Well, of course, as a totally imprecise test, the arm patch thing leaves a bit to be desired ... how dark should the patch be? How much is it allowed to fade over the 12 hour period? But first results (from yesterday afternoon) are:

With a ~half-dollar size, single swab patch on my arm, it had gone from a deep yellow-orange to a pale yellow in 7 hours, and then I forgot to check it again when I went to bed a few hours later. So, I guess that might be a mild/moderate deficiency?

I'm doing it again today, only I painted two layers of tincture of iodine on, to make a darker stain, and I'm only going to check at the 6 and 8 hour marks. By 6 hours, I think you're not supposed to see any fading of the stain at all, so we'll see how things look when I go to bed tonight.

In the meantime, I'm ordering some Lugol's Solution tomorrow. ;-)

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At the risk of further complicating the iodine for hypo issue I thought I should mention reading in three places online that iodine is contraindicated for Hashimoto's. They say it causes increased fluctuations in TSH and swings in our condition and response to medication. I was taking iodine in a Standard Process product called Prolamine when I read this for the third time. I did feel some fluctuations so stopped. Yet I wonder, along with the healer who recommended iodine, "how then do we correct a deficiency?" He suggested going back to kelp because it's a whole food, but the docs online don't even like that and I had been taking it before doing the patch test. I feel very steady right now and don't want to tinker for awhile, but I still wonder. Mivox, do you notice any difference since supplementing with iodine?

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...if I notice a big difference. I haven't started supplementing yet, so I'll definitely look our for that when I do (and, of course, will post back anything I notice).

It does indeed seem to be a bit of a catch 22, if you have a definite iodine deficiency, but aren't supposed to take iodine! I haven't been diagnosed with Hashimoto's specifically (haven't had an antibody test), so I'm not sure if this will be an issue for me.

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I asked my doc. for the Hashi's test in my last bloodwork and the nurse called back and said no, explaining, "Without saying you have it, ninety percent of thyroid cases in the US are caused by Hashi's. We don't want you to pay for something that's not going to do you any good." So now I'm looking for a new doctor. I noticed a difference after just the added iodine from the test. I did it a couple of times in four days.

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Yesterday, when I did the second test, I forgot to check it again until 10 hours later. hehe. Obviously the extra iodine hasn't miraculously improved my memory. ;-) It had noticeably faded by then, but that's close enough to the 12-hour mark, I wasn't sure what to make of it.

So, I put a bunch of iodine on my arm this morning, about 4 hours ago, and wore a sleeveless shirt! ;-) It's gone from a deep orange to a dark, dark yellow ... which is a little bit of a change, but not much fading in darkness overall. Of course, every time I do it, I'm eliminating a little more of whatever deficiency I started with. So. haha. It's not much of a controlled experiment at all!

That all said, I haven't noticed any major changes in energy levels or any other odd fluctuations in my symptoms. Of course, I also didn't get enough sleep last night, so that can't be helping the overall accuracy of my little experiment today.

I'd really make a rubbish scientist, wouldn't I? haha!

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Sounds like you're not severely deficient. My 3x3 square was completely gone in less than five hours and the silver-dollar sized circle a couple of days later in four. Had lots more energy with both, physical and mental.

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I'm going on seven hours with the latest test, and it's still a noticeable bright yellow. It's fading, but definitely not as fast as yours.

As a matter of course, I use sea salt and eat sushi and seaweed on a semi-regular basis. Also the multivitamins I'm using have iodine too.

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I have been using iodine on my skin periodically for over two years now. It is amazing how much the absorption time fluctuates from time to time. I don't use it regularly, but the first symptom I start actually noticing when I need more iodine is severe chilliness that isn't helped by putting on more clothes or turning the a\c up or down according to the season. There is definitely an increase in a sense of well-being and energy after the iodine is applied, plus I'm not cold anymore. I was shocked recently to find that my application disappeared in less than three hours! Needless to say, I have been diligently applying it now for a few days. I am violently allergic to iodine taken internally(rashes, swelling and, finally, hemorrhaging) but, so far, after using it on the skin for upwards of two years, no reactions whatsoever have appeared.

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Thanks for your post ... it's good to hear from someone who's been doing iodine swabbing for a long time! Especially interesting to me that you're intolerant of oral iodine, but can still supplement transdermally.

