Iodine
Health Benefits

Benefits of Iodine for Health

| Modified on Sep 16, 2024
The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Alopecia
Posted by Sandra (Gwent, South Wales ) on 02/23/2009
★★★★★

30 years ago my son lost his hair through nerves he was only 8 year old at the time, a old lady told me to rub in white iodine every night which i did, within 6 week his hair was so thick, i also had very weak nails the iodine strenghened them.


Cysts
Posted by Tito (Taranto, Italy) on 09/12/2010
★★★★★

I could not bear seeing that ugly epidermoid cyst on my shoulder, so I applied to it a tincture of iodine for six months, and a nice day the cyst ruptured (apologies for my english) and now it is disappeared.


Broad Benefits
Posted by Kathryn (Brevard, Nc) on 05/05/2016
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Since I get such great benefit from this site and all of your reportings, which I appreciate so much, I am writing to tell you that Iodoral (iodine) has helped me tremendously. My thyroid has been low for many years now. I've taken many things for it to no avail. Also suffered from adrenal fatigue, parasites, leaky gut, excess heavy metals, heart palps and arrythmia, and candida.

I read Lynn Farrow's book on high-dose iodine after beginning Bill Thompson's candida program (also with great success so far, I might add - thank you Bill). I am not 100% cured so far, but I am very happy with the results of both. Bill's protocol is unique in candida-cure land, imo, because it includes Lugol's. I find I hate the taste of that and it is easier for me to use Iodoral.

So, main symptoms: Hair loss, constant fatigue, extreme brain fog, with heart palpitations and arrythimia, especially at night so I was sleep deprived.

Dosage: Started with 25 mgs. Iodoral with salt loading and all the suggested supplements in Lynn's book (you'll have to look it up). In one week, went up to 50 mgs. In a couple of weeks, went up to 100 mgs. All this is intuitive for me, mind you, and no doubt will be for you. A short time after that, went up to 150 mgs.

Now, I am not salt loading and taking Vit. C only sporadically, but still take all the other suppies with the Iodoral. Whereas my heart palps used to keep me awake, I now only notice them once in a while and they are very mild. The brain fog is greatly reduced (Hallelujah! ), hair no longer falling out like it was and I have lots more energy and motivation. Still taking my OTC adrenal and thyroid glandulars. I had stopped them when I started the Iodoral to see what would happen, but then began again and they seem very helpful.

Was it the candida protocol or the high-dose iodine, (or the stuff I do for leaky gut and parasites)? One led to the other and both have been winners. I say, without the iodine, the candida protocol would not be as effective. I just wonder if the Iodoral will be a lifetime thing? I know I'm a lifer on the candida suppies (plus the diet) but I'm happy to take them all to get these results. Quality of life is much more important to me than quantity. Many thanks.


Anxiety Attacks
Posted by Antonio (Split, Croatia) on 10/01/2011

Hello dear.

Your thyroid gland in you neck requires all the iodine you intake to get back to full power. Only then will it allow your body to utilise the iodine to your other organs. However, and this is a big however. Your thyroid will never regenerate if your only supplying iodine, and your adrenals and pituary glands have to be leveled out and all have the right amount of nutrients for the thyroid to heal, and thus for your body to start utilising the iodine properly.

Firstly, if you're not absorbing the iodine too well. Add betaine HCL (hydrochloric acid) to your diet.

Your most likely low on stomach acid, because all ppl who lack iodine are low in stomach acid. as you need iodine to make it!! .

Next. add a natrual 100% adapatagenic hormone supplement. No armour thyroid, no animal hormone supplement!! . Use the best of the best, . MACA

Its 100% the best and most efficient way(the only way) of restoring you adrenals, thyroid and pituary gland all3 in one. it balances all you hormones, sugar levels, eveything.

And take the kelp iodine supplement too.

So thats:

Betaine HCL., Maca, iodine (take all 3 at meal times ) the hcl will allow your body to absorb the other 2 better. (maybe take a b complex too)

After awhile, with sufficient amounts of iodine, you wont need hcl anymore. As your body's producing stomach acid on its own. However the hcl suplement is needed to absorb the iodine at first. as your pancreas doesn't release enzymes if you have no stomach acid and your body wont absorb the iodine at first.!

hope this helps >.<


Thyroid Issues
Posted by Jan (Buffalo, NY) on 04/18/2008
★★★★★

Lugol's cure for Hyperthyroidism. 2 years ago I went to the doctor for fast pulse rate. Resting it was 105 to 110 bpm. He sent me to an endocrinologist who recommended the radioactive pill approach to killing the thyroid. I asked him about Iodine. He was very specific about how dangerous it would be to treat it with Iodine. I went home and ordered a bottle of Lugol's from the internet and three days later having taken doses for 3 days, my pulse rate was below 75 and the swollen throat had subsided. It was common goiter. The allopathic treatment seems to be kill the thyroid and take T4 for the rest of your life. there should be a law against the quackery practiced in modern medicine. What a waste of 12 years of education.

