The Coconut Ketogenic Diet: Supercharge Your Metabolism, Revitalize Thyroid Function, and Lose Excess Weight by Bruce Fife

Author:Bruce Fife [Fife, Bruce]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HEALTH & FITNESS / Diets
ISBN: 9780941599948
Publisher: Piccadilly Books, Ltd.
Published: 2014-04-30T22:00:00+00:00

Excess Iodine

Many doctors and health writers warn of the danger of consuming too much iodine believing that any amount over 1.1 mg (1,100 mcg) could be harmful. They cite studies that show reducing iodine intake eases thyroid patient’s symptoms or tell stories how thyroid patients’ symptoms intensified with iodine supplementation. In some cases, the addition of supplemental iodine caused symptoms of hyperthyroidism in those who had been diagnosed as hypothyroid. Even those who have no thyroid problems are cautioned that taking too much iodine (400 mcg/day or more) may possibly lead to hypothyroidism.24 It is interesting that the amount cited as being enough to cause hypothyroidism in people with normal thyroid function is only 400 mcg (0.4 mg). This seems strange that in some people adding iodine would cause hypothyroidism and in others it would do just the opposite.

It also seems odd that Lugol’s solution has been used by millions of people at doses up to 50 mg/day for the past two centuries without any reported harm. In fact, it has been used successfully to treat both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. The mainland Japanese consume on average 13.8 mg/day without experiencing hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or any ill effect. Coastal Japanese consume as much as 80 mg/day without any apparent harm.25 Research has shown that the thyroid absorbs up to 6 mg of iodine a day when sufficient quantities are consumed. After observing thousands of patients on iodine supplementation, Dr. Brownstein and others recommend 6 mg to 12.5 mg a day with therapeutic doses up to 50 mg/day. The 1.1 mg limit is based mostly on theory and conjecture, while the 12.5 mg dose is based on real people, in real life, under real conditions.

There are a number of reasons for these discrepancies. Keep in mind that much of the caution about using iodine comes from people who have experienced unpleasant symptoms. One of the most common of these is the claim that it causes hyperthyroidism. It is well established that if there is an iodine deficiency causing low thyroid function, adding iodine into the diet will improve thyroid function. This idea has been taken a step further to suggest that too much iodine will make the thyroid function too efficiently kicking into a state of hyperactivity.

The idea that too much iodine will cause hyperthyroidism is like saying taking too much calcium will make your bones too dense and hard, or eating too much protein will make your muscles too big and strong. You need calcium for building strong bones, but eating excessive amounts of calcium will not overbuild your bones. Likewise, we need protein but eating too much protein will not cause it to magically soak into your muscles and give you a physique like a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. Eating too much iodine will not cause the thyroid to work any faster. The medically recognized symptoms of iodine excess are goiter and depressed thyroid activity—the same as iodine deficiency. In other words, too much iodine doesn’t make the thyroid work better or faster but worse, just like an iodine deficiency.

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