Bromine Toxicity Destroys Your Thyroid and Metabolism

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Bromine Toxicity Destroys Your Thyroid and Metabolism

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If you are like most people, you probably haven't spent much time thinking

about how much bromine you're absorbing from your car upholstery or your

Mountain Dew. But bromine toxicity is a definite danger from some surprising

sources, and it can wreak havoc on your health.

Bromines All Around You

Bromines are common endocrine disruptors, and are part of the halide

family, a group of elements that includes fluorine, chlorine and iodine. What

makes it so dangerous is that it competes for the same receptors that are

used to capture iodine.

If you are exposed to a lot of bromine, your body will not hold on to the

iodine that it needs. And iodine affects every tissue in your body -- not

just your thyroid.

You are already exposed to far too much _chlorine_

(http://www.google.com/custom?hl=en & cof=S:http://www.preventdisease.com;CX:Preve\

ntDisease.com;L:http:

//www.preventdisease.com/images/PDlogo938.gif;LH:48;LP:1; & q=chlorine & btnG=Se

arch & cx=008658674907507047567:ozcb-7cqbvu) and bromine. Bromine can be

found in a number of places in your everyday world, including: •Pesticides

(specifically methyl bromide, used mainly on strawberries, predominantly in

California)

-- Plastics, like those used to make computers

-- Bakery goods and some flours often contain a " dough conditioner " called

potassium bromate

-- Soft drinks (including Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Sun Drop, Squirt, Fresca

and other citrus-flavored sodas), in the form of brominated vegetable oils

(BVOs)

-- Medications such as Atrovent Inhaler, Atrovent Nasal Spray,

Pro-Banthine (for ulcers), and anesthesia agents

-- Fire retardants (common one is _polybromo diphenyl ethers or PBDEs_

(http://www.google.com/custom?hl=en & cof=S:http://www.preventdisease.com;CX:Preve

ntDisease.com;L:http://www.preventdisease.com/images/PDlogo938.gif;LH:48;LP:

1; & q=pbde & btnG=Search & cx=008658674907507047567:ozcb-7cqbvu) ) used in

fabrics, carpets, upholstery, and mattresses

-- Bromine-based hot tub and swimming pool treatments

According to van Leeuwen, who has extensively studied the effects of

sodium bromide on thyroid function:

**Although the bromide ion is widely distributed in nature, the main route

of exposure in humans stems from bromide residues in food commodities as a

result of the abundant use of bromide-containing pesticides, like

methylbromide and ethylene dibromide, for soil fumigation in intensive

horticulture

and for postharvest treatment.**

One clinical consequence of overexposure to bromine is suppression of your

thyroid, leading to hypothyroidism, which will be discussed shortly.

Another is bromide toxicity.

Bromine -- The Bully of the Halide Group

When you ingest or absorb bromine, it displaces iodine, and this iodine

deficiency leads to an _increased risk for cancer of the breast_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/343535) , thyroid gland, ovary and prostate

--

cancers that we see at alarmingly high rates today. This phenomenon is

significant enough to have been given its own name -- _the Bromide Dominance

Theory_ (http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/bromidedominancetheory.html) .

Aside from its effects on your endocrine glands, bromine is toxic in and

of itself. Bromide builds up in your central nervous system and results in

many problems. It is a central nervous system depressant and can trigger a

number of psychological symptoms such as acute paranoia and other psychotic

symptoms.

In fact, in an audio interview, _physician Flechas _

(http://iodine4health.com/overviews/audiovisual/flechas_audiovisual.htm)

reported that,

between 1920 and 1960, at least 20 percent of all hospital admissions for

**acute paranoid schizophrenia** were a result of ingesting bromine-containing

products. In addition to psychiatric problems, _bromine toxicity _

(http://www.drlintegral.com/DoctorData%20Breast-Iodine%20Presentation--FINAL2.pd\

f)

can manifest as the following:

-- Skin rashes and severe acne

-- Loss of appetite and abdominal pain

-- Fatigue

-- Metallic taste

-- Cardiac arrhythmias

Baby Boomers might recall a popular product from the 1950s called

Bromo-Seltzer. These effervescent granules, developed by the Emerson Drug

Company

of Baltimore, were used to treat heartburn, upset stomach, indigestion,

headaches and hangovers.

Bromo-Selzer's original formula contained 3.2 mEq/teaspoon of sodium

bromide -- hence the name. The sedative effect probably explained its

popularity

as a hangover remedy. Bromides were withdrawn from the American market in

1975 due to their toxicity.

Bromo-Selzer is still on the market, but no longer contains bromide.

Bromines in Your Bread Box: Potassium Bromate

The ban on bromines have not prevented them from sneaking into your foods

and personal care products.

You probably are not aware of this, but nearly every time you eat bread in

a restaurant or consume a hamburger or hotdog bun you are consuming

bromide, as it is commonly used in flours.

The use of potassium bromate as an additive to commercial breads and baked

goods has been a huge contributor to bromide overload in Western cultures.

Bromated flour is **enriched** with potassium bromate. Commercial baking

companies claim it makes the dough more elastic and better able to stand up

to bread hooks. However, Pepperidge Farm and other successful companies

manage to use only unbromated flour without any of these so-called " structural

problems. "

Potassium bromate is also found in some toothpastes and mouthwashes, where

it's added as an antiseptic and astringent. It has been found to cause

bleeding and inflammation of gums in people using these products.

