Christianson and Armstrong – How Extra Iodine Is Undermining Thyroid Well being and What to Do About It

• Extra iodine is disrupting thyroid well being — Armstrong highlighted, “The iodine content material, which impacts thyroid well being, has considerably elevated in our meals manufacturing system over the past 20 to 30 years.” This over-supplementation has led to an epidemic of thyroid dysfunction, together with autoimmune thyroid illness, the place your physique assaults its personal thyroid gland.

• Iodine accumulation is a rising disaster — Christianson added, “Iodine accumulation is a very huge downside that our nation is dealing with. It’s a kind of authorities interventions — oops — which have unintended penalties.”² The extreme iodine consumption is pervasive, stemming from numerous sources past fortified salt, making it troublesome for people to regulate their iodine ranges.

1. Animal feed — Conventionally raised livestock are routinely supplemented with iodine, considerably rising iodine ranges in animal merchandise. Armstrong emphasised that if animals are supplemented with iodine, the iodine ranges in merchandise like eggs enhance 5 to 10-fold.

2. Dairy cleansing practices — The dairy business generally makes use of iodine-based disinfectants to wash teats and tools. Though a scorching water rinse helps mitigate iodine residues, the pervasive use of iodine teat dips introduces a further, typically unnoticed supply of iodine into dairy merchandise.

3. Processed meals — Iodine components in processed grains and salt closely fortify the meals provide, making it difficult to regulate particular person iodine consumption should you devour processed meals. Christianson famous that many processed grains comprise iodized dough conditioners. Even those who don’t explicitly checklist iodine typically have important ranges when examined.

4. Private care merchandise — Iodine is prevalent in quite a few private care merchandise, together with some pimples remedies, contributing to each day iodine publicity with out shoppers’ consciousness. Armstrong identified, “Many widespread pimples remedies comprise quite a lot of iodine due to its antifungal and antimicrobial properties.”

5. Seafood and kelp dietary supplements — Whereas ocean-based seafood is a pure iodine supply, fishmeal can be a standard protein supply for cattle feed, which will increase iodine ranges in eggs and dairy merchandise.

• T4-only vs. mixture therapies — Christianson distinguished between T4-only drugs and mixture therapies (T4 plus T3), noting that the latter typically yield higher affected person outcomes. Nevertheless, each varieties current challenges, particularly given the variability in iodine content material of pure desiccated thyroid merchandise.

• The impression of iodine ranges on pure desiccated thyroid — Armstrong raised issues about historic and fashionable practices, together with the truth that within the early 1900s, cattle weren’t supplemented with iodine, so their thyroids had low ranges.

• Regulatory issues with NDT dietary supplements — Right this moment, livestock are overloaded with iodine, making pure desiccated thyroid dietary supplements possible a lot larger in iodine than historic counterparts. Christianson defined the regulatory panorama, in that prescription types of pure desiccated thyroid are standardized for iodine content material, however over-the-counter variations typically lack this high quality management, resulting in unpredictable iodine ranges.

• Iodine overexpression and mobile harm — He defined that in pathologic breast tissue, the sodium iodide symporter is overexpressed, resulting in heightened iodine uptake and mobile harm. This overexpression correlates with larger breast most cancers charges, debunking earlier theories that iodine supplementation is perhaps protecting.

• Iodine supplementation isn’t a protecting issue — Christianson clarified that whereas high-dose iodine briefly reduces iodine uptake in fibroadenomatous breast illness, inhabitants research point out that larger iodine consumption is related to elevated breast most cancers threat. Thus, iodine isn’t a protecting issue for breast tissue. He explains:

“Within the case of breast cancers, there have been assays Japanese ladies and contrasting their iodine excretion, their urinary iodine in teams with their general breast most cancers threat. And people within the highest quintiles and quartiles have proportionately larger dangers for breast most cancers. And there is a linear relationship. So, the extra they’re consuming, the higher their dangers are.”

• Thyroid antibodies point out autoimmunity — Elevated thyroid antibodies point out an autoimmune response, which is the first driver of thyroid dysfunction right now.

• Epigenetics and generational iodine publicity — Epigenetics are additionally concerned, as early iodine publicity impacts thyroid well being throughout generations. Armstrong famous, think about being born right into a womb with larger iodine ranges, then supplementing with iodine all through life and consuming a high-iodine food plan. This publicity results in gathered iodine technology over technology.

• Genetic variations impression iodine metabolism — Christianson agreed, explaining that genetic variations considerably affect how people metabolize iodine. These tailored to decrease iodine environments are significantly prone to thyroid dysfunction when uncovered to extra iodine. This epigenetic and genetic interaction complicates the iodine-thyroid relationship.

• Basal physique temperature as a thyroid metric — The dialog additionally addressed basal physique temperature, which is usually used as a metric for thyroid well being, a apply championed by Dr. Broda Barnes. Nevertheless, Christianson identified that the event of high-sensitive TSH assays and understanding of T3 metabolism shifted thyroid evaluation away from basal physique temperature.

