DINE ON IODINE - IS IT JUST FOR THYROID HEALTH?

French chemist Bernard Courtois discovered iodine in 1811; little did this Frenchmen know, that subsequent to his discovery, this chemical element would have many uses in the years to come.

The early nineteenth century was the official discovery of iodine and its importance, however, ancient hieroglyphs illustrate how seaweed and other iodine enriched sea life was used to treat goiters (an enlargement of the thyroid gland).

Other uses for Iodine:

 

Iodine 123– Is the isotope of choice for nuclear medicine imaging of the thyroid gland.

Iodine 131- Is used to administer to humans only in very high doses, which will destroy all tissues in the body that accumulate iodine. This iodine isotope is used principally for the treatment of Graves Disease and certain thyroid cancers.

Iodine-127 - In a number of convenient forms (tablets or solution), this treatment may be used to saturate the thyroid gland's ability to take up further iodine, and thus protect against accidental contamination from iodine-131. Which can be produced by nuclear fission  accidents, such as the Chernobyl Disaster and more recently the Fukushima nuclear accident.

 Additional important uses:

·        A sterilizing Agent

·        Goiter prevention

·        Boosts metabolism

·        Fights harmful organisms

·        Aids Breast, Neurological, Skin, Eye, Reproductive and   

           Hair Health

 

    ·        Powerful antioxidant

·        Iodine douches are great for vaginitis

In the 1830’s, cases of goiters starting increasing due to the beginning stages of iodine depletion in our soil. By the 1920’s government decided to step in as more cases of goiters in the areas of the Great Lakes, Appalachia and the Northwestern region of the U.S were being reported. These areas were nicknamed the “goiter belt." In Michigan alone, the goiter endemic reached as high as 64 percent. These cases began to affect military drafting as those afflicted did not pass physicals for active duty. 

Ah ha, a threat to national security gets the government off their collective butts to do something about public health.

Resulting from this alarming health scare, on May 1, 1924, the U.S. government designed the Iodine Supplementation Program. They decided to supplement through salt as this was - at that time - the easiest, cheapest and most broadly used food source. The implementation efforts were a success as cases of goiters and thyroid-related conditions decreased. Also, during that time, Iodine could also be found in breads and milk. 

Yay!

But wait, it is happening again, Iodine deficiencies are, according to some experts silently becoming an epidemic again.

Find out why, next week - Dine on Iodine, is it just for thyroid health? Part II

Will show references at the end of this blog series.

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