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.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Bruce (Greenville, SC) on 12/28/2009
★★★★★
I have been taking iodine for over 5 years. Before I started taking iodine, I had very large saliva glands, I had very bad pimples on my face, back, arms, ect. I had bad problems with my reflux, pain in the stomach after meals. I would be out fishing on the river and all at once I would have a gush of saliva out of my mouth, like a huge release of water at once. I would run a high fever over 102 at least once or twice a every year for no reason. My gums would hurt and bleed all the time. But after 3 years of high doses of iodine every day, ALL of the things ive just told you have gone completly. I feel better every day. My saliva glands ARE NOT swollen anymore. My throat does not sting with pain. No more high fever at all. My gums nolonger bleed or hurt. All of this due to iodine only. I will now extract iodine from black walnut trees here at the house, as our wonderful government has taken most all iodine out of salt, bread, and when you buy iodine liqude at the store it too has been reduced to povidone. (worthless). But black walnut trees are the place for the best unaltered iodine naturaly .(dryed powder),(iodine liqude)ect. After seeing all of the good effects of iodine, I will stay on it forever. You must watch food that rob your body of iodine too. Also watch your MSG intake. MSG will also cause very bad problems also. A back door to bad health---->>>>MSG. Iodine will not see MSG and that MSG will kill the good iodine effects.
Knee Issues
Posted by Kris (Winnipeg, MB Canada) on 06/04/2009
★★★★★
iodine cured Bad knee.
35 years with bad knee. joint would come off some times. always swollen. applied regular iodine externally three times a day. applied one week on and 4 days off. only the affected part would mildly burn and the knee will feel bug crawling inside the skin. after a week the bad skin looked like war zone. so gave four days break. new skin came after break. started the application again. itch started badly on the knee. applied Tea tree oil over iodine to stop the itch immediately. after 4 weeks knee shape came to look like normal. at this time the effected part squeezed to the size of a quarter. still kept on applying on the affected area and surroundings. pain went away after 3 weeks from the start up of the application. but didn't stop applying. this has been 4 months now. knee is like brand new.
i did switch from regular store available iodine to lugol's iodine after 3 months. started applying iodine to every family member's joint pain and cysts. iodine never failed to cure.
Skin Ailments
Posted by Steven (Shohola, PA) on 04/05/2009
★★★★★
Iodine Resolves Developing Boil
I have been taking 5 drops of Lugol's 2% strength solution for 3 months now. [I understand this to equal 12.5 mg of iodine whereas the 5% solution would require only 2 drops.]
About a month ago I began getting an infection in one nostril and could feel a boil developing. My nose was sensitive to the touch and I knew it was only a matter of time and it would be really bad. I waited a couple of days as it worsened. I then increased my dose of Lugol's 2% solution to 5 drops in a pint of water 6 times a day along with 500mg of vitamin C 6 times a day. After 2 days, the infection was 95& better and I dropped my dose to what I normally take. Another 2 days later I was back to normal.
Sore Throat
Posted by Chris (Battle Creek, MI) on 01/31/2008
★★★★★
For almost 3 days my daughter was complained of her throat feeling like she was swallowing knives. Nothing would take it away. After having tried the egg whites for her fever and it working I came back to this site and sure enough - a remedy for a sore throat...IODINE! I put some on her wrists and on the sides of her throat. It took a little bit - like hours, but her sore throat went away and has not returned since! It has been almost a week now! Thanks again for the wonderful remedies!!
