harm any animals. So even though you don't trust doctors, I would still recommend going to a hospital to get some check ups done... it worked for me

  22. #22
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: iodine

    As we know, both vegans a and non-vegans need to make sure they get all the nutrients they need (as discussed eg. in this thread: Nutrient deficiencies more common in meat eaters than in vegans?). A study published a few days ago confirms what we already know; that "some vegans may not be getting enough iodine in their diets".


    An excerpt from Friday's article on reuters.com:

    That finding is particularly relevant for women who are pregnant, researchers say, as that's a time when a mom's iodine levels are strained by her growing baby.

    "It's an interesting observation that we ought to pay attention to," said Dr. Robert Smallridge, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, who was not involved in the new research.

    Though the study was small, the researchers "have identified a group that may be more likely to be iodine insufficient," Smallridge told Reuters Health. "That's an important thing for us to recognize and to counsel our patients about."

    Iodine, which is present in iodized salt, seafood, eggs, dairy, and some breads, is used by the thyroid gland to help regulate metabolism and development, especially in babies and young kids.

    Iodine deficiency during fetal and early-childhood development is a leading cause of brain impairments in much of the world.

    Although researchers believe that most people in the U.S. get plenty of iodine in their diets, the American Thyroid Association recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women take a vitamin with iodine because low iodine can increase the risk of miscarriage and thyroid problems in moms, in addition to mental disabilities in babies.

    Dr. Angela Leung of Boston Medical Center, lead author of the new study, said that little research has been done on whether or not vegetarians and vegans may be more likely to have iodine deficiencies because of their dietary restrictions.

    As a first stab at that question, she and her colleagues recruited 140 vegetarians and vegans -- mostly women -- and tested their urine for concentrations of iodine.

    According to the World Health Organization, the general recommended range of iodine concentrations per liter of urine is between 100 and 199 micrograms, and between 150 and 249 micrograms per liter in pregnant women.

    Leung and her colleagues calculated an average iodine level of 147 micrograms in vegetarians and 79 in vegans - those who avoid not just meat but eggs and dairy products as well.

    Researchers also measured the participants' levels of thyroid hormones as a gauge of how well their thyroids were functioning, in addition to levels of a couple of chemicals - perchlorate and thiocyanate - known to interfere with iodine in the thyroid.

    Thyroid hormone levels were similar in both vegetarians and vegans, and in the normal range, the authors report in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Iodine concentrations were not linked to thyroid function in either group.

    Leung said that's probably because the study was very small, which makes it harder for those associations to come out.

    There was also no relationship between thyroid hormone levels and urine concentrations of perchlorate, a contaminant in food and water, or of thiocyanate, a chemical found in cabbage-like vegetables and in cigarette smoke.

    One limitation of the study is that the urine test for iodine is only a window into recent iodine consumption, and can't get at how long-term iodine levels may be affecting the thyroid.

    Leung said the purpose of this study was mainly to make the public aware of the issue of iodine deficiency, especially in women who forego some high-iodine foods, and to open the door for more research into this topic.

    "In vulnerable populations, especially women that are pregnant or lactating, we want those populations to be sufficient in iodine," Leung told Reuters Health.

    "All women of childbearing age should be encouraged to take iodine supplements... to ensure that the fetus is exposed to additional iodine during development," Leung said. "In particular vegan women of childbearing age should be encouraged to do that."

    Too much iodine can also cause thyroid problems. Sarah Bath, a PhD student studying iodine in women at the University of Surrey, UK, said that people starting supplements should stay away from kelp and seaweed supplements - which may have widely variable iodine levels. She also said they should have a doctor looking out for them while taking iodine.
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  23. #23
    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Default Re: iodine

    From chooseveg.com:


    Pay Attention to Iodine (particularly if you live in the UK)

    Iodine is needed for healthy thyroid function which regulates metabolism. Both too much or too little iodine can result in abnormal thyroid metabolism.

    Iodine is sometimes found in plant foods, but it is an inconsistent source. The amount of iodine in the plant foods varies greatly depending on the soil it was grown in.

    The most reliable vegan sources of iodine are:

    seaweed such as kelp (kombu)
    iodized salt
    iodine supplements
    Vegans in the United States can get the iodine they need by consuming one-fourth teaspoon of iodized salt per day. Nursing mothers may want to consume three-fourths of a teaspoon, due to greater iodine needs. Note that the salt found in processed foods is frequently not iodized, so we're talking about adding iodized table salt (read the label to make sure it has the word "iodized"). If you want to limit your salt intake (which is not a bad idea), consider taking an iodine supplement instead.

    In the United Kingdom, most of the salt is not iodized. Not only that, but much of the soil in the UK has low levels of iodine. As a result, iodine deficiency is much more common among vegans in the UK.

    Vegans in the UK, or in any other country where iodized salt is not regularly consumed, should be extra careful to include an iodine supplement, or consume seaweed at least several times per week.


    Check out the UK Vegan's Society's page on iodine for more information.
    Buzzle.com mention these products as good sources of iodine: List of Iodine Rich Foods for Vegetarians from buzzle.com:


    Sea salt
    Nori
    Navy beans, cooked
    Strawberries
    Iodized salt
    Seaweed
    Potato with peel, baked
    Soybeans
    Wakame
    Cereals
    Kombu
    Dulse
    Swiss chard
    Summer squash
    Malt bread
    Arame
    Hijiki
    Spinach
    Turnip green
    Lima beans
    Garlic

    I haven't looked up all these products and verified that they are considered good iodine sources, but know that sea salt by some are *not* considered a good source of iodine. Also, the amount of iodine in sea vegetables varies a lot, and some types may cause your iodine levels to become too high, which isn't good.

    There are known cases of iodine toxicity reported from excessive use of kelp products. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2137109/

    From bettermedicine.com):


    Common symptoms that can occur with prolonged iodine deficiency include:

    Constipation
    Depressed mood
    Dry skin
    Fatigue
    Goiter (enlargement of the thyroid, creating a mass in the neck)
    Increased sensitivity to cold
    Menstrual cycle abnormalities
    Protrusion of the eyes
    Thickening of the skin
    Thinning and brittleness of the hair and nails
    Unintended weight gain
    Weakness
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  24. #24

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    Default Re: iodine

    Thanks for posting this Korn, I have been meaning to look at Iodine supplements for a while and you have given me the kick up the backside that I need. H&B seem to have a Vegan Kelp tablet that contains 100% of your RDA, so I might swing by tomorrow and get some,

  25. #25
    cobweb
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    Default Re: iodine

    We use iodine liquid now, put it on our skin and let it absorb. The quicker is disappears the more you need it, apparently.

  26. #26

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    Default Re: iodine

    Where do you get that from?

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