Iodine

Optimal dose 150-250 mcg/day

Optimal iodine levels are critical for both healthy thyroid and breast tissue function. Iodine deficiency with secondary goiters used to be endemic in the U.S. until wheat flour, and to a lesser degree salt, had iodine added to them. This eliminated much of the problem — until flour makers started adding bromine instead of iodine. This not only resulted in iodine intakes dropping by as much as half in the last decade but the switch worsened the effects of iodine deficiency, as bromine may block thyroid function.

One of the main problems caused by iodine deficiency is hypothyroidism — which can cause a host of problems. These include not only fatigue, weight gain and pain, but also infertility and miscarriages. Low maternal iodine may cause hyperactivity disorder with a loss of 18 points in IQ score in their children.

Iodine deficiency is also a common trigger for breast tenderness and fibrocystic breast disease, and I routinely supplement women who have these with iodine 6.25 mg a day (Tri-iodine). It has even been suggested that seaweed, which is high in iodine, may lower breast cancer risk.

In fact, one of the upcoming studies planned by our foundation will be to treat women who have breast cancer with iodine.

Women with breast cancer should also take vitamin D 4,000 units a day (unless they have an elevated blood calcium from tumor in the bones) plus coenzyme Q10 at a dose of 400 mg a day.

More Information Online

Nutritional primer

We have a 20,000 word primer on nutrition at our website that provides more detail with study references on each nutrient. Click here to visit the "Iodine" section of our primer.