Food Poisoning
Posted by Jamie (Fairmont, Minnesota) on 12/15/2007
★★★★★
Hello you WONDERFUL people! Thanks you SO much for this resource! I was in the middle of my third serious bout with salmonella in a year and feeling little relief from the antibiotics after 8 days. After reading a book by Dr. Hulda Clark I am convinced that I was picking up Salmonella from milk products. Hulda says that Lugol's kills vicious stomach bacteria including salmonella so I got online looking for it when I found this site. I read through all of the comments and went looking for the iodine. Someone said I could get it at walmart so I tried. The Pharmacist had no clue about iodine deficiency and wouldn't give me the iodine he had ordered for me. How disgusting and irresponsible! I ordered the book by Dr. Brownstein Iodine: Why You Need It and Why You Can't Live Without It along with a 2 oz. bottle of lugol's solution from amazon.com. I was very discouraged by the fact that there was no overnight shipping option available on the site. A day or two after ordering I emailed them expressing my discouragement and they responded with a toll free number that could be used to get overnight shipping. My Lugol's arrived a day earlier than expected and I tested for allergy on my foot. I knew I wasn't allergic since I have had iodized salt for ever, and I had no irritation from the iodine on my foot. So I began the dose recommended by Hulda for salmonella which is 6 drops in a half cup of juice after meals and at bed time. After reading the book by Dr. Brownstein and looking at the Optimox site I knew that 6 drops 4 times a day is equivalent to 150mg of iodine a day. The relief from the Salmonella began nearly immediately but was nearly complete after a day of the scheduled dose. I had no symptoms of taking too much iodine, so I continued to the third day at that dose (as recommended for treating Salmonella in Hulda's book). Then I cut back to 6 drops 3 times a day to counter my newly recognized iodine deficiency. Just so you know, the Salmonella are DEAD!!! And I feel ALIVE!!!
5 years ago I should have been diagnosed with fibrocystic breast disease but was told that my "lumpy bumpy" breasts needed vitamin E. I didn't take it seriously as I wasn't diagnosed with anything. I had just had my first child. Over the last 6 months I have had pain in my breasts not just before a period but at intervals during the month that wouldn't even allow me to hug my (now I have 3) children. I had no idea until reading this site and the information from Dr. Brownstein that I had fibrocystic breast disease, the precursor for breast cancer (which is so prevalent in this area that it should be a CRIME that people are not handed iodine by the government in giant sized rations!) The great lakes basin is the worst in the WORLD for iodine deficiency--we are the reason salt is iodized--only well enough to fend off goiter and mental retardation which were becoming a problem in the early 1900's in this area! The actual need for iodine by your body is 13.5mg a day and that's after fixing a deficiency. And that number does not take into account the other factors we are exposed to. (Halogens which replace iodine in the body everywhere around us--chlorine, bromine, fluorine--in bread, in toothpaste, in water) THIS IS EPIDEMIC!
Two days into my salmonella killing spree with iodine, I began my menstrual period without cramps. I have had such terrible cramps from my period that I have a stock pile of ibuprofen. (which makes your stomach bleed and hurts your liver) but what are we to do? IODINE! I have been on Iodine for 4 days now and each morning I wake up with cramps but almost as soon as I take my 6 drops of lugol's my cramps are GONE! It's like the cramps are there because my ovaries are begging me for much needed iodine to clean me out. I am so thrilled about this! By the way--my breast pain has diminished to almost none, and they feel like 16 year old breasts. No kidding. My energy level has sky rocketed and I am losing weight. (I should mention that I am taking the iodine with a liquid B complex supplement because Dr. Brownstein says it is possible to get heart palpitations and/or symptoms of iodine allergy if you are deficient in vitamin b2 and b3 since they are needed to transport iodine throughout your body. I can feel my metabolism normalizing--it feels GREAT!
For a long time I have wondered why my ears hurt--I thought maybe I was taking an autotoxic (something toxic to your ears) drug--I wasn't taking any drugs other than ibuprofen--so I wasn't convinced, but I was becoming afraid that I would eventually lose my hearing. I have also become slower in the brain over the last few years. I attributed it to the mercury in my fillings after reading Dr. Clarks book--but having seen the symptoms of iodine deficiency including hearing loss and cretinism I now believe I am severely deficient in iodine and I am so excited to not get any worse. I am getting better!
Skin Ailments
Posted by Janice (Red Hook, NY) on 12/13/2007
★★★★★
Just a note after reading send in other cures re iodine. When I was a teenager I developed warts; I never consulted anyone but started putting just a drop of iodine on the warts every day. After about 3 months (maybe less - that was 40 years ago) they turned black and fell off. I've never had another wart. (I've never had a boil either, and hope I never do, but my partner has been bothered by them for several weeks. We're trying several of the remedies on your website. Thanks! It's a great site.)
