Page 51 - Summer2009

iodine intake include acne, headaches, allergic thyroid cancer or autoimmune thyroid disorders.
reactions, metallic taste in the mouth and parotid All of these conditions have been shown in the
gland swelling. While the doses of iodine re- OLWHUDWXUH WR EH DVVRFLDWHG ZLWK LRGLQH GH¿FLHQF\
ported to cause those side effects have often been Positive clinical results were seen in most of
higher than those currently being recommended, these patients after supplementation of orthoio-
some people appear to be especially sensitive to GRVXSSOHPHQWDWLRQ ZLWKLQ WKH UDQJH RI
the adverse effects of iodine.” Gaby concludes: PJ RI LRGLQH LRGLGH WR WDEOHWV RI /XJRO LQ
“The possibility that high-dose iodine/iodide can tablet form).” 27
relieve certain common conditions is intriguing. In response, Gaby noted that “all but one
Considering the positive anecdotal reports, an of the references I cited discussed the adverse
empirical trial of iodine/iodide therapy, based effects of inorganic iodine” and that while Dr.
on the clinical picture, seems reasonable. The Lugol did use high doses of his combination
case has not been made, however, that the aver- iodine/potassium iodide compound, “they were
age person should markedly increase his or her recommended primarily to treat infections (io-
iodine intake in an attempt to saturate the tissues dine is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent)
with iodine. Nor has the case been made that the and hyperthyroidism, not as routine nutritional
iodine-load test can provide reliable guidance support for the average person.” Finally, he notes
regarding the need for iodine therapy. Thyroid a review article, published in 2000, in which
function should be monitored in patients receiv- the authors state that in the 1920s and 1930s,
ing more than 1 mg of iodine per day.” when potassium iodide (KI) was widely used,
Subsequent counter arguments by Drs Abra- many patients died of KI-induced side effects,
ham and Brownstein and rebuttals by Dr. Gaby particularly pulmonary edema and associated
28
focused on the amount of iodine in the Japanese heart failure. The possibility
diet and the safety of ingesting large amounts. An
important point made by Abraham and Brown- CONCLUSIONS that high-dose
stein is that the requirement for iodine depends It is axiomatic that there are no uncompli- iodine/iodide
on the goitrogen load. Bromine, now very prevel- FDWHG LVVXHV LQ WKH ¿HOG RI GLHW DQG KHDOWK²DQG can relieve
ant in the food supply, is a goitrogen, and may the subject of iodine is no exception. What
increase our need for iodine. They also claim FRQFOXVLRQV FDQ ZH GUDZ IURP WKHVH FRQÀLFWLQJ certain
that many of the toxic effects reported in the lit- assertions about iodine, especially supplementa- common
erature were due to radioactive forms of iodine. tion containing iodide? conditions is
Finally, they dispute the assertion that the values Let’s start by looking at the RDI of 100-
of iodine in seaweed consumed by the Japanese PFJ LRGLQH SHU GD\ 0RVW ZRXOG DUJXH WKDW intriguing.
were computed in dry weight. “The average daily this intake is too low. Yet it is in line with what Considering
intake of iodine by mainland Japanese in 1963 Weston Price reports in primitive diets. In pre- the positive
was 13.8 mg, based on information supplied by OLPLQDU\ DQDO\VHV KH IRXQG D UDQJH RI PFJ
the Japanese Ministry of Health, which used only GDLO\ IRU QRUWKHUQ $PHULFDQ ,QGLDQV DQG anecdotal
29
GU\ ZHLJKW LQ WKHLU FDOFXODWLRQV FRQ¿UPHG E\ D daily for the Inuit. Apparently the Inuit of the reports, an
30
phone interview of one of us (GEA) on June 21, far north do not eat seaweed. Unfortunately, empirical trial
ZLWK RI¿FLDOV RI WKLV RUJDQL]DWLRQ ´ Price did not carry out more extensive measure-
26
Abrahams and Brownstein also defended ments, especially among those he reported to of iodine/
the urine test for iodine loading, noting studies eat seaweed—the Gaelic peoples of the Outer iodide
showing that organic iodine is not excreted in the Hebrides and the Andean Indians of Peru. therapy,
feces. They also cited their own clinical experi- ,W DSSHDUV WR EH YHU\ GLI¿FXOW WR HVWLPDWH
ence. “Our experience at the Center for Holistic the iodine intake in diets that contain seaweed. based on the
Medicine has shown that patients with the low- Based on the reported values in seaweed, some clinical
est urinary iodide levels on the loading tests are have claimed levels of 12 mg (12,000 mcg) in picture,
often the most ill. Many of these patients with Japanese diets, leading Abraham and Brown-
31
very low urine iodide levels following the loading stein to propose that “only mainland Japanese seems
test have severe illnesses such as breast cancer, consume adequate amounts of iodine and that reasonable.

SUMMER 2009 Wise Traditions 49