how much iodine is too much for hypothyroidism
But a Harvard expert says Americans need more iodine, not less. Consider the Thyroid Quiz (Click Here) today, in order to give yourself a deeper understanding of your overall health, and what you can do to make it better. Average daily recommended amounts are listed below in micrograms (mcg). Consuming too much iodine can also lead to a condition called iodine-induced hyperthyroidism. The full range of iodine … Even a brief high dose (over 1100 mcg), or an ongoing intake above 300 mcg, can slow the activity of the thyroid gland. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Thyroid nodules are most common, throughout the world, in areas that have large amounts of iodized salt. It is crucial to avoid consuming too much iodine, which can actually worsen hypothyroidism, as well as … Yes -- at least a little, find Weiping Teng, MD, and colleagues at China Medical University in Shengyang, China. Daily supplements containing more than 500 micrograms of iodine should be avoided, the association recommended. This fruit is often known to be rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. However, only … Too Much. Please be sure to have a well-rounded sense of what medications you are on, and how they are working for you. 9 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4158495 In Hokkaido (Japan), for example, 6 – 12% of the population were suffering from goiters.9, By that same token, in Shanxi Province in China, the goiter rate was 65%. In fact, a recent study found that in Japan their intake of iodine is from 1 to 3 mg per day. Pregnant women with severe iodine deficiency risk birth defects and mental retardation in their children. In those with goiters, high intake can lead to stimulation of goiter – this ultimately leads to hyperthyroidism. Bottom Line: While we might see certain instances where a high dosage of iodine is helpful, it typically only occurs in emergency situations that we want to avoid in the first place. This means that a 1 grain dose of Naturethroid (a 65 mg tablet) has 130 mcg of iodine (we get to this number by multiplying the tablet’s weight (65) by the percentage of which it has iodine within it (0.2), which gives us 0.13 (milligrams), which we then multiply by 100 to get 130 micrograms). Taking in too much iodine can cause or worsen hypothyroidism. The researchers compared iodine levels and ultrasound thyroid exams for people in areas of China with "mildly deficient," "more-than-adequate," and "excessive" levels of iodine intake. Because of that, we have had the ability to get by on a pretty good range of iodine intake in our system. The symptoms of hypothyroidism vary depending on the severity and duration of your condition. Iodine is the key ingredient in … Administration of large amounts of iodine … The problem is that more iodine is not always better for the body. Studies have shown that less than 100 micrograms total of iodine can lead to a 78% chance of reversing hypothyroidism (due to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis). Let me help you by jumping into the science, and what it means for your health, right now. In fact, for some people with an underactive thyroid, too much iodine can cause or worsen their condition. 14 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3976240/. According to one study, hypothyroidism is an increasing trend when accompanied by iodine intake. It would seem intuitive to think that, if your thyroid needs iodine, and that too little makes it not work, that more iodine should help your thyroid perform better than before. Since then, I have gotten the same question multiple times: How much iodine is safe if I have had thyroid disease? Check out my podcast Medical Myths, Legends, and Fairytales Here. 2. 3 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4026146/ "Iodine Nutrition -- More Is Better," is the title of an editorial accompanying the Teng study. You live somewhere with no iodine fortification and low-iodine soils, or, Your diet is devoid of all high-iodine foods, alongside a high intake (2 pounds per day) of uncooked cruciferous vegetables. It could get to the point where there is not enough iodine to get the thyroid to work. Ultimately this was caused by autoimmune thyroiditis. What if you are on thyroid medication and want to stay stable? Although it is important to get enough iodine in your diet, you must be careful about taking iodine supplements as too much iodine can stimulate the production of too much … The findings appear in the June 29 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. "Although iodine supplementation should be implemented to prevent and treat iodine-deficiency disorders, supplementation should be maintained at a safe level," Teng and colleagues conclude. If you get it wrong, you run into serious risks, so please ensure that you are dealing with the right amounts. Without the trace mineral iodine, the human body and its thyroid gland would