Iodine

Description

Iodine is an acidic non-metallic Micromineral.

Iodine itself is a poisonous Gas.  It is the Iodide form (negatively charged ions, i.e. salt) of Iodine which is essential to humans.

 Iodine - Health Benefits

Carbohydrates

 Iodine may facilitate the body's absorption of Carbohydrates. 

Carotenoids

 Iodine may facilitate the conversion of Beta-Carotene to Vitamin A. 

Hormones

 Iodine is speculated to increase the conversion of 16-Hydroxyestrone to Estriol.  ^[1]

 Approximately 75 mcg of Iodine is utilized daily for the production of Thyroid Hormones:  ^[2]

 5% of the body's Iodine is utilized in the production of Triiodothyronine (T3).

 20% of the body's Iodine is utilized in the production of Thyroxine (T4) from Tyrosine.  ^[3]

 Iodine is an essential component of the Thyroid Hormone Precursors:

 Diiodotyrosine

 Diiodothyronine

 Monoiodotyrosine

Electromagnetic Radiation

 Iodine may alleviate Radiation Sickness (specifically the damage to the Thyroid) that occurs as a result of exposure to Radioactivity (specifically Radioactive Iodine-131).  The best form of Iodine for protecting against Thyroid Radiation Sickness after exposure to excessive exposure to Radioactive Iodine-131 may be Potassium Iodate.  ^[4]

Hormones

 Iodine is speculated to increase the conversion of 16-Hydroxyestrone to Estriol (which thereby lowers 16-Hydroxyestrone levels).  ^[5]

Minerals

 Iodine may facilitate the excretion of Arsenic from the body. 

 Iodine may facilitate the excretion of Aluminum from the body.  ^[6]

 Iodine may facilitate the excretion of Bromine from the body.  ^[7] 

Environmental Toxins

 Perchlorate may inhibit the uptake of Iodine into the Thyroid Gland from the bloodstream.

Minerals

 Bromine may interfere with the absorption and transport of Iodine.  ^[7]

 Fluoride may displace Iodine from the body.  ^[9]

Patented Medicines

 Pharmaceutical Diuretics may deplete the body's Iodine stores.

Sulfuric Compounds

 Isothiocyanates found in Cabbage family vegetables may interfere with Iodine.

Exercise

 Intense Exercise may lead to Iodine depletion (due to large amounts of Iodine being excreted via Perspiration that occurs during Exercise).  ^[10] 

Food Processing

 Pasteurization destroys approximately 20% of the Iodine content of pasteurized foods.

The amount of Iodine in foods is highly dependent upon the amount of Iodine in the soil in which the food is grown.  The oceans are the worldwide repository of Iodine - very little of the earth’s Iodine is actually found in soil.  Iodine in the soil is deposited as a result of volatilization from ocean water caused by ultraviolet radiation.  As a result, coastal soils are significantly higher in Iodine than soils further inland.