Iodine and Hashimoto's Controversy Debunked (Why You Need Iodine)

Many people believe that iodine is dangerous if you have Hashimoto's thyroiditis and that it should be avoided? Is this actually true? Not exactly. In this video, I will explain the logic behind why I recommend that every thyroid patient use iodine. For starters, iodine is required for thyroid function. If you don't have enough iodine in your body then you won't be able to produce thyroid hormone. Because thyroid hormone is required for life, not consuming iodine may eventually put you in a life threatening situation. Furthermore, human beings do not have the ability to produce iodine on their own which means that you must consume it from your diet. Having said that, taking iodine may cause problems in some people but it’s not usually the fault of iodine by itself. Instead, it’s that iodine triggers a cascade of events which may lead to cell damage. Iodine may cause issues in those with hashimoto's via the following mechanism: Taking iodine increases how much iodine is being utilized by thyroid peroxidase which creates hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide, if not taken care of, can cause damage inside of the thyroid gland and eventually lead to cell damage and interaction of cellular components with the immune system. This process does not have to occur, though! It can be prevented by ensuring that your thyroid gland has sufficient anti-oxidants inside of it. Taking iodine with low selenium is a BIG Problem: Selenium helps produce glutathione which eliminates hydrogen peroxide which is produced in the creation of thyroid hormone. No selenium = more damage to the thyroid gland. The higher your dose of iodine and the lower your selenium the more problems you will have. Before you take iodine, ensure that you have enough selenium in your body to prevent free radical damage from hydrogen peroxide. This will allow you to safely consume iodine for your thyroid. Download my free thyroid resources here (including hypothyroid symptoms checklist, the complete list of thyroid lab tests + optimal ranges