The Iodine Weight Issue

Are you having trouble losing weight, even though you are following optimal diet, lifestyle, and exercise protocols? New data shows that a deficiency in the mineral iodine may be a culprit.

You may already be aware that iodine is vital for your thyroid. When your thyroid is not functioning properly, it is very difficult to lose weight. It is becoming more difficult to get the amount of iodine you need. Why?

1. Soil is now very iodine-poor. Unless you are eating iron-rich foods such as kelp, seaweed, shellfish, and eggs (lots of them), or drinking a lot of Perrier Sparkling Water, you are not getting much iodine from your diet.
2. Many salt companies have stopped adding iodine to table salt and most sea salt is very low in iodine.
3. Food manufacturers now use bromine instead of iodine for baked goods. The problem with this is that they are both halogens so they complete with each other in the cell. The more bromine you consume, the more iodine-deficient you become.
4. Our water supply contains chlorine and fluoride, both of which are halogens, which further deplete our iodine stores. Even if you drink filtered water, you still shower, bathe and swim in chlorine and fluoride.
5. Iodine deficiency is something that is never tested for because most physicians believe that testing for thyroid function is a sufficient indicator. However, TSH levels cannot tell the difference between active thyroid with iodine and de-activated thyroid hormone with bromine or chlorine or fluoride.

Besides breaking through the dreaded "weight plateau," iodine can also help with energy, hormone balance, and digestion. A recent study found that mildly iodine-deficient children may have trouble reaching their full intellectual potential.

How do you know if you are iodine deficient?

1. If you consume less than one teaspoon of iodized table salt.
2. If you consume non-iodized table or sea salt (refer to the nutritional facts on the package).
3. Go beyond testing thyroid TSH marker by testing for:
   
   • Urine Halides and Urine Iodine (pre and post loading ideal)
   • Plasma iodine (second choice if urine not an option)
4. Speak with Bonnie and have her review your file.
   

How do you get more iodine in your diet?
For adults and teens, we recommend a daily intake of 150 micrograms (mcg.). For children, daily intake is 70 micrograms. Most of us can get this in a teaspoon of iodized salt. However, many of us do not consume iodized salt (most iodized salt also contains the corn sugar, dextrose, which is why many of our clients do not consume it).

1. Take with a high quality, pure, iodine supplement or check your multivitamin/mineral supplement to see if it contains iodine.
2. If you have a deficiency, you may need a short-term loading dose that would need to be overseen by Bonnie or a licensed health professional.