Mercola quote....

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He reccommends using supersaturated iodine (SSKI).

Please avoid using Lugol’s solution or iodine, as that can actually worsen your thyroid condition.

The fact that your thyroid only transports iodine in its ionized form (i.e. iodide) is straight out of the textbooks. Your thyroid reduces iodide (I-) into iodine (I2) for use in formation of thyroglobulin. Your body doesn’t utilize iodine directly. It has to split the I2 into two I- ions, which is an oxidative reaction that causes oxidative stress.

Iodide transporters are located in other areas of your body besides the thyroid gland, including your breasts and colon. One family of iodide transporters is called the sodium-iodide symporter, and the other is called pendren. Dr. David Brownstein (see below) discusses the sodium-iodide symporter but doesn’t mention pendren. However like all ion transporters they too require a charge in order to move a molecule across the membrane, which means iodine must be in its ionized form.

It’s possible that some may see good results using Lugol’s for some afflictions, but according to autism expert Catherine Tamara, in her experience it is very clear that children with autism, and their mothers, do fine with iodide, but not necessarily with iodine.

For more information about the research that makes me question the recommendation for iodine and Lugol's solution, please see these studies:

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1992, 37:535-548 "Evidence of Thyroxine Formation Following Iodine Administration in Sprague-Dawley Rats"
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1991, 32:89-101 "Comparison of Toxicity Induced by Iodine and Iodide in Male and Female Rats"

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1998, 55:93-106 "Comparison of the Effects of Iodine and Iodide on Thyroid Function in Humans"

Biological Trace Element Research 2006, 110:193-209 "Analyses of Toxic Metals and Essential Minerals in the Hair of Arizona Children with Autism and Associated Conditions, and Their Mothers"

[Hairbeback]

Can Mercola be trusted I heard some (dis) information about him was wondering if its true or not. I sure no one knows for sure he sells a lot of products.

[CausticSymmetry]

Hairbeback - I think Mercola is honest and tries to be as accurate as possible. Occasionally I find fault with some of what he has to say, but that is normal, we're all guilty of being wrong--I think it can be easy to fall into misnomers.

[Misirlou]

CS, is he wrong in this case? Perhaps such question is to complicated to answer with a simple yes or no?

[CausticSymmetry]

Misirlou - I'm not sure which is the truth, but I can say that many report better benefits with iodine (Iosol) than Lugol's and vice versa. There doesn't seem to be complete agreement among the experts. Bernstein says his best results come from high doses of Lugol's (50 mg). Still others say natural food sources of iodine.

Perhaps ultimately, experimentation leads to the only truth.

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CS-

is iosol a type of supersaturated iodine? if not do you know of any other brands that are?

[scottyc33]

Misirlou - I'm not sure which is the truth, but I can say that many report better benefits with iodine (Iosol) than Lugol's and vice versa. There doesn't seem to be complete agreement among the experts. Bernstein says his best results come from high doses of Lugol's (50 mg). Still others say natural food sources of iodine.

Perhaps ultimately, experimentation leads to the only truth.

For a guy who trumpets "natural" approaches I'm a little surprised you recommend "unnatural" solutions.

Where in nature (from diet) would someone get 50mg of iodine daily. If it wouldn't happen naturally, then I'd certainly question its safety / efficacy.

[SouthEurope]

what about kelp... in tablets?
I use Solgar brand

[jdp710]

The Japanese consume between 12.5 - about 43 mg per day from seaweed. One area in Japan consumes 100 mg per day.

Keep in mind seaweed also contains selenium and selenomethionine definitely should be used when supplementing Iodine/Iodide.

Also, keep in mind that it's only been the past couple decades in history that Iodine has gotten a bad rap. Previously, it was used to treat many ailments in gram increments.

I use very high doses of Iodine/Iodide and have nothing but positive things to say. It's the bromide that's the real problem not Iodine/Iodide ... not sure why people don't talk about bromide toxicity.

Here's some links on all the benefits of Iodine as it's not just used by your thyroid or to detox bromide

http://optimox.com/pics/Iodine/opt_Research_I.shtml

http://www.hacres.com/diet/articles/Iodine.pdf

http://www.iodine4health.com/

http://curezone.com/faq/c.asp?a=13,281,2962

[CausticSymmetry]

scottyc33 - I second jdp710.

Dr. David Brownstein reports that the best results come from 50 mg of Lugol's (or more) from his patients who lack iodine from presumably a near lifetime of consuming iodine blocking halides, such as fluoride, bromide, and chlorine. This isn't to say that everyone should mega dose, but different things work for different people-we are only as strong as our weakest link and that link could be reside anywhere.

If our entire body uses an approximate average of 1,500 milligrams of iodine, that's a lot of iodine to make up for so little. The thyroid only uses a total of 50 mg, but if it doesn't have its full capacity, then the rest of the body will be depleted in it.

jdp710 had mentioned in an older post that the discoverer of vitamin C, Albert Szent-Györgyi used about a gram of iodine daily. He lived longer than average.

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I dont really understand which iodine Marcola recommends? Does anyone know what source?