In testing over 4,000
patients, Dr. Brownstein found over 96% of his patients were deficient in
iodine.
David Brownstein, MD, author of the book "Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It," believes that it is impossible to achieve optimal health if you do not have adequate iodine levels. He believes that iodine, when taken in the inorganic nonradioactive form, is the safest of all essential trace elements and can be taken daily for long periods of time.
Iodine is found in each of the cells in the body; and without it, life is not possible. It is responsible for the production of all the hormones of the body. Adequate levels are necessary for proper immune function, as well as warding off bacteria, parasites, viruses, and cancer. It alkalizes pH, and it is well known that an acidic chemistry is a major factor in many diseases.
Iodine has been used to treat: ADD, atherosclerosis, fibrocystic breast disease, breast cancer, excess mucous production, fatigue, hemorrhoids, headaches, hypertension, liver diseases, ovarian disease, prostate disorders, and thyroid disorders. The highest concentration of iodine is found in the thyroid. The next highest concentration is in the ovaries. The highest volume of iodine is found in breast tissue but is present in every cell and is required for healthy cellular metabolism.
Iodine deficiency can cause mental retardation, goiter, increased child and infant mortality, and infertility. In fact, iodine deficiency disorder is the most common preventable form of mental retardation known. Iodine is found in seawater, ocean fish, and specifically seaweed. It is added back into commercial salt since bleaching depletes it of iodine and other minerals. Sea salt is available that has not been bleached and therefore still contains natural occurring iodine.
The RDA for iodine is 150 mcg, supposedly, the amount of Iodine needed to prevent disease. Dr. Brownstein and his colleagues feels these numbers are far too low as many countries such as Japan ingests 13 mg or more per day. That's 86 times more than is suggested by our RDA. The U.S. has the highest incidence of breast cancer; Japan's breast cancer level is the lowest.
U.S. life expectancy rates 48th of the 226 countries; Japan is 6th. Our infant mortality rate is 7 per 1000 births; Japan is 3.5 per 1000 which is the lowest incidence in the world. Yet when the Japanese relocate to this country and adapt our diet, they quickly join U.S. statistics for cancer, life expectancy, and infant mortality.
Why are we so deficient in iodine? Primarily because we don't ingest enough iodine daily and the little iodine we do ingest gets displaced or pushed out of the essential tissues. Remember the periodic chart of elements that we studied in chemistry? You may recall a highly reactive group called the halogens on the right side of the chart. As you know, the elements at the top of a column displace the elements below. Reading from top to bottom in the halogen family we have fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
Fluorine is a known carcinogen and is present in our drinking water and in many of our drugs such as Cipro, Lipitor, Prozac, Paxil, and Effexor.
Chlorine is also found in our drinking water, and in many drugs such as Zoloft, and Wellbutrin. Chlorine is considered a neurotoxin and is used as a pesticide. It is a major ingredient in the sweetener Splenda.
But most people are not aware that Bromine, another iodine displacer is a major player in our diet. Before the 1980's iodine was used as an anti-caking agent in breads and other baking products. Some researchers felt that iodine could cause problems with the thyroid gland; so in the 1980's, it was replaced with Bromine. Bromine interferes with iodide uptake and utilization in the thyroid gland. Bromine is a toxic element and is considered a chemical that causes goiters. This substitution has been, in large part, responsible for the declining iodine levels in the US.
So as the halogen chart illustrates, fluorine, chlorine, and bromine all displace iodine. To displace means to push out or mobilize. Iodine which is already deficient in our diet is being displaced by other more aggressive elements that can actually poison enzyme systems.
So if we take lowered cellular levels due to dietary deficiencies and add the halogens which further deplete this essential nutrient, we can see why iodine deficiency is so rampant.
There are two tests doctors can use to test iodine levels. One is called the iodine patch test. The other is called the iodine loading test. The patch test has been criticized because it is a screen, does not give qualitative numbers, and it's difficult to say when to stop supplementing.
But here's the short version of the patch test. Apply iodine on the skin in one inch square area. Iodine is a stain and it is important to avoid staining one's clothes. The stain should be visible for 24 hours. The faster the stain disappears, the more likely the degree of deficiency. You will be amazed at how fast some of the stains disappear.
Considering the
body's great need for iodine, with the proper form of iodine, Biotics Iodizyme
HP and Liquid Iodine Forte properly dosed out for you, can really feel the
difference. A little iodine can make a big difference.