Ten Health Benefits of Iodine
By Neenah Payne
Note: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider.
In the podcast below, “A Critically Important Nutrient You Probably Don’t Think About”, Jonathan Hunsaker, the founder of the Organixx supplement company and TeriAnn Trevenen, CEO of Organixx, point out that iodine is utilized for just about every function in your body, including immune support. Yet, because many people are unaware of their body’s need for iodine, iodine deficiency has reached epidemic proportions worldwide.
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Food sources of iodine include seaweed, seafood, fish, eggs, spinach, dairy, strawberries, and cranberries. Â However, food is not enough because the depletion of nutrients in the soil has decreased the amount of essential nutrients in foods. In addition, many forms of dietary iodine break down into iodide in the digestive tract. In that state, iodine-dependent organs like the thyroid and reproductive organs cannot use it.
Iodine: Your Missing Link To Better Health?
Dr. Mark Sircus is another researcher who has long been touting the many health benefits of iodine, especially for additional support during the current outbreak.
Dr. Mark Sircus is the author of Healing With Iodine: Your Missing Link To Better Health.
Dr. David Brownstein wrote Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It.
Lynn Farrow’s book is The Iodine Crisis: What You Don’t Know About Iodine Can Wreck Your Life.
Amazon says about Dr. Sircus’ book:
It is estimated that 90 percent of our population is iodine deficient, and odds are most of us wouldn’t think twice about it. What you don’t know is that this deficiency can directly result in some terrible health problems ― from cancer to heart failure to a host of other dreaded diseases. And what’s even worse is that while this deficiency makes most of us highly susceptible to each of these problems, few medical professional ever bother to see if iodine deficiency is the underlying cause of these problems. What should be a red flag for diagnosing a disease may simply go undetected ― and untreated.
Now, bestselling health author, Dr. Mark Sircus, has written “Healing With Iodine”, a clear guide to understanding and recognizing this missing link to better health. “Healing With Iodine” is divided into three parts. Part 1 explains what iodine is, how it works in our body to maintain maximum health, and why most of us don’t get enough iodine in our diet.
Part 2 looks at the many current uses iodine plays in today’s treatments. It also offers guidelines for finding the right iodine, and how it should be used. Part 3 looks at some of our most common health problems, including thyroid disorders, heart disease, and cancer as well as cognitive issues. It also explains how each is related to iodine deficiency, and what can be done to avoid these issues.
Dr. Sircus points out that there is a growing movement in the health community to use iodine as a treatment offer, however far too many of us continue to be unaware of just how crucial iodine can be to supporting our daily metabolism. Here is, in fact, a red flag that offers the type of information that we should all be aware of. And for many, it may be just the thing that helps us avoid or overcome some of these common disorders.
Importance of Nascent Iodine
Jonathan and TeriAnn make a distinction between Nascent Iodine – also known as atomic iodine, monatomic iodine, Atomidine, or colloidal iodine — that is taken internally and iodine that is applied to the body. The term “nascent” refers to iodine that has an incomplete number of electrons. This gives it an electrical charge, according to a report conducted by the non-profit Weston Price Foundation and others. The charge of Nascent Iodine helps it stay intact and absorb quickly and thoroughly into the organs that need it most.
The Organixx Iodine is certified USDA Organic. Dr. Sircus recommends Enviromedica Nascent Iodine.
IOSAT Potassium Iodide 14 Tablets are used ONLY in the case of a nuclear crisis and only for 14 days. They help protect the thyroid from the radium to help avoid thyroid cancer. It’s smart to get these now to have them on hand since there are so many nuclear reactors all across the US. There is no telling when there could be a nuclear meltdown as there was at Three Mile Island, in Chernobyl, and in Fukushima. The time to start taking the tablets is as soon as the government/media announce the crisis. That’s not the time to try to order them. Order one set for each member of the family and make note of the expiration date.
10 Important Health Benefits of Iodine
In Episode 22 10 Health Benefits of Iodine (video at end), Jonathan and TeriAnn discuss the following 10 reasons why maintaining sufficient iodine levels is an absolute MUST for your health:
#10: Â Iodine Helps Stabilize Your Mood
- It is well known that low iodine levels can have an impact on the brain, as mentioned above. More recent research has also linked iodine deficiency to depression and anxiety. A 2004 study conducted by German researchers and published in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience  “found a link between “alterations of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and mild cases of depression and anxiety.”
