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Janet Starr Hull PhD, CN

Alternative Health and Holistic Nutrition

Iodine For Thyroid Health

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Old-fashioned scales with a group of people on one side and one man on the other side.
Keep your thyroid balanced using iodine from food and kelp.

Did you know that iodine is an essential nutrient for thyroid health?

Do you know which foods iodine is found in?

Iodine

Iodine is an element needed for the production of thyroid hormones. Foods with iodine are an essential part of your diet because your body cannot “make” iodine,  just like your liver cannot “make” vitamin C like all other animals do (FYI).

Your thyroid gland takes the iodine found in food and converts it into the thyroid hormones T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). The thyroid cells are the only cells in your body that can absorb iodine, and these cells combine iodine with the amino acid tyrosine to make T3 and T4.

Don’t run out to the health food store and start taking iodine and tyrosine, though.

No, no, no. You need to know what your iodine levels are before you start taking new vitamin supplements, and you need to know specifically what your iodine level is and then monitor that level.

Beautiful young woman twisting her long brown hair.
Check your iodine level using a hair analysis.

You can do this through a blood test or by having a hair analysis done (at least once a year). A hair analysis is a lot more convenient than a blood test, but that’s just my opinion.

Here’s a health hint – if you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, you are more than likely low in iodine.

Find out for sure, and never guess with something this important, and actually simple to do.

Too Much Iodine = Too Little Iodine

Another reason to monitor your iodine level is because a high iodine level can cause some of the same symptoms as iodine deficiencies, including a goiter (enlarged thyroid gland), which can inflame your thyroid.

An iodine deficiency is the most common cause of thyroid enlargement (goiter) and hypothyroidism. If your body’s iodine level falls, hypothyroidism can develop because iodine is essential for making thyroid hormones.

Hypothyroidism is characterized by low metabolism, weight gain, low body temperature, low heart rate, and sensitivity to cold.

Hyperthyroidism means that your thyroid gland makes too much T4 and T3, so if your thyroid is absorbing too much iodine, your thyroid overproduces these thyroid hormones.

So whether your level is high or low, you should monitor your iodine level to maintain your weight, your sex drive, your hair, skin, and nails, and your overall well-being.

Here’s my point: your thyroid needs the right amount of iodine daily to keep it healthy. This keeps your hormones healthy, which keeps your emotions in check and your health in balance.

If your  levels are low, hypothyroidism can develop because iodine is essential for making thyroid hormones.

Especially if you are dealing with weight issues.

A stick of butter sliced.
Organic butter is a good source of iodine.

Foods With Iodine

Here is a great list of foods that contain iodine:

  1. Iodized salt
  2. Sea vegetables
  3. Potatoes
  4. Organic dairy
  5. Seaweed
  6. Codfish
  7. Shrimp
  8. Himalaya crystal salt
  9. Turkey breast
  10. Prunes
  11. Navy beans
  12. Tuna
  13. Eggs
  14. Yogurt
  15. Bananas
  16. Strawberries
  17. Corn
  18. Lobster
  19. Cheese
  20. Cranberries
  21. Green beans
  22. Pineapple
  23. Rhubarb
  24. Watercress

Iodine From Kelp

An underwater kelp forest with a fish swimming through it.
Seaweed and kelp are best sources of iodine in my opinion.

I do not recommend iodine supplements, though. I recommend getting your iodine naturally from kelp.

Most of the time, iodine products are highly manufactured, and as with any manufactured supplement, your body prefers to break down the essential nutrients as opposed to hammering through a product that has already been broken down in a manufacturing lab.

So at the end of the day, instead of using a processed iodine supplement, feed your thyroid iodine from natural kelp and let your body break it down – liquid kelp is one of the best sources for iodine in my opinion, and your thyroid will more easily assimilate it and take what it needs much easier, and much more naturally.

So, monitor your iodine level to keep your thyroid healthy – naturally.

Lobster and fresh cheese anyone?

 

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, and is educational in nature. The FDA may not have evaluated some of the statements.  This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding supplements or making any changes to your dietary program.

Before taking vitamins, consult your doctor; pre-existing medical conditions or medications you are taking can affect how your body responds to multivitamins.