'IODINE' Dr Brownstein comments on review of his book. (re #4298)

[Guest guest]

I shared with Dr Brownstein, who I know, a copy

of my review of his IODINE book Posted earlier

today in #4298.

He emailed me this reply, which I share:

" Hi Pat,

Nice to hear from you. Thanks for the review.

I am honored. That is a COMPLETE review.

You hit all the high notes. Your observations

coincide with mine. Exactly. I have anew book

coming out soon on salt that will complement

this. Should be out in the next 1 or 2 months.

david

PS

What is the susan wiley protocol? "

__________________

Original Review as Post #4298:

Iodine and Breast Health.

A Review. Raves and Cautions re

" IODINE: Why You Need It.

Why You Can't Live Without It "

by Brownstein MD. (2004)

First of all this is a valuable project, very well done.

For those who think TSH and Synthroid are the limits

of the discussion I might suggest a different volume.

Not that they don't need this one. I fear in certain

quarters that the argument will fall on deaf ears.

IODINE flows logically from Brownstein's interest

in thyroid. He is also the author of

" OVERCOMING THYROID DISORDERS:

A Holistic Approach to Treating Thyroid Disorders

Including Hypothyroidism, Graves' Disease and

Hashimoto's Disease " (2002).

For anyone really interested in thyroid questions this

book is a truly great service. If anyone really works

hard to fully make the thyroid system work iodine

comes to the fore as a key question. Everyone knows

iodine is important, but there is a widespread fear of

taking too much. For too long we have been without

a good system for determining what is too much, or

too little.

Dr Brownstein has presented very clear guidelines on

how to proceed with viable diagnosis, effective

treatment and reliable monitoring with a good

iodine/iodide product. He makes an effective case

for why we should take these steps. ly, many

more good reasons than I had been aware of.

Brownstein graciously acknowledges his debt to Guy

Abraham MD, Lugol and others. I am impressed with

his combination of good instincts, follow through,

and hard work.

Upon initially reading IODINE in March 2004, just as

it was first published, I was particularly intrigued with

the 'iodine and breast connection'.

I learned many years ago from the works of

Lee MD how many issues of fibrocystic breast will

resolve with proper balancing of

estrogen:progesterone. Often it works.

But till reading Brownstein's IODINE I was puzzled at

cases where breast fullness and tenderness would

return - sometimes even worsen - after I had done

everything I could with thyroid, cortisol, progesterone

etc. I would double check all the hormones and end

up puzzled. It was clear to me I was missing

something. Indeed I might have been causing

something since certain breast problems seemed to

increase in direct proportion to general improvements

elsewhere.

What really caught my attention in IODINE was its

argument that improving thyroid function increases

the thyroid's need for iodine, inadvertently reducing

the iodine supply to the breast. This in turn can cause

breast swelling due to iodine starved breast tissue.

Presumably other iodine starved tissues as well.

Iodine and the breasts? Yes. Listen to a brief summary

of Brownstein's argument in his own words:

(Then I'll add my cautions at the end.)

" Iodine contains potent antibacterial, antiparasitic,

antiviral, and anticancer properties. Iodine is also

effective for treating fibrocystic breasts and ovarian

cysts. " page 19.

" ...iodine deficiency predisposes one to an increased

risk of breast, ... endometrial and ovarian cancer. "

page 34.

" The thyroid gland primarily utilizes iodide. " page 49.

" The breasts, on the other hand, primarily utilize

iodine. Studies have shown that iodine deficiency can

alter the structure and function of breast tissue. This

can include dysplasia and atypia that may be the

forerunner for breast cancer. Animal studies have

shown that iodide (the form of iodine that is present

in iodized salt) is ineffective at reversing the

pre-cancerous lesions of animal breast tissue,

whereas iodine is much more effective. " page 50.

" ...iodine concentrates in, and is secreted from, the

breasts. The breasts are one of the body's main

storage and utilization sites for iodine... adequate

iodine levels are necessary for the

development and maintenance of normal breast

architecture. Animal studies have shown conclusively

that an iodine deficient state can alter the structure

and function of the breasts ... iodine deficiency is a

causative factor in breast cancer and fibrocystic breast

disease. " page 57

" The breasts are the second major storage site for

iodine in the body, next to the thyroid gland. In an

iodine-deficient state, the thyroid gland and the

breasts will compete for what little iodine is available.

.... this will leave ... the breasts iodine-depleted

and can set the stage for illnesses such as ... breast

cancer, and cystic breast disease. " page 58.

" Iodine is found in minute quantities in the body...

Due to its dependence on iodine... the thyroid gland

has developed a specialized system to concentrate

iodine and it is able to concentrate a large amount

of iodine as compared to its size. The breasts have

developed a similar ability to concentrate iodine. "

pages 95-96.

" ...thyroid hormones introduced into the body will

raise the body's need for iodine. The breasts, like the

thyroid gland, have an advanced system for absorbing

and storing iodine. When there is an iodine deficiency,

the breast and the thyroid gland enlarge to

compensate for that deficiency. In both cases, iodine

deficiency induces hyperplasia. ....If a person suffers

from iodine deficiency, using thyroid hormone

supplementation without first correcting (or

simultaneously correcting) the iodine deficit will

exacerbate the body's deficit of iodine. " page 62.

" Iodine has also been shown to be extremely effective

at treating and preventing fibrocystic breasts and in

fact, iodine has been the most researched mineral in

treating breast disease. " page 59.