- TSH is produced by the pituitary gland to signal the thyroid to produce more thyroid hormones. Fluctuations in TSH are often an indication the thyroid is not getting enough iodine to do its job.
#9: Iodine Maintains Strong Teeth and Bones
- Iodine assists in the production of strong teeth and bones by being a key player in calcium absorption. In fact, the connection between low iodine, low calcium absorption, and hypothyroidism has been known by researchers for at least the last hundred years.
- One of the functions of the thyroid is the production of calcitonin, a hormone which helps balance blood calcium levels. This mechanism not only leads to maintain strong bones; it also plays a role in healthy functioning of the nervous system, heart and muscles.
#8: Â Iodine Helps Prevents Hair Loss
- Besides protecting the skin and eyes from UV radiation, adequate levels of iodine can give your skin and hair a healthy glow. This is because iodine is involved in cellular rejuvenation. Healthy iodine levels also prevent hair loss because of the nutrients supplied to the thyroid gland .
- Iodine in combination with other essential minerals such as iron, magnesium, and zinc can be a powerful internal tonic for thinning hair.
#7: Iodine Ensures Reproductive Health
- Did you know that Japanese women have the lowest rates of breast cancer in the world? A 2003 report published in the journal Breast Cancer Research  postulated that this could be a direct result of eating iodine- and selenium-rich seaweed, which is a staple in the Japanese diet.
- Iodine is fuel for reproductive glands as well as the thyroid. Studies suggest that getting enough iodine can help prevent fibrocystic breast disease, preeclampsia, ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts, vaginitis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and even breast cancer. Enough iodine in the body is also one aspect of a healthy pregnancy .
#6: Iodine Is a Powerful Antioxidant
- According to some experts, iodine may be as powerful in this regard as vitamin C!
- Iodine can help reduce free radical damage that may lead to gene mutation and disease.
- It is a great boon for the immune system as it helps clean the blood of harmful pathogens.
- A 2013 meta-analysis published by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in the journal Thyroid found that iodine is “an antioxidant as well as an antiproliferative and differentiation agent” which can help clear up free radical damage in many organs of the body.
- It is also a powerful anti-inflammatory.
#5: Â Iodine Is a Natural Antiseptic
- Maybe you remember that brownish-red solution your mom used to apply when you had a cut? For everything from cleaning wounds to purifying water, iodine is a sterilizing substance that can kill unhealthy organisms, bacteria and viruses.
- A 2015 Iranian study found that a low-concentration iodine antiseptic used after oral surgery helped instigate first-stage wound healing in the surgery area, leading to faster recovery and less chance of infection.
#4: Iodine Protects You From Radiation
- It is a natural protectant from UV radiation for the eyes, according to a 2004 Austrian study.
- Iodine supplementation can also be used to help individuals suffering from long- term radiation exposure. The effects of too much radiation can happen because of accidents, medical devices, and the radiation emitted by TSA scanners at airports.
- A 2008 study published in Radiation Research discovered that “terahertz radiation” like that found in airport x-ray scanners is linked to genetic mutation. Adequate amounts of iodine in the body is a must for anyone who travels a lot.
#3: Â Iodine Protects the Body From Toxins
- Fluoride, chlorine, and bromine are dangerous chemicals found in everything from new car interiors to tap water.
- They can also severely hinder thyroid function.
- Maintaining healthy iodine levels can block these “halide” chemicals from accumulating.
- Iodine can also protect against xenoestrogens – “chemical mimics” – that can lead to reproductive conditions like ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids.
- Some experts, such as author and natural health advocate Dr. Mark Sircus, point to the possibility that iodine may also help with mercury detoxification.
#2: Iodine Helps Your Brain Stay Sharp
Iodine deficiency has been linked to cognitive decline in countless studies and is one of the “world’s most prevalent, yet easily preventable, cause[s] of brain damage,” according to the World Health Organization.
- Iodine deficiency during pregnancy has been linked to autism in a University of Arizona study.
- Furthermore, a 2013 Australian investigation published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience found that iodine supplementation improved the perceptual reasoning of slightly deficient children considerably .
#1: Iodine Is Necessary for Metabolism and Thyroid Function
Metabolism is the act of converting food into substances your body can use.
- It helps the body break down food into nutrients via the thyroid gland and other mechanisms.
- Iodine is the literal “fuel” for the thyroid. Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) are the main hormones that the thyroid produces.
- For these hormones to be created, they need iodine. Good thyroid health helps your body keep a steady heart rate, regulate temperature, improve digestion, and maintain a healthy weight.
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