[R.B.]

Iodine is another potential major dietary issue.

It is hard to believe in a modern world with so many resources and so much technology that many people are iodine deficient, but that is exactly what the evidence and science points to.

Iodine is truly fundamental to the function of the body. Only 20% of the stored iodine in the body is in the thyroid, the other 80% is used in other cells all over the body, in a variety of very important ways. Iodine has very particular chemical properties and may well have been fundamental in the development of life as outlined by Professor Venturi, a leading and arguably under-recognised researcher in the field.

"Environmental iodine deficiency: A challenge to the evolution of terrestrial life?

Venturi S, Donati FM, Venturi A, Venturi M.
Thyroid. 2000 Aug;10(8):727-9.

http://iodine4health.com/special/evo..._evolution.htm

“In conclusion, we believe that environmental iodine deficiency might be an important evolutionary factor of terrestrial life of vertebrates. ”"

Many people are arguably iodine insufficient due to a combination of low intake, iodine blocking foods, higher iodine utilisation, iodine blocking chemicals, and the inclusion in the diet of 'large' amounts of bromine and fluorine products which compete with iodine.

Western recommended intakes are much lower than recorded Japanese intakes. Current Japanese intake was reported to be about 1mg a day, and their parents ate more. Historically the Japanese had lower levels of many western conditions.

Iodine in the soil is deficient in many parts of the world, so you cannot count on getting it in your diet. Some Governments have recognised falling iodine intake is a serious health issue, for example in Australia they have restarted to iodise bread.

Iodine intakes have fallen significantly over the last 30 years, for a number of reasons. For example the intake / iodination of foods has fallen and iodine is no longer used to disinfect cattle milking systems / teats.

There are many factors in the modern lifestyle and diet that increase the requirement for iodine. Things that block iodine uptake and usage by the body are everywhere, for example fire retardants, and form an increasing part of our lives. Many of the healthy green vegetables such as brassica are goitregenic (iodine blocking). Industrial production and some rock based fertilizers introduce perchlorate into the food chain. Perchlorate is a strong iodine blocker.

Other chemicals of the same family as iodine, the halides, such as fluoride and bromide compete with iodine and block iodine usage and uptake. Our intakes of bromine and fluorine have significantly increased.

For example bromide is added to flour in some countries, and included in drinks. It is also used a a flame retardant. Bromide is found in sea food but with iodine.

Fluoride is added to water and toothpaste, and there is evidence it may protect young teeth, but does not seem to have much effect on adult teeth - but possibly at the cost of reducing the structural 'hardness' of the bone in teeth - does that include other bones I have no idea, but logically it might.

Most foods contain very little iodine. The primary source of iodine is marine foods. Seaweeds often contain from significant to very large amounts of iodine.

Iodine is concentrated by the breast and dairy foods are an important dietary iodine source, but many now avoid dairy products. The amount of iodine in the milk will reflect the amount in the pasture / and or feed - so cattle fed on deficient pastures will produce milk low in iodine.

Some fresh water plants provide a source of iodine and some cultures would burn them and eat the ash.

We are probably able to survive on relatively low iodine intakes on a 'natural' diet in an unpolluted world, and many peoples who had relatively limited access to iodine lived long health lives. These people may have relied on particular food sources to provide the minimum of iodine needed. People of the Andes carried and traded fish eggs far inland. Mountain people like the Georgians and Hunza ate dairy products. People in Africa are reported to have collected burnt and ate fresh water plants. In contrast some populations are seriously iodine deficient with very serious health and developmental consequences.

Many western populations are also seriously iodine deficient. The problem today is a combination of changing diets that increase iodine need, dietary goitregens, chemical goitregens, and declining intake.

Iodine has many roles in the body and deficiency results in a wide range of health issues.

Everything in the body interlinks, for example selenium has particular importance in the metabolism of iodine, and in considering iodine intakes it is important not to loose sight of the whole picture. Omega 3 and 6 which also interact with iodine, which is where my interest started, and lead to me reading round the subject.

This passionate excellent and highly thought provoking video by a respected Doctor who has been working with iodine for a number of years deals with some of the items mentioned above in more detail, as well as setting out his clinical experience in using iodine to treat his patients. The video is iodine centric, and needs to be considered in a wider dietary context.

You may wish to start the video at 1 hour 24 minutes 20 seconds where Dr Brownstein talks about iodine and breast cancer.

Sadly research into iodine is limited presumably because it cannot be patented - one of the flaws of a purely financially driven economic model.

I have started an iodine thread on the nutrition page which includes this post, included further information, and tries to bring together historic posts by others.
http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=53928

As usual please discuss dietary change with your doctor.

Must watch video. You may want to start at the breast cancer / fibrosis section at just after 1 hour 24 minutes in.

Iodine The Misunderstood Nutrient David Brownstein

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd34EJ5E3bI