not be able to function properly. If we have 100 micrograms of Synthroid or Levoxyl, with a medication that has 65% potency, all we have to do is multiply the size (100) by the potency (65) to arrive at the amount of iodine. Too much iodine does not worry nutritionist Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In fact, in iodine-sufficient adults, elevated TSH levels have been found at iodine … Iodine is a pretty unique mineral, in the sense that it only serves one known purpose in the body: the formation of thyroid hormones. However, adequate dietary iodine is essential for normal thyroid function. There are even some conditions that seem to … "Levels that are more than adequate ... or excessive ... do not appear to be safe.". They too have found that excess iodine intake is most commonly associated with elevated blood levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), hypothyroidism, and goiters. More and more researchers are saying that … The issue is not to eliminate iodine as we cut back on our salt consumption. Korea, rates of thyroid cancer elevated 10 fold in relation to increased iodine intake. The primary negative effect of consuming too much supplemental iodine is thyroid dysfunction. There are times when a high dosage of iodine might be appropriate. High-dose iodine helps conditions, such as fibrocystic breast disease; therefore, these doses are necessary for everyone. 1996 Jan 3; 65(1):13-9. 5 – Iodine supplementation in Sweden and regional trends in thyroid cancer incidence by histopathologic type. Physicians that specialize in treating hypothyroidism with iodine (such as Dr. Abraham and Dr. Brownstein) suggest doses as high as 50 mg per day may be necessary to … Children who get too little iodine have slow mental development. It is so important to keep a very close eye on the supplements you are taking, and how much iodine is in each of them. From test tube studies, we have seen that too much iodine slows down the thyroid and causes the immune system to attack it. In fact it can result in what we know as the Wolff-Chaikoff effect, where a large ingestion of iodine causes the thyroid to shut down completely. This usually happens when people take iodine supplements to improve their thyroid … Hypothyroidism can be safely and effectively treated with a drug — the synthetic thyroid … It is! I am willing to pay the price of a few cases of mild symptoms at the high end to get a reduction in the very severe consequences at the low end.". Early on in the evolutionary past, humans simply did not have a lot of exposure to iodine (only in trace amounts). He notes that 7% to 8% of Americans have moderate iodine deficiency -- up from 1% in the 1970s. 12 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22414981 There are steps you can take to handling goiters, and I would be happy to help you learn even more about them (Read: Goitrogen Clarity). How much is best if you want to avoid thyroid disease? Hypothyroid symptoms tend to develop gradually over several years, according to information from the Mayo Clinic, and may worsen without medical treatment. And if you are taking even a normal dose of iodine (150 mcg) and are selenium deficient then this too can ramp up the hydrogen peroxide production and thyroid cell … However, it does seem that there is a link between excessive iodine intake and autoimmune thyroid disease (leading to hypothyroidism).Recently, researchers from China have found that too much iodine leads to an influx of lymphocytes, for some reason, and an increased incidence of self attack on the thyroid: © 2005 - 2021 WebMD LLC. While the U.S. does not mandate this, about 70% of American households regularly use iodized salt. How much iodine are you getting in your diet? Females who are above the age of 50 are also at risk and those … When it comes to both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, we need to understand that iodine – as the goldilocks mineral – has a cause and effect relationship with both conditions: To date, the highest incidences of goiters (Read: A comprehensive guide to goitrogens and hashimotos) occur in the parts of the world which have the highest intake of iodine (particularly in China and Japan). Learn more about the surprising story that started his quest. As I began diving more into the research behind iodine, the research done across the globe has made it more and more clear that increased amounts of iodine can correlate to increase instances of thyroid cancer developing in certain populations. 