Whereas it’s true that many overtly hypothyroid people have decrease physique temperatures, the connection isn’t as linear or dependable as as soon as thought. Christianson famous:³

“Since Barnes’ time, we have realized that the thyroid basal physique temperature connections are very actual, however they don’t seem to be as linear, they don’t seem to be as tight as one would possibly assume. So many who’re overtly hypothyroid may have a decrease basal physique temperature.

And through hyperthyroid storm, individuals typically elicit a febrile response, however there’s not a linear enhance in basal physique temperature as one strikes additional into hyperthyroidism. That wasn’t understood throughout Barnes’ time.”

• Thyroid hormone utilization entails 4 key steps — The method doesn’t cease on the thyroid gland. After T4 is produced, it must be transported, transformed, and utilized on the mobile stage.

“Metabolic well being and mobile power aren’t simply in regards to the thyroid gland. There are 4 totally different steps after the thyroid produces thyroid hormones — T4 is produced. Then there’s transporter proteins that must take these thyroid hormones all through the physique.

That T4 should be transformed to T3, cells should be capable to settle for that T3 and put it to use because the spark plug for power manufacturing. So, there are a selection of issues that get in the best way of mobile utilization of energetic thyroid hormone. Even when your thyroid is functioning effectively, utilizing energetic thyroid hormone at numerous different elements of your physique could be hindered.”

• Thyroid operate varies on the mobile stage — Christianson expanded on this, explaining that totally different physique tissues have their very own thyroid hormone ecosystem with totally different balances of thyronamines. Which means that thyroid operate on the mobile stage is extremely individualized and influenced by numerous elements like insulin ranges, stress, and nutrient consumption.

• Dietary elements impression thyroid hormone metabolism — Armstrong linked this to fashionable dietary practices, explaining that low-carb diets downregulate thyroid hormones, rising reverse T3, and impairing mobile utilization of T3. Excessive omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) consumption and stress additional complicate this image, decreasing your physique’s potential to make use of thyroid hormones successfully.

• Thyroid well being is deeply interconnected with metabolic operate — Thyroid hormone metabolism is influenced by many elements, together with insulin ranges, nutrient availability, and general metabolic well being. So, addressing thyroid points requires a complete strategy that considers these interconnected methods.

• Photobiomodulation as a thyroid help software — In a private revelation, I additionally mentioned my use of photobiomodulation (beforehand often known as low-level laser remedy) to help thyroid well being throughout my transition off thyroid treatment. Christianson acknowledged the advantages, explaining that photobiomodulation helps enhance antioxidant standing in your thyroid, which is critical for processing iodine with out mobile harm.

• The function of a low-iodine reset in thyroid restoration — Christianson wrote “The Thyroid Reset Food plan,” emphasizing a low-iodine routine for one to a few months to detoxify your physique.

Whereas Armstrong shared her issues about sustaining dietary stability throughout this part, significantly concerning vitamins like choline, biotin, and calcium, Christianson steered that deciding on high-quality eggs and dairy which might be low in iodine helps meet these dietary wants with out introducing extra iodine.

• Methods to cut back iodine consumption — Armstrong elaborated on sensible methods to cut back your iodine consumption, stating:

“Don’t eat out as a lot, don’t eat meals with an ingredient checklist, prioritize home-cooked meals … assess your dietary supplements, cease iodine supplementation and consider your private care merchandise.”

1. Restrict processed meals — Processed grains and packaged meals typically comprise excessive ranges of iodine as a consequence of salt iodization and iodine-based components. Prioritize complete, unprocessed meals to raised management iodine consumption. Additional, a balanced food plan wealthy in the precise carbohydrates — and freed from processed meals — helps mobile power manufacturing, which is critical for thyroid well being.

Extra PUFA consumption, together with linoleic acid in seed oils, is a serious wrongdoer, as PUFAs intrude along with your cell’s potential to make use of energetic thyroid hormone.

2. Select high-quality dairy and eggs — Supply dairy and eggs from farmers who don’t complement livestock with iodine or use iodine-based disinfectants. Pasture-raised and natural choices usually tend to have decrease iodine ranges.

Armstrong famous that eggs from pasture-raised chickens with out iodine of their food plan have as little as 5 micrograms per egg, in comparison with eggs from chickens supplemented with iodine, which have as much as 100 micrograms per egg.

3. Assess private care merchandise, dietary supplements, and drugs — Evaluate all dietary supplements and drugs for iodine content material. Keep away from iodine-rich dietary supplements until medically needed. Many private care gadgets, akin to pimples remedies, comprise iodine. Go for iodine-free options to cut back iodine publicity.

4. Conduct an iodine stock — Make the most of instruments like Christianson’s iodineinventory.com to trace your iodine consumption from all sources, together with food plan, dietary supplements, and private care merchandise.

5. Discover extra therapies — Take into account therapies like photobiomodulation to help thyroid well being together with dietary changes.