As we support thyroid health, we contribute toward our levels of energy, brain health, balancing hormones, metabolism, and detoxification processes. Thyroid health has become a world issue, so much so that it has raised awareness of the importance of iodine.

World Perspective

Before we dive into thyroid health, let’s back up and look at a bigger picture. Without proper micronutrients in our world population, like iodine, our thyroids do not function properly. So what does that look like on a planet Earth perspective?

WHO and UNICEF have declared iodine a world issue.

“Iodine deficiency is the world’s most prevalent, yet easily preventable, cause of brain damage.”

~ World Health Organization (WHO)

and…

“Iodine deficiency can lead to a variety of health and developmental consequences known as iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs). Iodine deficiency is a major cause of preventable mental retardation.  It is especially damaging during pregnancy and in early childhood. In their most severe forms, IDDs can lead to cretinism, stillbirth and miscarriage; even mild deficiency can cause a significant loss of learning ability.”

~ UNICEF

On a whole world level, iodized salt is a basic start for mass iodine deficiency. As individuals, we can take more respoknsiblity than that for our thyroid health.

Overview of Thyroid

A healthy thyroid is essential for overall health.

The thyroid is in your lower neck. It is a butterfly-shaped gland which is instrumental in the body’s metabolic processes. It plays a role in releasing two primary hormones called triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) which control your metabolism. Those two hormones, T3 and T4, go through the bloodstream, helping your cells get energy from the foods you eat and setting your metabolism at the cellular level. 

Those two hormones, T3 and T4, are also the ones which help to regulate body temperature, blood calcium level, along with other functions.

KISS: Keeping it Simple…

Supporting thyroid health can be transformative.

• Support your thyroid health
• Support your healthy metabolism
• Support your healthy detoxification

Helping to support the thyroid can be simple:

• Reduce offending toxins and foods (unnecessary prescription antibiotics, gluten, refined sugar, GMO foods, tap water)
• Reduce stress (physical and emotional)
• Nourish the thyroid with specific nutrients
• Support healthy digestive tract to allow specific nutrients to be effective (The Amazing Protocol)

“All disease begins in the gut.”

Greek physician Hippocrates

Digging Deeper…

Since so many do not have thyroid health, including adequate iodine, let’s dig deeper.

Common disorders that may result from iodine deficiency are hypothyroidism, increased cholesterol levels, endemic goiter, cretinism, decreased fertility rate, increased infant mortality, fibrocystic breast disease, atherosclerosis and breast cancer. ~ Wiley

Iodine for Thyroid Health

“The body of a healthy adult contains 15–20 mg of iodine, of which 70–80% is in the thyroid. In chronic iodine deficiency, the iodine content of the thyroid might fall to less than 20 μg.”

~ IDD

Millions are deficient in iodine, which is easily preventable.

Iodine is an essential component of the hormones produced by the thyroid gland. Thyroid hormones, and therefore iodine, are essential.

Iodine is a trace mineral and an essential component of the thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones regulate the metabolic activities of most cells.

In chronic iodine deficiency, the thyroid hormone synthesis does not complete the process correctly, leading to hypothyroidism and its after effects.

“In healthy adults, the absorption of iodide is >90%.1 The body of a healthy adult contains 15–20 mg of iodine, of which 70–80% is in the thyroid. In chronic iodine deficiency, the iodine content of the thyroid may fall to <20 µg. Iodine is cleared from the circulation mainly by the thyroid and kidney, and while renal iodine clearance is fairly constant, thyroid clearance varies with iodine intake. In conditions of adequate iodine supply, ≤20% of absorbed iodine is taken up by the thyroid. In chronic iodine deficiency, this fraction can exceed 80%. Despite high fractional clearance of iodine by the thyroid, in chronic severe iodine deficiency, thyroid hormone synthesis falls, leading to hypothyroidism and its sequelae.”

~ Effects of Iodine Deficiency

Iodide vs Iodine

“Iodine (as iodide) is widely but unevenly distributed in the earth’s environment. Most iodide is found in the oceans, and iodide ions in seawater oxidise to form elemental iodine, which is volatile and evaporates into the atmosphere and returns to the soil by rain, completing the cycle. However, the cycle of iodine in many regions is slow and incomplete, and soils and groundwater become deficient in iodine. Crops grown  in these soils will be low in iodine concentration, and man and animals consuming food grown in these soils become deficient in iodine.”

“Iodide is rapidly and nearly wholly absorbed (>90%) in the stomach and duodenum.5 Iodate, widely used in iodisation of salt, is reduced in the gut and absorbed as iodide. Organically bound iodine is typically digested and the released iodide absorbed, but about 75% of an oral dose of the thyroid hormone thyroxine is absorbed intact. Thyroid clearance of circulating iodine varies with iodine intake: in situations with adequate iodine supply, 10% or less of absorbed iodine is taken up by the thyroid. In chronic iodine deficiency, this percentage can exceed 80%.”

~ Iodine Deficiency Disorders

Thyroid health with iodine is easy and effective. Later we will cover foods to support thyroid health that are rich in iodine.

I personally take CellCore’s BioActive Carbon Iodine. It gives me so much energy that I take my first dose in the morning and my second always before noon so that it does not interfere with my sleep at night time. I started this product at a very low dose and worked my way up slowly.

BioActive Carbon Iodine contains both iodine and iodide driven by the BioActive Carbon to aid in thyroid support. Iodine helps convert thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), and these hormones promote proper bone and brain development. Appropriate, balanced levels of iodine are important for everyone, especially for infants and those who are pregnant.

~ CellCore Biosciences

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