When Iodine should be combined with Thyroid Medication

Combining Iodoral with thyroid medication always works very well if done properly. So if you are on thyroid medication go slowly on the iodine, as suggested in How to Take Iodoral, and enjoy the numerous benefits. In fact I recommend that everyone on thyroid medication be on iodine for several reasons.

1. Iodine enhances thyroid hormone production.

2. Iodine enhances thyroid hormone utilization.

3. Iodine enhances T4 to T3 conversion.

4. Iodine detoxifies toxic chemicals that interfere with thyroid gland function.

5. Iodine detoxifies toxic chemicals that interfere with thyroid hormone function.

6. Iodine can stabilize, or reduce the amount of medication needed.

7. Iodine can, over time, eliminate the need for medication by restoring normal function.

8. Our iodine protocol can reduce thyroid hormone resistance (low body temperature) by reducing cortisol secretion and balancing the thyroid/adrenal axis.

But should you be on medication? Well that depends on your situation. Here is how I approach that question for each client. The goal is to be effective without being too aggressive. Always get tested if you are symptomatic. If the thyroid panel indicates hypothyroid sufficient to warrant medication then you should be on medication. At least at the outset. The reason to start medication is that once you are clinically low on thyroid hormone a whole host of other medical problems can develop, making iodine therapy more difficult. Additionally, healing and detoxification will progress much more comfortably with a little assistance. Once you are well on your way to iodine saturation, you may be able to reduce or eliminate the medication. See our article Transitioning off of thyroid medication with iodine.

Always remember!

Iodine is not an immediate one to one replacement for medication and should never be used instead of your prescription. Iodine works to gradually over time by helping your body to better utilize and produce more thyroid hormone.

Borderline to normal results - If the thyroid panel is border line to “normal” and you are symptomatic I generally recommend trying the iodine protocol without medication first to see how you do. Many cases do very well with this approach. Since you are less severe, the more conservative approach is more appealing because there is one less variable to mange during therapy. And subsequently there is less of a chance of side effects form over stimulation. Besides, a low dose of medication can always be added after 3-4 months if you aren't feeling better.

With the iodine protocol it's important to remember that recovery comes in stages over time. Initially feeling better comes from iodine 's stimulating effect and increasing the utilization of thyroid hormone. At 6-18 months the later stages of iodine saturation begin to kick in. It's at the saturation stage that the sustainable benefits of detoxification and increased thyroid hormone function can be felt. But why such a wide range of 6-18 months? Here are the variables:

1. Not everyone stores iodine at the same rate.

2. Everyone's thyroid toxin level is different and varies with exposure and fatty storage.

3. The amount of damage done to your tissues and your body's ability to recover.

Before starting any thyroid program seriously consider getting a complete evaluation and filling out our Getting Started Baseline Check List that can be found in our How to Take Iodoral article.

And one final note. Not everyone is able to completely come off of thyroid medication with iodine therapy. While the reasons for this are not always clear, it is clear to me everyone on thyroid medication benefits from iodine.