Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/910378
form called iodide. is is why food sources are better than supplements, explains Dr. Pati. "Nature consistently packages co-factors with the nutrients." But many people don't get ade- quate amounts of food-based iodine in their diet. "While both thyroid and breast tissues need iodine, your thy- roid gland prefers it in a form called iodide," explains Nan Kath- ryn Fuchs, Ph.D., in her article, "Iodine: e Hidden De ciency that could be Causing Your Health Problems." "Textbooks on endocrinology say that iodine by itself is su cient since it is converted into iodide in the intestines. But a study using both iodine and iodide indicates our thyroid gland functions better when iodide is included." D D e National Institutes of Health O ce of Dietary Supple- ments determined the following people are most at risk for io- dine de ciency: • People living in regions with iodine-de cient soils (Mountainous areas, such as the Himalayas, Alps, and Andes regions, and river valleys prone to ooding, espe- cially in South and Southeast Asia) • People with marginal iodine status who eat foods con- taining goitrogens (soy, cassava, cabbage, broccoli, cauli- ower, and other cruciferous vegetables) • People who do not use iodized salt • Pregnant women e Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adult men and women is 150 mcg per day. e RDA for pregnant wom- en is 220 mcg iodine per day and 290 mcg iodine per day for breastfeeding women. However, integrative health practitioners o en dose higher than the RDA. "Each one of us needs 1 to 3 mg of iodine daily either from food or supplements. With a 24-hour urine chal- lenge I nd some patients need more," explains Dr. Pati. Dr. David Brownstein, M.D., an iodine expert who has treated thousands of patients writes, "As I started to use larger amounts of iodine (12.5-50 mg/day) to achieve whole body su ciency, I began to see positive results in my patients. Goiters and nod- ules of the thyroid shrank, cysts on the ovaries became smaller and began to disappear, patients reported increased energy, and metabolism was increased as evidenced by my patients having new success in losing weight." According to Dr. Je rey Dach, M.D., iodine/iodide is the only trace element that can be ingested safely in amounts up to 100,000 times the RDA. Iodine/iodide tinctures (liquid applied to the skin or ingested) and tablets are available. Unfortunately, few doctors discuss iodine with their patients so be sure to ask about this inexpensive, easy-to-use essen- tial element with an impressive list of disease-prevention and health bene ts. A S W C Don't just grab a bottle of iodine from your medicine cabinet and apply or ingest it on your own. Talk to a health professional experienced with the bene ts of io- dine and individual dosing protocols. Excessive levels can cause heart racing and hypothyroidism. As always, discuss your options with your healthcare professional before embarking on a new health regime. December/January 2018 23