Good morning San Fran!!! 🙂 You know me…I’m notorious for challenging outdated ideas in our fabulous integrative health landscape and along the way, trying to introduce new ones that are backed by better scientific evidence. I regularly get asked to speak in spite of this (!) and now I get to be heard by over 20,000 people who subscribe to the Fertility Hour which is based in San Francisco. It’s great to be spreading the (real) word on Iodine!

Iodine deficiency can constitute a major barrier to fertility and in some individuals increases risk of miscarriage 4 fold. Not to mention decreasing IQ,possibly increasing rates of ADHD and contributing strongly to poor pregnancy and delivery outcomes, generally for mum and bub. We can agree that iodine is essential to health but what has become hotly debated is how does one assess if they are iodine deficient and what dosage is appropriate?

And given a long period of basic neglect, does our current increased attention and use of this essential mineral, constitute the pendulum swinging too far the other way?

Here are some points covered in this freely accessible podcast, for those of you who haven’t quite had your iodine fill yet 😉

  • There is an overzealousness about iodine and that has gotten us into trouble.
  • One size does not fit all with iodine. The thyroid is a delicate gland and needs to be treated as such.
  • The thyroid traps 80% of the iodine. Other tissues in our body need iodine but the thyroid hogs the iodine first and foremost…you can’t bypass the gland and only door to door deliver to the other tissues.
  • The Wolff Chaikoff effect-what happens when the thyroid is given excessive doses of iodine. Case studies of inducing auto-immune disease.
  • Oh yes please, let’s talk about the Japanese iodine Myth & Misinformation!!
  • Assessment of iodine levels-What is the best way to assess iodine levels. Talking about the controversial urine loading test and what other markers to include.
  • Prenatals have iodine in them. Is this dose sufficient?
  • Iodised salt-is it a good source of iodine? Many Countries use it to address their iodine needs. However, questions about aluminum (used often as an anti-caking agent) is a concern. What are the ‘ideal’ recommended sources?
  • Discussion on taking iodine with a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s and Graves or elevated Thyroid Antibodies.

Watch and listen to the whole free episode here…

https://www.fertilityhour.com/episodes/iodine-deficiency-is-a-major-barrier-to-fertility-with-rachel-arthur-nd-25/