3 replies to this topic

[ikon2]

I originally was searching the board to find an answer to a dilemma I am faced with.  I am separated from my wife and we have two young children.  She is not often receptive to discussion on foods or vitamins etc relative to the kids.  A major concern I have is that she has moved to a town that fluoridates the water, and continues to use fluoridated toothpaste for them.  This, coupled with the fact that thyroid disease runs in her family and the kids don't like to eat many veggies or eggs (and thus, probably little iodine/iodide), alarms me.  My kids are both 4 (twins).

 

I searched the board for some answers but it left me with more questions than I came with (in a good way).  I am wondering if we might consolidate some of the iodine info at least some basics:

 

1. What form (and method of administration) is best?  I was under the impression that the nascent/atomic/elemental form was superior but I now see a lot of info on the board that it is "corrosive" and "dangerous" when compared to potassium iodide.  I see nascent, elemental, atomic, SSKI, potassium iodide, iodine ion, liquid and pill, internal ingestion and topical, etc.  I am confused.

 

2. Brands - what types are what brands.  I see conflicting things such as "Lugol's" is bad, but then may folks here seem to be taking this type and refer to it in a "pill".  I thought it was only in liquid form.

 

3. Dosage - I realize this is a big question but I guess what I am asking is what is the general consensus for "healthy" adults, and also what is the dosage and form for children?

 

I realize this may be deemed duplicative of info already on the board but I have searched a number of times now and I am confused.

[niner]

Hooboy.  (to quote Michael Rae..)   At least there's one thing that just about everyone agrees on, which is that most people don't get as much iodine as they need.  There is less agreement about how much you need.  I see two camps here.  One holds the view of the Institute of Medicine that RDA-ish amounts are safest.  The RDA is 150 mcg/d, and a number of us take a bit more than this, like 225 mcg in one popular product.  The other camp uses what I would describe as pharmacologic doses, which may be as much as a hundred times the RDA.  There are anecdotal reports of thyroid problems among the pharmacologic camp.  High doses of iodine make some people feel really great, but then so do a lot of things that aren't necessarily good for your long term health.

 

Since there are kids involved in this thread, I'll give you my personal/educated opinion, speaking both as someone trained in the health sciences and as the father of two boys.  I wouldn't dream of giving my kids high dose iodine, and I wouldn't dream of giving them any form of iodine other than iodide.

[ikon2]

Since there are kids involved in this thread, I'll give you my personal/educated opinion, speaking both as someone trained in the health sciences and as the father of two boys.  I wouldn't dream of giving my kids high dose iodine, and I wouldn't dream of giving them any form of iodine other than iodide.

 

Niner, great advice as always.  I was hoping you would see this topic and respond.  I do agree and I guess I should have made it clearer that I am NOT looking to give my kids anything except the safest and minimal dose at which should offer them protection from the fluoride they are bombarded with.  If it were for myself, I wouldn't mind experimenting.

 

That said, what is the iodide specifically?  I see two forms available at a local health store, one is "nascent" and is a liquid from Global Healing Center (and quite expensive as well).  The other is a kelp-liquid that lists only "iodine" on the label on back.  Is either of these the "iodide" and if not, what brand do you recommend?  And is liquid okay (its easier to administer in their drink)?

 

Also, you seemed to have a very strong opinion against "iodine" vs. "iodide".  What is inherently the problem with iodine?

 

What dose of iodide would be appropriate for kids?  Or rather, what dose, if any do you give your boys?

Edited by ikon2, 05 November 2014 - 10:54 PM.

[niner]

That said, what is the iodide specifically?  I see two forms available at a local health store, one is "nascent" and is a liquid from Global Healing Center (and quite expensive as well).  The other is a kelp-liquid that lists only "iodine" on the label on back.  Is either of these the "iodide" and if not, what brand do you recommend?  And is liquid okay (its easier to administer in their drink)?

 

Also, you seemed to have a very strong opinion against "iodine" vs. "iodide".  What is inherently the problem with iodine?

 

What dose of iodide would be appropriate for kids?  Or rather, what dose, if any do you give your boys?

 

Iodide is the stable form of iodine, in which each atom has a negative charge.  Iodine in its elemental form is unstable and is a powerful oxidizing agent.  The difference between iodine and iodide is the same as the difference between chlorine gas and table salt (chloride).   Because iodide has a negative charge, it's always found combined with an atom or group of atoms that has a positive charge.  That's called the "counter-ion", and in the iodide case it is usually potassium.

 

Potassium iodide shouldn't cost very much.  There are probably a lot of fancy products that use inscrutable and/or poorly defined terms like "nascent", but in the end they are likely to be potassium iodide.  I use the 225 mcg tablets from NOW.  For a four year old, I would split those in two or four pieces using a pill splitter.  Actually, I probably wouldn't bother trying to give them iodide separately, but would find a chewable multi that had it.  My kids have been using a jive chewable multi that I'm looking to upgrade, but I haven't picked one out yet.  Their current multi doesn't even have iodine in it.