Vitamin C to Dissolve Iodine Stain
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 04/08/2024 533 posts
★★★★★
Awesome!! I just sprinkled a tiny bit of powder over a wet paper towel and wiped away some tiny spatters in the bathroom! I may have been able to get them off otherwise, but was afraid to scrub too hard - but they just wiped right off!! WOOHOO!! Thanks!!!
Vitamin C to Dissolve Iodine Stain
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 04/10/2024 533 posts
I just love earthclinic and all you guys!
Detox Bromides
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 02/06/2023 533 posts
★★★★★
This iodine detox really takes it out of ya! I suppose, it's the dislodging of bromides which are used as a sedative and even to induce coma. Some days I feel super good but most are "blah" and all I want to do is sleep. I suppose that will be for another month of two...crikeys! But it's to be expected since I've never taken iodine before and have probably been soaking up and storing bromides since the advent of their commercial uses...
Detox Bromides
Posted by Share (Seattle) on 09/04/2023
Hi Leah,
A few thoughts about your situation:
1. When you say high antibody levels I am assuming TPO Ab (Thyroid Peroxidase Ab) & Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb). If so, elevated levels of these antibodies are the definitive test for Hashimoto's, a serious autoimmune condition. Taking high doses of iodine with this condition are contraindicated, at first - it can make the condition worse.
Best to see a naturopath or holistic physician who specialize in thyroid conditions to help you resolve & navigate this condition. Often, a person starts out hyperthyroid and ends up hypothyroid with Hashimoto's.
Your symptoms may indicate iodine toxicity so I would definitely stop taking the 15 mg of Iodine - especially if you have Hashimoto's.
For those who are simply having iodine detox issues, one simply drops the iodine dose to low levels, wait for the symptoms to subside, and slowly build up the dose every other week or so.
In addition to the issues with Hashimoto's, many physicians who treat thyroid conditions have noticed that most Americans starting iodine have adverse reactions. This is because our toxicity levels are so much higher and the co-factors needed to utilize iodine are commonly deficient (e.g., Selenium, Zinc, B2, B3, Magnesium, Vitamin C, Sea Salt, healthy EFAs).
Before taking Iodine it is very important to first "prep" the body so that your thyroid can use the iodine which means taking the Iodine co-factors for a month. Then, start taking iodine at very low doses, under 1 mg, and slowly build up every week or two until you reach the desired dosage level.
And, it is fine to only take low daily doses of Iodine because the levels gradually build up in the tissues over time though, it will take longer to become iodine "sufficient". In general, it will take about a year to become iodine sufficient taking the standard dose 12.5 mg/day.
Detoxing the body during the "prep" is also very helpful.
Some people are very sensitive or allergic to iodine so they take Atomadine. Again, starting at a low dose and slowly increasing it.
Many have cleared Hashimoto's by eliminating all gluten, taking daily doses of selenium (must take the right form and dose), taking a special thyroid hormone preparation, taking the Iodine co-factors and eventually incorporating iodine into the regimen where they start with very low doses (under 1 mg) and slowly build up the dose.
Others have had other complications involving E. histolytica, mold and other infections that can cause or exacerbate Hashimoto's so these conditions need to be addressed.
Also note, there are many iodine formulations on the market that are toxic or adulterated. So, it is very important to find a high quality brand with a proven record (e.g., compounding pharmacy, etc...).