Sodium Bromate and BMOs

_Mountain Dew_ (http://www.naturalthyroidchoices.com/MtDew.html) , one of

the worst beverages you can drink, uses brominated vegetable oil as an

emulsifier. Not only that, it contains high fructose corn syrup, sodium

benzoate, more than 55 mg of caffeine per 12 ounce can, and Yellow Dye #5

(tartrazine, which has been banned in Norway, Austria and Germany.) A weapon of

mass destruction -- in a can.

Even drinking water can be a source of bromide. When drinking water

containing bromide is exposed to ozone, bromate ions are formed, which are

powerful oxidizing agents. Such was the case in 2004 when Coca Cola Company had

to recall Dasani bottled water.

Sodium bromate can also be found in personal care products such as

permanent waves, hair dyes, and textile dyes. Benzalkonium is used as a

preservative in some cosmetics.

Finally, bromine and chlorine were _the most common toxic elements

reportedly found in automobiles_

(http://iodine4health.com/ortho/brownstein_ortho.htm) , according to the blog

of Brownstein, MD (March 2007). They

showed up in the seats, armrests, door trim, shift knobs and other areas of the

car. Think about how much time you spend enclosed in your outgassing

Chevy... windows up with no air circulation.

The United States is quite behind in putting an end to the egregious

practice of allowing bromine chemicals in your foods. _In 1990, the United

Kingdom banned bromate in bread_

(http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/bromidedominancetheory.html) . In 1994,

Canada did the same. Brazil recently outlawed

bromide in flour products. What's taking us so long? Another case of our

government protecting big industry -- instead of protecting you.

Iodine Levels and Cancer Risk

Iodine levels have significantly dropped due to bromine exposure;

declining consumption of iodized salt, eggs, fish, and sea vegetables; and soil

depletion. In the U.S. population, there was _50 percent reduction in urinary

iodine excretion between 1970 and 1990_

(http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/83/10/3398) .

What's this doing to our country's health?

The Japanese consume 89 times more iodine than Americans due to their

daily consumption of sea vegetables, and they have reduced rates of many

chronic diseases, including the lowest rates of cancer in the world. The RDA

for

iodine in the U.S. is a meager 150 mcg/day, which pales in comparison with

the average daily intake of 13800 mcg/day for the Japanese.

There is a large body of evidence suggesting that low cancer rates in

Japan are a _result of their substantially higher iodine levels_

(http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/IOD-02/IOD_02.htm) . Iodine has documented

antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties. A strong case can be made that

your

iodine RDA should be closer to what the Japanese consume daily, if _breast

cancer rates _ (http://jjco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/35/12/758) are

any indication. Low iodine can lead to fibrocystic breast disease in women

(density, lumps and bumps), hyperplasia, and atypical mammary tissue. Such

fibrocystic changes in breast tissue have been shown to reverse in the

presence of iodine supplementation after 3-4 months. If you are interested in

being tested for iodine deficiency, the _urine iodine challenge test _

(http://www.doctorsdata.com/test_info.asp?id=117) is the best way to assess

your

iodine level.

Bromine and Your Thyroid

Adding to the negative health effects of bromine, the damage to your

thyroid health deserves special mention.

As stated in the first part of this article, bromine exposure depletes

your body's iodine by competing with iodine receptors. Iodine is crucial for

thyroid function. Without iodine, your thyroid gland would be completely

unable to produce thyroid hormone.

Even the names of the different forms of thyroid hormone reflect the

number of iodine molecules attached -- T4 has four attached iodine molecules,

and T3 (the biologically active form of the hormone) has three--showing what

an important part iodine plays in thyroid biochemistry.

Hypothyroidism is far more prevalent than once thought in the U.S. The

latest estimates are that 13 million Americans have hypothyroidism, but the

actual numbers are probably higher. Some experts claim that 10 to40 percent

of Americans have suboptimal thyroid function.

Many of these folks may actually have nothing wrong with their thyroid

gland at all -- they may just be suffering from iodine deficiency.

Seven Tips for Avoiding Bromine and Optimizing Iodine

Trying to avoid bromine is like trying to avoid air pollution -- all you

can do is minimize your exposure. That said, here are a few things you can

do to minimize your risk:

1. Eat organic as often as possible. Wash all produce thoroughly. This

will minimize your pesticide exposure.

2. Avoid eating or drinking from (or storing food and water in) plastic

containers. Use glass and safe ceramic vessels.

3. Look for organic whole-grain breads and flour. Grind you own grain, if

possible. Look for the **no bromine** or **bromine-free** label on

commercial baked goods.

4. Avoid sodas. Drink natural, filtered water instead.

5. If you own a hot tub, look into an ozone purification system. Such

systems make it possible to keep the water clean with minimal chemical

treatments.

6. Look for personal care products that are as chemical-free as possible.

Remember -- anything going on you, goes in you.

7. When in a car or a building, open windows as often as possible,

preferably on opposing sides of the space for cross ventilation. Utilize fans

to

circulate the air. Chemical pollutants are much higher inside buildings (and

cars) than outside.

Avoid Unfermented Soy

Another major contributor to thyroid dysfunction that I did not discuss

above is unfermented soy. Soy isoflavones can wreak havoc on your thyroid.

Kaayla 's groundbreaking book, _The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of

America's Favorite Health Food_

(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0967089751/optimalwellnessc) is a

powerful exposé that reveals the truth

about the soy myths that have infiltrated our culture. It's ironic that soy

has become so accepted as a health food when, as Dr. states,

thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress,

immune-system

breakdown, thyroid- and hormonal dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive

disorders and infertility--even cancer and heart disease.

So if you want to keep your thyroid healthy, you'll definitely want to

avoid unfermented soy products of all kinds, including soy milk.

(2010) Bromine Toxicity Destroys Your Thyroid and Metabolism.

PreventDisease.com

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