The role that iodine plays in the thyroid is well established. We need iodine to make thyroid hormones, and the numeric designation in T3 and T4 represents the number of iodine molecules attached to the amino acid tyrosine. In part one of this series on iodine, I examined the versatility of this unique element and its uses throughout history...…
Tags: Iodine, Thyroid Health
Here in the Pacific Northwest we have a large variety of choice wild edible mushrooms. Many of these mushrooms cannot be cultivated, making them rare delicacies that are only found if the soil, weather, elevation, trees, temperature, etc. are just right. After the rains fall, I head to the forests in search of delicious and nutritious edible fungi. Mushroom hunting is a hobby shared by…
Tags: Vitamin D, Nutrients, Iodine, Selenium, Essential Elements, Heavy Metals, Elements Testing
Have you ever wondered where dietary iodine comes from? Most people are familiar with iodized salt and shellfish containing high levels of iodine, but few realize a vast assortment of food and drinks contain this essential nutrient. What food products contain the highest levels of iodine? It may come as a surprise that most dietary iodine comes from dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt.…
Tags: Elements Testing, Essential Elements, Dried Urine Testing, Iodine, Thyroid Health
The decision to start a regimen of iodine supplementation should be based on a detailed nutritional, physical, and laboratory assessment. Once the need is established, some clinicians go straight for supraphysiologic dosing while others may implement a diet rich in sea vegetables to get the job done. How do you decide where to start? The first step is understanding the different supplement forms…
Tags: Iodine, Elements Testing, Thyroid Health
I’m excited to do this practical piece on iodine therapy because I field a lot of questions on the matter of assessing iodine status, implementing the right iodine supplement, and monitoring that therapy. Iodine performs some crucial roles in the body, but it never acts alone. Therefore, to assess iodine deficiency, it’s imperative to test iodine and its partners - selenium, iron, magnesium, zinc,…
Tags: Iodine, Elements Testing, Thyroid Health
Urine, serum, plasma, whole blood, red blood cells, feces, hair, fingernails…the list goes on. How do you decide what biological sample(s) to use for element analysis? Can results be compared to scientific literature or do they have clinical significance? Is it possible for values to be elevated or low in one sample type and normal in another? Do test results indicate recent intake, body burden,…
Tags: Elements Testing, Heavy Metals, Dried Urine Testing, Blood Spot Testing, Iodine, Selenium, Bromine, Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, Magnesium
I began the study of iodine because I believe it has benefits to human health. As a breast cancer researcher I believe that iodine protects the breasts and uterus against toxic and mutagenic estrogen metabolites that form in some people more than others. Thus, choosing the most reliable test to a) determine iodine status, and, b) supplementation to maintain levels seen in populations with lowest…
According to researchers at Vanderbilt University, bromine should be recognized as the 28th essential element for all species, from fruit flies to humans. Study results were published June 5, 2014 in Cell, and demonstrate that without bromine, collagen type IV molecules will not bond together properly to form the structural proteins of connective tissues, leading to disrupted tissue development. 1…
Tags: Elements Testing, Iodine, Selenium, Bromine, Mineral Imbalances
As a follow up to our webinar with Thyroid Pharmacist Izabella Wentz, PharmD, she addresses questions about thyroid function and Hashimoto's Disease. Here are your questions answered. I have a patient who has your book. She has multiple gut issues, and I've tried to get her to eliminate wheat, gluten and dairy for years. She refuses. She wants to take antabine or the naltrexone you recommend but…
Tags: Thyroid Health, Hashimoto's, Iodine, Mineral Imbalances
As January's Thyroid Awareness Month winds down, now is the time to practice all we've learned about the care and feeding of our master of metabolism. In Part I of our last blog post, we zeroed in on the enemies of a healthy thyroid. In Part II, we will help you fend them off to protect the health of your thyroid gland with the following key action steps. Reverse Estrogen Dominance - An imbalance…
Tags: Thyroid Health, Heavy Metals, Estrogen Dominance, Xenoestrogens, Iodine, Selenium
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