See the websites: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com
https://whyiodine.com
Wishing you the best in your health journey
Detox Bromides
Posted by Leah (Ireland) on 09/05/2023
Hi Share, Thank you so much for your reply. It is only my TGAB that are high, TPO ab are normal. I actually embarked on this whole journey because I want to start a family, so I wanted to do a detox, but that is when I found out about being iodine deficient and having high TGAB. This was 2 years ago now. Since my GP said I shouldn't worry, and the whole covid thing, I put it all aside as I was overwhelmed with the whole situation. But now, I am back on track, and my husband and I wanted to continue where we left off. Before that I want to be sure that my body is ready to bear a child and that my child will have all the necessary nutrients to grow strong and healthy. So, I've redone the thyroid test, and TGAB are lower now than they were 2 years ago, so I am hopeful. I am taking all the companion nutrients, however probably not for long enough. So for now, I have stopped with iodine few days ago (I was using Lugols Iodine 2%). But will include it maybe once per week in small dose for now and track my thyroid levels and antibodies. In my research I have come across lots of conflicting info when it comes to iodine and antibodies. Some people say stay away, while others say it helped them with Hashi and other thyroid issues. There is even one source which I found on this very site, says in case of antibodies, we are harming the thyroid with small iodine doses and should take higher doses to create iodolipids https://steppingstonesliving.com/hypothyroidism-hashimotos-iodine/, but I was too scared to try that. Maybe if I could find a doctor who could track all my hormones and everything, would be a different story, and I might be up for the high dose, but no luck in finding one so far. Thanks again and I will keep you updated. Cheers from sunny Dublin
Iodoral Iodine
Posted by Sedaray (Los Angeles) on 10/26/2021
★★★★☆
I had a great doctor who recommended Iodoral. She had me take a test where I swallowed a handful of iodine pills and peed in a big container for a few days, then sent a sample for testing. The results said I needed the iodine.
I took it for several years, initially I was much less affected by cold, and had less dry mouth and nose. Gradually my sleeping schedule cut down to 8 hours from 12. Yay!
A few years later I began getting bad colds regularly. After gradually cutting down and noticing an improvement, I quit the iodine; if I took 1/2 pill, within hours I had a stuffy runny nose.
At that point I figured I didn't need the iodine any more, I keep it in case I feel as bad as I did years ago and so far so good.
So: pay attention to your body, make small changes and if necessary keep a record of your progress.
Hashimoto's
Posted by September (Los Angeles) on 10/08/2015
I have Hashimotos and take iodine tincture everyday. It caused a flare up when I first started but as soon as I added companion nutrients it completely stopped.
Iodine Interactions
Posted by Anne (OK) on 10/01/2022
I know this is old, but others may need this answer.
Acid converts elemental iodine into potassium iodide. Your thyroid and several other organs need iodide. Your breasts and several other organs need elemental iodine. If you need elemental, you want to eat/drink acids like orange juice away from lugols/idoral/nascent/etc..., that is elemental supplements. If those aren't your concern, then it's no problem.
Iodine Deficiency
Posted by Slim2483 (Ca) on 06/26/2014
Kelp
Posted by Julie (Melbourne, Australia) on 05/28/2011
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
I want to warn people that not all kelp powder is safe to take due to its heavy metal contamination. My husband and I have supplemented with powdered kelp at the suggestion of our naturopath, for 28 years. Although I had a hair analysis done about 10 years ago in the USA, nothing showed re the arsenic levels. Fortunately this product was safe. However, after returning to Australia, we started consuming King Island kelp from 'pristine waters' south of Australia. Less than twelve months later, our hair started to fall out, we had mental confusion, lack of energy and failing memory, to name a few symptoms. Our son suggested another hair analysis and the results were horrific - both of us were off the chart with arsenic overload. Blood and urine tests confirmed this. Lab testing of a kelp sample found considerable arsenic - organic and inorganic. We bought what was advertised as organic kelp, which means nothing, we now realize, as it was not certified organic. When I see kelp mentioned as an alternative to iodine, I shudder!!!
Kelp grows on rocks at the bottom of the sea, some of which contain arsenic. If heavy metals drain into the waters, the kelp naturally absorbs them readily. You may even be consuming one of the nasty brothers, such as cadmium, mercury, etc. without realizing it.
We are now taking Lugol's Iodine (2%) among other supplements for detoxing and have found Dr. Brownstein's experience and knowledge of great assistance.
I hope this saves someone the misery we have gone through over the last five years.
Hardened Breast Implants
Posted by Tiffany (Tampa, Fl) on 10/25/2010
★★★★★
I have breast implants and one of them had hardened. I was taking iodine drops for my thyroid, and it very quickly softened up the hardened implant.