" Because different tissues concentrate different forms

of iodine, using a supplement that contains both

iodide and iodine is preferable... breasts concentrate

iodine...thyroid and the skin primarily concentrate

iodide... " page 50.

" It has been known for over 50 years that there is an

association between breast cancer and iodine levels.

There have been many articles written in medical

literature pointing towards a direct relationship

between low iodine levels and the development of

breast cancer in various regions of the world,

including the United States. " page 65.

" Animal research has shown that in an iodine deficient

state...animal breast tissue will show signs of

developing breast cancer. The longer the animals are

maintained in an iodine deficient state, the more

likely their breast tissue will become cancerous. ...

'maintainance of the optimum structure and

function of the breast requires the presence of

continuous and specific amounts of iodine.' " page 67.

" The body's major storage of iodine occurs in the

thyroid gland. ... women's breasts are the second

major site of iodine storage. Maintaining adequate

iodine levels is necessary to ensure an adequately

functioning thyroid gland and normal breast

architecture. ... a woman, having more breast tissue

than a man, requires a higher iodine intake than a

man. In an iodine deficient state, a woman will show

earlier signs and more severe signs of iodine

deficiency than a man in a similar deficient state. "

page 69.

" The connection between iodine deficiency and ...

fibrocystic breast disease is strong. " page 70.

" The thyroid gland needs 6mg of iodine for sufficiency

and the breasts need at least 5mg of iodine; that

leaves 2mg ... of iodine for the rest of the body ...

well above the RDA ... would explain why the RDA for

iodine is inadequate and why it is necessary not only

to get your iodine levels evaluated, ... to supplement

with the correct amount and form of iodine. " page 70.

***

The IODINE book helped resolve a paradox I have

struggled with for years. Why do many large busted

women get more breast trouble when we fix thyroid

and other hormones? Because there is inadequate

iodine for both a healthy thyroid and healthy breasts.

As the thyroid begins to improve it needs more iodine.

Where to get it? From the other major iodine storage

area, the breasts. But the breasts need it too and

iodine starved tissues swell. In thyroid is is called

goiter. In breasts it is various forms of painfully

swollen tissues. The solution? Adequate iodine/iodide

for all tissues to be healthy.

For myself, I was eager to begin the Iodine test on as

many clients as were interested. Starting with myself.

I was particularly eager to check the iodine numbers

on women with breast problems. Sadly, the test

created additional problems.

The Iodine test discussed in the book is a 'loading'

test. You pass the first urine in the am. You next

swallow four 12.5mg iodine/iodide pills totaling

50mg. Next you collect all urine for 24 hours through

the first urination of the following am. Two ounces

of the total urine are sent to a special lab.

If you are fully 'iodine-adequate' you will excrete

95% of the iodine/iodide in the 24 hour urine. 5% will

be kept for daily maintenance. If you are iodine

deficient you will hold onto the needed iodine,

releasing a smaller amount in the urine. The scores

I have seen personally in the last 1+ year have

been a low of 24% (bad) to a high of 93% (very good).

Men, having less breast tissue, tend to test better.

Flat chested women will generally test better than

their large busted sisters. Elderly test worse. The

very ill test worse.

The main testing problem is as follows. For the 24

hours of the test you take 50mg of iodine/iodide.

Then it is back to zero iodine for a week or two

pending results. Many people feel very good for the

24 hours of the test. About 25% completely fall apart

- physically & emotionally - in the 5-7 days right

after the test. They can't go from zero iodine, to

50mg iodine, then back to zero iodine in 48 hours!

My solution is to have everyone get a bottle of the

iodine/iodide product which comes in 12.5mg scored

tablets. (Scored means they are designed to be easily

broken in half.) The first morning after the test is

finished I have everyone take a 12.5mg tablet. The

rest of the week I have everyone take a half tablet

daily till tests results are in.

This keeps a cushion under them and prevents a

yo-yo effect of on/off iodine. It works well, except

for persons with severe kidney problems, who are

probably not candidates for the test. Since the long

term maintenance dose is 1/day, the cushion is safe.

Indeed much safer than doing nothing at all.

The next problem comes with using the iodine/iodide

product which is amazing but volatile. It seems to

fully cure Graves disease and hyperthyroidism. It can

greatly worsen hypothyroidism, if not carefully used.

I come from a low thyroid family and needed thyroid

for decades. After a year on this product I no longer

take Any thyroid! (Down from 2 grains/day.) But it

was not an easy year learning how to adjust

iodine/iodide with thyroid hormone.

Use of this non-prescription product requires careful

monitoring and testing by a thyroid skilled person.

One unique problem is that the product sort of

creates different ranges for normal. It appears that

normal lab values for thyroid are normal values in a

thyroid deficient population. Intellectually fascinating

but a clinical nightmare.

The Japanese are said to have the highest iodine

levels in the world. After studying Japanese levels,

researchers were stymied in studying Americans

iodine levels. USA levels were so low the existing

technology could not detect them! Researchers had to

await more sensitive techniques to study USA levels.

So by all means read the IODINE book. Share it with

your doctor. Just be very careful should you try to

follow what it suggests. Caution: This is a very

exciting project with a lot of both rewards and risks.

IODINE is available at

http://www.drbrownstein.com/

Toll-free:

Feedback and comments always welcome.

All the best,

Pat