1 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3475282/ We might also see a large dosage of iodine in a case of radioactive iodine exposure (Read: Is iodine what you need to prevent radiation exposure). Too Much Iodine Side Effects. Honestly, that is all that we know about iodine and what it does in our body. In the US, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for iodine for adults is 150 mcg/day and 290 mcg/day for lactating women. The thyroid gland uses iodine from food to make thyroid hormones. No matter where you are right now, here is the appropriate amount that you should consider and dial into for the amount of iodine coming into your system: Bottom Line: As I have mentioned before, you need to ensure that you are getting exactly the right amount of iodine to ensure that you handle thyroid disease correctly. Dr. Alan Glen Christianson (Dr. C) is a Naturopathic Endocrinologist and the author of The NY Times bestselling Adrenal Reset Diet and The Metabolism Reset Diet. Keeping thyroid hormone production in balance requires the right amount of iodine. Taking too much iodine can also cause problems. "Low iodine intake is more worrisome than the slight risk at the higher levels of intake," Utiger tells WebMD. But a Harvard expert says Americans need more iodine, not less. June 28, 2006 -- A Chinese study links mild thyroid symptoms to too much iodine. June 28, 2006 -- A Chinese study links mild thyroid symptoms to too much iodine. Iodine comes into the body in food and travels through the blood to the thyroid. Studies have shown that less than 100 micrograms total of iodine can lead to a 78% chance of reversing hypothyroidism (due to … Of the people who took 400 micrograms, 5 percent developed subclinical hypothyroidism. Soy: What to Do Next. This means that we had the ability to pump it, at a great concentration, right inside the gland. In developed countries, thyroid disease from iodine deficiency has been nearly eliminated by iodine additives in salt and food. They can be caused by exposure to radiation, and by both a deficiency in iodine, or an excess of iodine. If you are not sure, this is where you will want to start. "Iodine is essential but do we really worry about people being iodine-deficient? What foods provide iodine? P.S. Dr. Tonstad agrees that soy is a high-quality protein, found in some research to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. They found that over time -- in a nation that mandates addition of iodine to salt -- increased iodine intake was linked to decreased thyroid function. Can the Thyroid Reset Diet Help Those Who Do Not Have a Thyroid? But what if you already get enough iodine? Bottom Line: If anything, learning more about goiters should give you more insight into the structure of your thyroid and just how important it is in your body. "Too much iodine is not a concern," Bonci tells WebMD. "To eliminate iodine deficiency even in a small percentage of the population, the intake for the whole population has to be high. Read all of your labels, and take into account the amount of iodine you have in terms of micrograms. Int J Cancer. Many iodine… The amount of iodine you need each day depends on your age. Feel like you might also need to quickly check in with the health of your thyroid? This … What are they, though? Too little iodine, too much iodine, or fluctuations in iodine intake, can all disrupt thyroid function. 7 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9553166 In Hyperthyroidism, rates have increased 36 – 64% after iodine fortification. People who consume either too little to too much iodine are at an increased risk of developing hypothroidism. Please take a moment to refer to this chart, and to use it time and time again, in order to give yourself a much deeper understanding of how much iodine the foods you eat is going into your system…. Bottom Line: There are ways you can deal with thyroid nodules naturally (Thyroid nodules, the full story and how to treat them naturally), but what you need to know for our conversation today is that they can certainly be affected by iodine – and the research bears this out entirely. Download and use my Favorite Recipes Cookbook Here All rights reserved. Bottom Line: Understanding more about your medications, and what they include, is pivotal in your overall health – especially as it concerns how much iodine you are getting into your system. The recommended intake of iodine varies for each individual but in general, adult men and women should be getting 150 mcg of iodine per day and pregnant women 220 mcg per day. Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Returns and Shipping | Contact Us| FAQ. The Japanese consume much more iodine than Americans and have lower rates of thyroid disease and breast cancer. If a child, or an adolescent, is going to be exposed to radioactive iodine in the coming days, a high dose can close the receptor to stop their thyroid and prevent their gland from absorbing radioactive iodine.3. If you have ongoing exposure to under 50 micrograms of iodine per day, this can lead to iodine deficiency, hypothyroidism, or even goiter (thyroid enlargement). However, while sufficient levels of iodine are absolutely necessary for our health and wellbeing, too much iodine … Bottom Line: The way we are able to pump in and concentrate iodine also makes us vulnerable to getting too much. This is through a mechanism called the Wolffe-Chaikoff