Increased Energy, Better Sleep
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 03/08/2017
★★★★★

I have posted before about using iodine for low thyroid. I have used it for years with great results. Well, it isn't cheap and after I ran out a few months ago I decided to try something else. “Thyroid Energy” got good reviews so I tried that. It did seem to work for me. If I forgot to take it for a few days I would start getting a dry mouth, which is how I know my thyroid is doing poorly.

Well when I ran out of the Thyroid Energy stuff, I decided to go back to Iodoral, and I don't even know why I decided to do that. It arrived last week and I have been taking it with selenium and zinc and C and my other usual stuff.

Yesterday I realized that I have more energy than I have had in a while. In the late evening my mind is more clear and I am folding laundry (instead of “waiting until tomorrow.”) I am also sleeping more soundly.

I am pretty sure it is the Iodoral. You know, sometimes things change gradually and you don't realize they are changing. I think my energy got worse and my sleep got worse over time I didn't make the supplement change connection at all.

Iodoral is kind of expensive but at the end of the day, it is worth it, literally!

~Mama to Many~


Cysts
Posted by Carol (Denton, Texas) on 03/31/2012
★★★★★

I have been taking Lugol's Iodine 2% for about 6 months. The very first thing I noticed was that some cysts I had in my arm pit went away and have never returned. I have had problems with cysts for years mostly in the sensitive parts of my body and not a one has appeared since I've been on Lugol's.


Acid Reflux
Posted by Mark (Nanaimo, B.c. Canada) on 08/15/2012
★★★★★

Iodine "cured" my acid reflux, that I suffered with for years, in 2 days, taking 12mg/day. I continue to take the iodine and have never felt better. Listen to your body, it will tell you what you need.

Alopecia
Posted by Rob (Hawthorn Woods, IL) on 08/16/2007
★★★★★

My wife unexpectedly had all the hairs in her eyebrows fall out over a period of several weeks. There was no apparent cause but we suspected stress had something to do with it. They did eventually grow back, but were very thin and the follicles were still weak. It wasn't until almost a year later that a wonderful holistic doctor tested her and found her iodine deficient. She was put on an iodine pill, her energy levels came way up, the her eyebrows are as thick as ever. Kelp tablets would probably do the trick too, as they are high in iodine.


Arrhythmia
Posted by June (Cincinnati, Oh Usa) on 12/28/2009
★★★★★

I have a cardiac arrithymia since childhood. I am 54 now. I have researched and researched and researched after going to alot of cardiologists and trying mainstream remedies. I have tried magnesium, B vitamins, salt, potassium,etc. They all helped but did not cure my palpitations. My heart used to skip, and beat incredibly fast. I stopped going to the emergency room because they immediately wanted to do surgery, etc. The whole thing was terrifying. I cured this condition with one drop of REAL elemental iodine in my orange juice in the morning. Sea kelp and drugstore iodine did not work. Dr. Brownstein has written a book about it. You can tell if you are deficient by putting any iodine on the inside of your arm and watching to see if it lasts 24 hours. All my thyroid tests were normal. Every person I have told (who has arrithymia) has had a similiar experience!!!! One itsy bitsy drop of elemental iodine changed my life COMPLETELY. (I also paint my arm with it sometimes.)

Alopecia
Posted by Barb (Auckland, New Zealand) on 09/12/2006
★★★★☆

Alopecia Areata is bald spots that occur all of a sudden on your scalp. I dab it on once a day on bald spots for a week to a fortnight - and then forget about it (if I can) and hope:) So far it seems to start the growth of hair again. It changes the scalp texture from red and irritable back to normal scalp. Within 6 weeks to 8 weeks usually spot is covering with little hairs. The iodine may even help the fatigue that comes when your hair falls out too - when a bald spot is occurring I tend to get deathly pale and feel exhausted.


Articles
Posted by Bill (San Fernando, Philippines) on 02/22/2012

Just found a research review paper by Dr Donald Miller, a well known iodine researcher, which describes all the other major benefits of iodine apart from benefitting just the thyroid gland. This review should also help make clear alot of areas and benefits that are still so ill-understood about iodine

This research review(in PDF format), all backed by research, isn't long or too complicated and should help to easily clarify many of iodine's benefits. See the link.

http://www.jpands.org/vol11no4/millerd.pdf


Alopecia
Posted by Betsy (Atizapan de Zaragoza, Mexico) on 01/28/2006
★★★★★

In Mexico, some people have used iodine as a means of preventing baldness. One woman used iodine for years as a preventive measure against baldness. She used it as a rinse after washing her hair. Another woman told me to "cure" a bald spot by dabbing iodine on the bald spot or area of thinning hair. After a while, a crust will form. Eventually, beneath the crust fine hairs will start to grow. She said it can take about three months to see the results. I don't know if this would work with men. It's something I've heard about. Can you give me your opinion on this?


Acne
Posted by Tish (Granger, IN)
★★★★★

I just started painting twice a day. I have always had irregular menstrual cycles and cysts and recently started having problems with acne. It has been about 1.5 weeks now and my acne is almost gone. I have had acne problems for the last 6 months and tried everything over the counter and topical you could imagine. I was ready to give up and go to the doctor for meds. Thank God for iodine! It is too early to comment on the female issues, but I am having some positive signs in this area too.

