Supplemental Resources for Starting on Iodine
If you've made your way to this page, hopefully that means you've read my book, The Hidden Cause of Acne, and are aware of all the hard lessons I learned during the years it took to figure out how to increase my consumption of dietary iodine. If not, please do so now before proceeding.
You should also have access to the cheat sheet for chapter six which explains how I was able to avoid detoxification reactions even though I am extremely sensitive to fluoride.
This page provides supplemental information about iodine for those who have already read my book and the cheat sheet.
Please note, links to Amazon and iHerb are affiliate links. As such, I receive a small commission at no cost to you when purchases are made through this page. Thank you for helping me spread the word about fluoride and acne!
Essential Reading Before Starting Iodine Supplementation
It is important not to jump into iodine without being aware of the potential side effects. Taking too much iodine too quickly can cause problems with the thyroid gland.
Take some time to read about iodine supplementation and educate yourself as much as possible on the side effects to look for, why certain companion nutrients are important, and other key information. You can learn a lot about iodine online by reading the papers of Dr. Guy Abraham.
Two books that are essential reading for anyone who wants to learn more about iodine supplementation are Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It by David Brownstein, M.D. and The Iodine Crisis: What You Don't Know About Iodine Can Wreck Your Life by Lynne Farrow.
And of course, chapter 6 of my book, The Hidden Cause of Acne, gives a detailed account of how I (as a fluoride-sensitive individual) navigated iodine supplementation, including all the missteps I made along the way.
Resources referenced in this section on essential reading before starting iodine supplementation:
Article at a Glance:
Iodine: Why You Need It
The Iodine Crisis
The Hidden Cause of Acne
Finding a Doctor Who Understands Iodine and the Iodine-Loading Test
I highly recommend working with a healthcare professional who will help monitor your thyroid and gauge how fast to proceed with iodine supplementation.
A good way to find an iodine-literate healthcare practitioner is by asking around at a local health store or searching through the directory at www.breastcancerchoices.org. If you can't find one in your area, try booking a consultation with an out-of-area healthcare professional over the phone or online.
To help gauge how much iodine my body was absorbing, I used the iodine-loading test from Hakala Research. I also took the fluoride and bromide add-on tests. However, keep in mind these kinds of diagnostic tests offer an incomplete window into what is going on in the body with regard to iodine. As I explain in the book, I believe there are limitations with the fluoride test in particular.
Resources referenced in this section on finding a doctor who understands iodine and the iodine-loading test:
Find an Iodine-Literate Doctor
Take the Iodine-Loading Test
Companion Nutrients for Iodine Supplementation
Iodine, like all nutrients, cannot work effectively in isolation. Before increasing dietary consumption of iodine, it is recommended to take specific nutrients that function in tandem with iodine.
At the advice of my doctor, I began taking selenium, buffered vitamin C, magnesium, and unrefined sea salt two weeks prior to supplementing with iodine. You can find these basic nutrients in a variety of brands and formulas. Here are a few notes from my experience.
For selenium, I started with selenomethionine from Pure Encapsulations but recently switched to the inorganic form, sodium selenate, after reading that it is safer for longterm use. If you eat nuts, a few brazil nuts each day can be a rich source of selenium.
Magnesium can be tricky because it causes digestive issues for a lot of people. You can minimize negative side effects by starting with a small amount and increasing to the full dose slowly over time. (I do this when introducing any new supplement.) It can also help to experiment with different forms of magnesium. I provide multiple options below.
For sea salt, I prefer Redmond's Real Salt to Celtic sea salt because it is from an ancient sea bed. Sadly, studies show that salt from contemporary oceans is contaminated with microplastics. Himalayan sea salt is another option that will not contain plastic, but some varieties can contain significant amounts of fluoride.
Resources referenced in this section on companion nutrients for iodine supplementation:
Selenium (as Sodium Selenate)
Magnesium Glycinate
Buffered Vitamin C
Magnesium Citrate
Magnesium Malate
Unrefined Sea Salt
Supplements that Contain Increasing Amounts of Iodine
If you forget everything else you read in chapter six of my book, this is the single most important thing I learned with regard to fluoride-sensitive individuals who decide to take iodine supplements: start low and go slow.
Many people can handle milligram amounts of iodine right from the start, but I started to break out from as little as 200 mcg. If your acne is caused by fluoride, you are fluoride-sensitive. Like me, it is possible you will be in the segment of the population that has negative reactions to iodine, as well.
When I first learned of the nutritional importance of iodine, I started by adding iodine-rich food sources to my diet such as seaweed and fish eggs. The problem with these foods is that they do not contain a uniform amount of iodine, making it nearly impossible to titrate up in increments that do not cause adverse side effects.
Here are the brands of iodine supplements I took to slowly increase my consumption of iodine. The LugoTabs are available in lower doses if you call Hakala Research directly. I have limited experience with Lugol's Solution but I included it because it is one of the oldest and most popular forms of iodine.
Resources referenced in this section on supplements that contain varying amounts of iodine:
Dulse Liquid Seaweed Drops
Pure Encapsulations Iodine
LugoTabs
Iodoral
Lugol's Solution
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The Best Filters for Filtering Fluoride from Drinking Water, the Shower/Bath, and Whole House Systems