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Hi there. I have been recently diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. My question to you is...How did you find out you were allergic to oral iodine, and did you get bad and hemorrhage quickly. Where did the Hemorrhage occur?? I am considering iodine therapy, but I am hoping to hear your input prior to..Thank you and God bless!!

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How do you know if you have Hashis? Sorry, but my endo (soon to be former endo) is an *ss and didn't tell me I had Hashis but I have antibodies just slighty out of range (one point). The TPO was normal but the Thyroidglobulen AB was slightly off. I think I need iodine since my patch was gone within 24 hours and the one I'm doing now is quite faded after only 4 hours.

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can you take iodoral iodine tablets once a day with hashimoto's. I am on levoxyl and Cytomel..but still having alot of health problems...wounds healing slow, hair falling out and extremely cold all the time...does that mean I am deficient in iodine even though I am taking thyroid meds...I thought thyroid meds had iodine in them..

Linda

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I have heard that iodine supplementation is generally not recommended for hashimotos thyroiditis patients (which is usually diagnosed with a thyroid antibody test).

Linda, have you asked your doctor about trying Armour thyroid? No thyroid medications contain iodine, but Armour thyroid (and the other "natural" thyroid medications) do contain a lot of thyroid hormones and other thyroid products that synthetic meds like levoxyl and cytomel don't.

If your doctor won't prescribe Armour, you might want to try a natural thyroid supplement like Thyromine, or a similar thyroid "glandular" from a health food store. That may provide your system with enough extra thyroid support to start helping your remaining symptoms!

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go to curezone.com

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Hello, I think it may depend on the type of iodine that is used that can cause a potential problem with the autoimmune thyroid problems. I have read that lack of the proper type of iodine can contribute to Graves’ Disease, Hashimoto’s Disease, fatigue and impaired immune system function. Dr. Brownstein has reported an improvement in many of his thyroid patients using Lugol's solution.

Here is a link to a debate on iodine where Drs. Brownstein and Abraham provide references for their rebuttal to an editorial by Dr. Gaby: http://www.townsendletter.com/Oct2005/gabyrebuttal1005.htm

Effectiveness

The Center for Holistic Medicine in West Bloomfield, MI (office of D. Brownstein, M.D.) has tested over 500 patients for iodine deficiency using the iodine/iodide loading test, developed by one of us.3 Based on the experience of the Center, the loading test provides an accurate and reproducible picture of the iodine status in the body. Retesting many of these patients has shown the changes in the test correlates with the changes in the clinical picture. In other words, as the loading test improves, the clinical picture improves.

Our experience at the Center for Holistic Medicine has shown that patients with the lowest urinary iodide levels on the loading tests are often the most ill.

Many of these patients with very low urine iodide levels following the loading test have severe illnesses such as breast cancer, thyroid cancer or autoimmune thyroid disorders. All of these conditions have been shown in the literature to be associated with iodine deficiency.3 Positive clinical results were seen in most of these patients after supplementation of orthoiodosupplementation within the range of 6.25-50mg of iodine/iodide (1/2 to 4 tablets of Lugol in tablet form).

The effectiveness of orthoiodosupplementation has not been limited to the very ill. In fact, most patients treated with orthoiodosupplementation have quickly experienced positive results although optimal responses are observed when whole body iodine sufficiency is achieved based on the iodine/iodide loading test. Our experience has shown that a wide range of disorders have responded to orthoiodosupplementation including thyroid disorders, chronic fatigue, headaches, fibromyalgia and those with infections. Additionally, our clinical experience has shown that iodine/iodide supplementation has resulted in lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients. The blood pressure-lowering effect is seen when sufficiency of iodine is achieved.

Safety
Dr. Gaby's editorial claims that the relatively high doses of iodine/iodide used in orthoiodosupplementation may lead to hypothyroidism, goiter or autoimmune thyroid problems. This just is not the case. A review of the literature revealed that the organic forms of iodine were involved in most of these

complications.3 Iodine intake has fallen over 50% in the U.S. over the last 30 years.38 During this same time, increases in diabetes, hypertension, obesity, breast and thyroid cancer, and other thyroid disorders, have been reported. It appears to us that iodine deficiency, not iodine excess may be responsible for the increase of these conditions.3,18

Also, here is a link for an interesting 4 part lecture about iodine by Dr. David Brownstein at the Vitamin C Foundation website:

http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/videos/

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i have started on a supplement called modifilan, it is produced in russia and is pure brown seaweed extract...it has organic iodine in it, and since beginning this product a mere three weeks ago, i have noticed a definite benefit in my hair, my nails and my energy levels (i am also hypothyroid for over ten years now) my hair and nails are stronger, the hair seems fuller and the texture is returning to how it used to be before i became hypothyroid...this is a natural product, and i highly recommend it as a supplement to a well balanced diet...