Broad Benefits
Posted by Bethany (West Palm Beach, Fl, Usa) on 04/10/2011 2 posts
★★★★★

Thank you for this website. I have been suffering from iodine deficiency and worn adrenals. My symptoms were cold hands & feet, lower body temp 96. 7, hair loss, pain and cramps in right ovary region, weight gain, depression, fatigue, horrible painful sinus allergy, metallic taste in my mouth, insomnia, respiratory illness, sore throats, and head colds. After reading your advice, I have been painting my feet and throat, 3 days on, 4 days off for 3 months, with remarkable results. I also started taking Metagenics supplements for Adrenal Support and Thyroid Support, again with great results. Also researched and found that Brazil nuts are a great source of selenium, and eat one raw nut on the days that I paint the iodine (Betadyne) on my feet.

My allergy problems cleared up in a week, and I no longer need any allergy meds to get through my day. Depression has lifted, and I cut out floride toothpaste, now brush teeth with baking soda. Also found out tea is loaded with natural floride, so I stopped drinking all tea cold turkey. Stopped eating commercial pastry products, and switched to natural deodorant. Also stopped eating chocolate. Ovary problem stopped in 1 day........!!! The combination of diet restriction, and adding the iodine has given me my life back. Thank You and God Bless You.


Broad Benefits
Posted by Connie (Slc, Ut) on 09/16/2010
★★★★★

After 3 weeks of Testing Iodine in earnest, I am happy to post my results so far. My appearance, (happy to make one), is improved: very little hair loss, no more "hair collar", much less wiriness. My skin, (happy to have some), is much less flaky, no more "skin snow". Hypo and hyper pigmentation shows a little improvement. I still have yet to see reductions of keloids and "barnacles" (love to you Alfred). The cystic conditions of my skin, breasts, ovaries, and possibly more areas are beginning to shrink. (Joyce, I see evidence that you are correct that Iodine treats cystic conditions in general. Thank You). I have had a great reduction in gum and tooth root infections. My breath and body odors are hugely improved. This ingrown toenail with its resultant infections is now corrected. (nice big toenail). The shingles are shrinking, and the libido is growing. Cognitive function, memory, and, visual memory in particular, is on the mend. (This is the most valuable improvement for me, as I am a visual artist. ) My vision is improving but for brief periods of blurriness. Even after three weeks, I am still detoxing. (no surprise as I've been a gracious host to "critters" before now). I am ecstatic and have not been this merry since childhood. Thank You all, Thank You Deirdre, Joyce, Ted, Bill, Tom, Mona, and on and on. Connie


Using Iodine to Purify Your Water
Posted by Susan (USA)

Iodine is a very effective method for water purification. Iodine destroys bacteria, viruses and cysts, and its action is dependent on its concentration, the water temperature and duration of contact. A concentration of 8 mgs per litre at 20 degrees centigrade, will destroy all pathogens if left for 10 minutes. Lower concentrations and lower water temperatures require a longer duration of action.

Various preparations of iodine are available, including tincture of iodine, iodine crystals and tablets. Manufacturers instructions should be followed in each case. With tincture of iodine, adequate levels are normally achieved by using 4 drops to 1 litre of water or one drop to a glass. As with all halogens it is less effective against cryptosporidia.

Iodine has been used safely for periods of several months, however it is not known whether there are adverse effects associated with longer term use. Those with a history of thyroid disease or iodine allergy, the pregnant and the very young may be advised against using iodine for water purification.

The taste of iodine can be largely removed by neutralising the iodine, after it has had time to work, with dissolvable vitamin C tablets, lime or lemon juice. It should be noted that this also stops the disinfectant action, so care should be taken to prevent recontamination of water.

Tincture of Iodine: USP tincture of iodine contains 2% iodine and 2.4% sodium iodide dissolved in 50% ethyl alcohol. For water purification use, the sodium iodide has no purification effect, but contributes to the total iodine dose. Thus it is not a preferred source of iodine, but can be used if other sources are not available. 0.4 cc's (or 8 drops) of USP tincture (2% iodine) added to a liter of water will give the 8 mg/l (same as 8 PPM). If the iodine tincture isn't compounded to USP specs, then you will have to calculate an equal dose based on the iodine concentration.

Lugol's solution: Contains 5% iodine and 10% potassium iodide. 0.15 cc (3 drops) can be added per liter of water, but 3 times more iodine is consumed compared to sources without iodide.

Betadyne (povidone iodine) Some have recommended 8 drops of 10% povidone iodine per liter of water as a water treatment method, claiming that at low concentrations povidone iodine can be regarded as a solution of iodine. One study indicated that at 1:10,000 dilution (2 drops/liter), there was 2 PPM iodine, while another study resulted in conflicting results. However, at 8 drops/liter, there is little doubt that there is an antimicrobial effect. The manufacturer hasn't spent the money on testing this product against EPA standard tests, but in other countries it has been sold for use in field water treatment.



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