effect (Read: Iodine not too much not too little). Chinese Study Shows Increased Iodine Connected to Decreased Thyroid Function. As I mentioned before, getting too much iodine can be disastrous for your health. There are two distinct ways: If iodine is a nutrient, what is the harm in having a little bit extra? Next, we’ll consider our T4. How much is best if you have autoimmune thyroid disease or hypothyroidism and want to make your thyroid work better? Fluoride, Bromine, and Chlorine: Are Halides Really Your Thyroid? Sound simple enough? The US recommended daily intake of iodine is 150 micrograms (mcg) per day for most adults, and about twice that for pregnant and nursing women. But what if we have too little? Dr. C’s gift for figuring out what really works has helped hundreds of thousands of people reverse thyroid disease, lose weight, diabetes, and regain energy. Hypothyroidism s… However, she says, women who have thyroid … Key Insight: It really is as simple as this – the higher intake of iodine there is, the greater risk that we have for thyroid cancer. 13 – Comprehensive Handbook of Iodine Ed. There are three basic areas of focus that we want to hone in on, which are your: There are two examples that I want to present to you to help make sense of this one: natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) and T4. Australia, iodine supplementation in salt lead to a doubling of thyroid cancer rates. And the numbers rose in tandem with the iodine dose: Of people on the … It is particularly important in women who are pregnant … Utiger says that Teng and colleagues' conclusions are overcautious. More specifically, I want to discuss how much iodine you need for thyroid disease. 2 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2498739/ It is used for the production of thyroid hormones. This is especially true in individuals that already have thyroid problems, such as nodules, hyperthyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disease. … But too much iodine can lead to thyroid dysfunction. That’s because all these other minerals have anywhere between dozens to hundreds of roles in the body. Now that you know a bit more about how you can keep your iodine at its optimal levels, and what those levels might be for those with thyroid disease, you are better equipped to start taking back your health and getting back to 100%. Should You Be Concerned About 5G and Wifi? 6 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22391027 How Much Iodine Is Best For Early-Onset Thyroid Disease? Excessive intake of this mineral in the form of a dietary supplement can lead to iodine … First and foremost, start with 40 micrograms (from a diet made up of low-iodine foods). You might have noticed that I recently shared an article about how 78% of people can reverse thyroid disease with iodine restriction. In this event, we have 65 micrograms of iodine. 11 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8106628 Eating a balanced diet makes taking supplemental iodine unnecessary. In fact, too much iodine … Iodine is the key ingredient in the important hormones made by the thyroid gland in the throat. In Hypothyroidism, higher iodine intakes lead to higher rates of hypothyroidism. Editorialist Robert D. Utiger, MD, is a thyroid expert at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Less than 200 micrograms, if possible, per medication. It is more of a “break glass in case of emergency” tool. This has also been termed the Jod-Basedow effect. He'd says he would like to see more iodine added to salt -- as some European nations have recently mandated -- but he isn't optimistic this will happen in the U.S. "Many multiple-vitamin supplements do contain some iodine, so that would be a way to ensure high enough iodine levels," Utiger says. That’s a total paradox, and is why I have dubbed iodine the “goldilocks mineral.” Too little is bad, too much is bad, you need it to be just right. Can it hurt to get more? From epidemiologic (population group) studies, we know that populations that increase their iodine … Pettersson B, Coleman MP, Ron E, Adami HO. But we don't need to frantically seek out iodine.". But your body doesn't make iodine -- you have to get some in your everyday diet. While on the whole, thyroid nodules are not dangerous, they can have associated symptoms (like trouble swallowing) which are uncomfortable for some. Our bodies require some dietary iodine for basic metabolic functions, however the amount required is quite small (less than 150mcg/day). ... Hi there, I have low thyroid too … Iodine status can be determined by 24-hour, urine-iodine … Vagina Quiz: What Do You Know About Down Below. Iodine deficiency is particularly dangerous for two groups. No. Iodine: How Much is Enough? Is iodine what you need to prevent radiation exposure, A comprehensive guide to goitrogens and hashimotos, Thyroid nodules, the full story and how to treat them naturally, The top 5 myths about natural desiccated thyroid.