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"I have heard that iodine supplementation is generally not recommended for hashimotos thyroiditis patients (which is usually diagnosed with a thyroid antibody test).

Linda, have you asked your doctor about trying Armour thyroid? No thyroid medications contain iodine, but Armour thyroid (and the other "natural" thyroid medications) do contain a lot of thyroid hormones and other thyroid products that synthetic meds like levoxyl and cytomel don't.

If your doctor won't prescribe Armour, you might want to try a natural thyroid supplement like Thyromine, or a similar thyroid "glandular" from a health food store. That may provide your system with enough extra thyroid support to start helping your remaining symptoms!"

I have been on Armour for two years (I refused to take the synthetic forms) with 3-6 month blood tests. I have not experienced an improvement in my energy, weight, puffy face, etc. Last test showed my T3 to be too high and I was experiencing rapid heart symptoms. My Armour dose was reduced to half. I'm still not where I want to be.

The iodine skin test shows me that I have a serious deficiency. It's gone in less than four hours - no trace!
I recently bought some Lugol's and started the 2 drops 3x's daily routine two days ago.

I'm willing to give this a try since all the money spent on lab work, doctor's visits, and prescription medication have me in the same condition before I was diagnosed with Hashimoto.

Is it possible this diagnoses frightens the patient into submitting to the thyroid replacement therapy recommended exclusively by the pharmaceutical corporations? Hashimoto sounds so much more serious than iodine deficiency.

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I put a pretty big spot somewhere on my stomach double the size of a hald dollar. It is completly gone in less than 5 hours. I do it about 4 days a week when I remeber. Haven't noticed much but some days I have a increase in energy and awareness. Other days I am very tired. I donot have insurance and hoping to get it soon soi I don't want to go to a doctor and end up with a pre-exist.

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I tried the test and the stain mostly disappeared within 6 hours. However its not about 10 hours later and I can't wash the remainder of the staoin off - its very faint and looks like a birthmark - and soap and water won't get it off. Ideas?

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I purchased some Iodine and applied to my stomach with bottle applicator making a dark orange silver dollar size spot. Pale yellow in two hours. Lighter than a freckle in and fading fast in 3 hours. Checked my T-Shirt to see if the iodine somehow rubber off and I can not see any sign of a stain on my T-Shirt. Interesting.

JS Northridge, Ca

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I have searhed for months and tried 95% of what is available - both naturally and with prescriptions to get rid of yeast infection on my face. Doctors said it was anything from bacteria, viral, rosacea and I was treated for all of those things- nothing worked until I took Lugols solution 6 drops 4 times per day like clock work, then I bought the Iodoral tablets and it was easier to deal with. It took two months to get rid of it but my face hasn't looked this good since I was a teenager. I'm 50- and will continue to make sure Iodine is added to my diet every day for the rest of my life. All pre-menopause symptoms disappeared and no more Hormone problems - my disposition is a 180 degree change-- I wish everyone had the opportunity to check out iodine and see what great things it can do for you. If you can't pursue Lugols or Iodoral at least take Kelp every day!!!!

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Great to see that you are spreading the word about testing for iodine. It’s a great easy test to use. When I do it with my patients, I let them know about a little twist that really helps out.

On the subject of people being iodine deficient, there is a lot of controversy. Some say that it has to be impossible for Americans to be deficient with all the iodine added to table salt. Case closed, right? What are not taken into account (besides the fact that there are some that are not getting enough iodine) are the other additives we eat/drink. Fluoride, chloride and bromide are all in our drinking water (and a bunch of other stuff) so that we are getting large doses of these other elements. They have a similar structure to iodine, so they can bind to things that iodine can bind to (important when looking at thyroid hormone production and conversion to T3). Since these have a higher molecular weight, they bully out the iodine from binding to the hormone. Now the hormone is bound to this other stuff and is rendered useless. So, you can have sufficient iodine intake but still be clinically deficient because of toxicity.
While supplementing iodine, you need to make sure that you perform a PROPER detox program and elimination diet. That's when you see your results (in more areas than this as well, detox will help rid of heavy metals, estrogens, etc.)
I have more of this type of stuff on my blog at www.thyroidsolutions.blogspot.com