Enlarged, Cystic Thyroid
Posted by Catherinecheshire (St. Regis, Quebec) on 10/24/2010
The Lugols you can buy in the US is the weaker stuff so take ten drops a day for three months to get your iodine levels up then drop down to five drops a day as a maintenence dose. It took me about four hours of searching to find this info online. Also, there was info on using it for cold, flu, congestion, and bladder infections but these were higher doses and if you have too much in your system its gets washed out and causes you no side effects. My mom gave my grandmother (who is 90) about 20 or more drops and it cured her of congestion and the cough that goes with it.
Atomidine
Posted by Ella (CA) on 07/17/2021
Atomidine is from Edgar Cayce. He was not a scam but one of the best documented Medium/ Psychic, named the sleeping prophet and diagnosing illness. Do Check out his group. ARE aka Association Research and Enlightenment. You can browse his circulating files with every known disease. He cured many people, and is worth studying by anyone who is into alternative medicine, He is known to be the father of alternative medicine.
Inflammation
Posted by Jeanmarie (Seekonk, MA) on 01/21/2009
★★★★★
Lugol's Iodine that I ordered has given me relief from all-over-tissue-pain after searching for 12 years. I'm an N.D. candidate; therefore, shunned all meds, but the Dr.'s said my rheumatoid factor was sky high and every time I ate Sugar, Bread or overate or had anything much to eat, I would get inflamed and achy and wake up the next morning barely able to move. I've got an active 13-year old and wanted my mobility back. Every time I take it with food or shortly thereafter, my pain totally vanishes. I thought something was up when it would vanish for a period of time if I ate lobster or had a seaweed body wrap on vacation. It's the iodine!!! I take about 4-6 drops 3X/day. Eureka!!! I just wonder now if I'll have to take this for the rest of my life.
Skin Ailments
Posted by Winfield (Pringle, USA) on 09/04/2008
★★★★★
excellent website information by the bucketfulls stuff we all can use. I had a itchy spot on my chin 6 months. Finally scratched it raw and applied two dime size spots of iodine, 2 nights before bed. Spot is fading and no more itch. Gone. If it ever comes back it will get three treatments. Thanks for this knowledge.
Skin Ailments
Posted by Patricia (Laguna Niguel, CA) on 12/19/2007
★★★★★
I love this website! Lots of wonderful home remedies. I read about Iodine and went on ebay- I bought Povidone- Iodine first to try, and painted myself with it over every problem area of my skin- the colors were disappearing in 15 minutes or so. The bottle says for external use only and do not apply it over large areas of the skin. Well, I have not tried take it internally yet, but as I understand it, Povidone is used for prep surgeries, which means it is in contact with blood and internal organs. After my first application on small areas, I noticed that the morning after I could see significant improvement on my skin where there used to be acne-like pumps that I had for several years- some shrank and some went away. I then started using it on all scars and it seems to make them more smooth and heal better. Upon seeing that, I asked my husband to paint me all over my back- dry, flaky skin with red irritable spots- and over night, they became more smooth. So I started to use it more and more, sometimes it stains my clothes, but my skin seemed to be healing. Don't know if that is also indication of my iodine deficiency. I wonder if it works any differently from Lugol's. I do have signs of low thyroid function, like cold intolerance, poor circulation. Can you tell me if I can take the Povidone internally? How is it different from Lugol's?
Diarrhea
Posted by Anna (Beijing, CN) on 12/13/2007
★★★★★
I am Bulgarian, living in China at present. As a child, whenever I had diarrhoea, my grandma would give me a few drops of iodine in half a glass of water to drink. It would halt the problem within hours. When my son was 10 months old, he had a severe diarrhoea and after trying a few medicines, the elderly doctor suggested the same remedy for him - 2 drops in some water. The next day he was healthy again. As a school administrator in Beijing I got almost sued by a Finnish mother for administering the remedy to her 8 year old daughter on a trip. There was a bus, full of kids, going to another city 5 hours away and, even though I knew in many countries it was forbidden to take iodine orally, I didn't have a choice. The bus didn't have to stop anywhere on the road and the girl was fine. I have talked with doctors about it and they said that if taken rarely, it's not doing harm. In Bulgaria generations have been treated in this way and I never travel (especially to another country) without my little black bottle. For chool children the dose is 4-5 drops in water and for adults - 5 to 8. Sometimes adults need to repeat on the next day, if the problem persists.
