Quick and easy way to see if you are iodine deficient, and a fast and easy way to get iodine into your system...
Get some Betadine. Using a cotton ball, q-tip, whatever to paint a 2"X2" spot on our underarm, inner thigh, belly, etc.
It'll absorb into your system and leave a light brown spot. The faster it absorbs, the more iodine your body needed. When it will sit on your skin for several hours without absorbing, wash it off...Your iodine level is fine.
It's HARD to overdose with iodine this way, as the iodine simply won't absorb into your system.
Once your body has the amount of iodine it requires (changes with each person), the betadine will not absorb quickly or at all. Reapply every several days or over several days to maintain your iodine levels.
Yes, there is iodine in iodized salt. Sure, it'll give you a little iodine and for that it is actually quite coolio. BUT, too much salt is bad for your body in general. Get your iodine elsewhere...like kelp/seaweed/etc.
Iodine doesn't stay in the body long, so it's quite difficult to 'over-dose' unless you take a concentrated amount in a very short time( ie; potassium iodide pills). THOSE types of dosages are for VERY SHORT TERM USAGE. Don't take Ki 'just because'.
Your mileage may vary...
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1326761I must have a massive iodine deficiency! I started doing this with the recommended 2x2 application of 2% iodine tincture and it disappeared within about 3 hours. I repeated this every 24 hours with the same results. I started noticing a difference in how I felt - more energetic, clearer thinking, ear ringing is almost gone, and heart palpitations are totally gone!
I read about a woman who applies it twice daily so I began doing that on about day 4. Same results every time - the iodine spot disappears within about 4 hours.
For the last few days I have been painting very large areas (12" x 6" or more overall) on my stomach, arms, even my neck directly over the thyroid gland. I am telling you, the iodine completely disappears within 4 hours EVERY TIME!
Am I really that deficient in iodine??? I have no adverse effects from painting huge areas with the iodine so I don't worry that it's too much.
I have had severe hypothyroid symptoms for about 2 years now - you name it, I have every one! Even the nurse at the clinic last year said "You sound like you have hypothyroidism".
I have had my thyroid levels (TSH and T4) checked twice within the past year - both times they were "normal" (I always question lab reference ranges for thyroid hormones). The doctor even checked my FSH hormone levels and they are very low: 2.5.
WHY DID THEY NOT TEST MY IODINE LEVELS????!!!!!!! You KNOW they must know about iodine!
I was going nuts trying to figure out how I can have every symptom of hypothyroidism yet all test results say normal! Meanswile, my hair continued to fall out (been doing so for about 2 years - it's a wonder I'm not bald!), I still have below body temp (97.6), freezing all the time, night sweats, fatigue, terrible ear-ringing, heart palpitations, you name it.
It was during my quest to learn everything I could about the thyroid and its hormones that I learned about the wonders of iodine! I just hope it truly is the root of my problems as I suspect it is! I am already seeing improvements so I am very hopeful!!