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I just wanted to add my experience. I bought a tincture of iodine and found it would disappear within 8hrs (overnight). I had recently been diagnosed with a thyroid nodule and thought it might be due to iodine deficiency. I started also seeing a naturopath who has advised me to take an iodine supplement. I took a 24hr iodine test and was found to be very deficient. My thyroid specialist has advised me to avoid all iodine supplementation including kelp... sigh... So I am not sure where to go from here...but since my levels are checked monthly, I may just start with small amounts of iodine and not the large dose the naturopath recommends. He wants me to take 12.5mg per day which is 12,500 ug. The recommended daily intake for an adult is 150ug. On top of all this, I am pregnant! Ha ha! My advice to everyone here... take iodine before you have a problem... take the recommended daily intake or even a little more. I sure wish I had known beforehand that I was deficient. Now with the pregnancy and the functioning nodule, I don't want to make things worse with iodine supplementation. How do we ever know what to do? LOL

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Well I tried this out, accidently fell asleep, woke up 9 hours later, and it was gone. I tried it again a couple hours later, not thinking that I should wait like a day or more for some more accurate results. This one lasted at least 12 hours, not sure of the exact time, but definitely not 24. I waited a couple of days and tried again, and again I forgot to check, but it was half-faded by the 7 hour mark.

I've also seen other pages on the internet that say if it fades within 4 or 8 hours then you're deficient. So what might this mean? Which test has more appropriate numbers? Should I go ahead and supplement? I've already bought some iodine supplements but I don't know whether or not to take them, because as you know, some thyroid problems are a really bad mix with extra iodine and I definitely have a thyroid problem with a huge mix of hypo/hyper symptoms that I can't see a doctor about until January. So what do I do?

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Can povidone iodine usd be used in the patch test? Is it the same as tincture of iodine? Is it safe? I recently stupidly took a lot of cabbage and broccoli juice for about two months before knowing that these vege are goitrogenic! For two weeks now I feel a tightness in my neck and throat, joint pains and dry mouth. I have never had these thinga before taking the juice. I have already started taking natural iodine from kelp as an iodine supplement. Please help/. Thanks.

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California has restricted the ability to purchase tincture of iodine over-the-counter, by Rx or through veterinary/feed supplies. I therefore resorted to the povidone-iodine swabs. The absorption appears to run the same course as tincture of iodine would. Does anyone have suggestions for obtaining Tinture of Iodine if you live in California? [restricted due to being an ingredient of making methamphetamines] I could comment, but that's another day!
Also - diagnosed 4+ years ago with hypothyroid. 45+ wt gain despite restricted/organic diet, and all of the symptoms of malfunctioning thyroid. [Friends think I should look like a stick with the dietery intake I have.] Needless to say, I have been VERY frustrated. The last physician visit 1-1/2 months ago, he said, "Maybe you're not absorbing the Armour 120mg well." He's taken wait-and-see approach, and I do respect his holistic approach. Through research of my own and finding this site, among others, I tried the test and now have started kelp supplements. I've lost 4 pounds in one week - the first weight loss in 4 years! Thanks for this site and for all of your various comments and questions. I'm very grateful! s/ a fotobug

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I started talking a kelp pill last Friday. First i should say i have been thinking i fall in the hypo for a while i have gained weight and extra things are happening. I spend weeks reading information, I would go to the doctor but they like to put up brick walls, even if you are paying for it.
I put the patch on my arm and will have a look see at the end of the work day. Yes i know this test may not be needed seeing that i am talking Kelp pills, but i'm going try it anyway so now i can see if i am needing or i have to much, win/win.

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been trying to loose weight forever..and I remembered a friend of mine told me about the iodine patch test. so I bought iodine and put in on my arm and it disappeared in about 2 hours.. I have been putting it on for about 6 days and it is still disappearing before the 24 hour time limit.. Added a supplement called fucothin (which I took with no results about a month ago) but added it with the iodine and I have lost 6lbs in about 5 days... I know that is quick weight loss but I am happy about it because I have been eating great and exercising with no weight loss for about 2 years and now since I have added the iodine I am starting to have weight loss. Fucothin has seaweed in it...

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I gave blood recently and the nurse washed the excess iodine off, after the donation with baby wipes. She said they work great.

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I also would like to know if Povidone Iodine 10% can be used for the test as well. I tried this on the inside of my upper arm and within 8 hours there was no trace of it ever being there.

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