Iodine and Potassium Iodide

[Joe]

Hi all.
It has been really interesting to follow this thread, great to read all the experiences you share. Thought I would share my experiences with the iodine protocol.
For the first 3 weeks I had only mild reactions. Mainly the pain I have had for a long time in my right shoulder went away.
During week 4 I started getting some reaction in my left arm, mild pain.
During week 5 this pain increased daily and gradually made it harder to sleep at night, where the symptoms would get worse.
I finally did one day with 18 drops, which again increased the symptoms.
From there on I lowered the dose gradually, and now I have paused the intake of iodine, as I believe I must be experiencing detox symptoms.
Now I focus on salt water intake as well as C vitamine and multi-mineral tablets and fish oil.

As another forum member noticed, it is as if my left arm has become a dumping site for the detoxed stuff. Currently I have a hard time sleeping at night, so I guess I did a too agressive detox.

Would you recommend DMSA in pill form or as a cream applied externally?

Intake per week:
4 drops (25 mg)
6 drops (37.5 mg)
8 drops (50 mg)
10 drops (62.5 mg)
12 drops (75 mg)

Hi Birger, to be most effective DMSA should be taken in pill form. You could start off with a low dose, depending on your likely need for HM detox. 200mgs 3 times a day for 3 days. Then take 5 days off to remineralize. How many rounds you do is up to you and how you feel as you go along.

For sleep have you tried taking 5htp?

 

[birger]

Hi all.
It has been really interesting to follow this thread, great to read all the experiences you share. Thought I would share my experiences with the iodine protocol.
For the first 3 weeks I had only mild reactions. Mainly the pain I have had for a long time in my right shoulder went away.
During week 4 I started getting some reaction in my left arm, mild pain.
During week 5 this pain increased daily and gradually made it harder to sleep at night, where the symptoms would get worse.
I finally did one day with 18 drops, which again increased the symptoms.
From there on I lowered the dose gradually, and now I have paused the intake of iodine, as I believe I must be experiencing detox symptoms.
Now I focus on salt water intake as well as C vitamine and multi-mineral tablets and fish oil.

As another forum member noticed, it is as if my left arm has become a dumping site for the detoxed stuff. Currently I have a hard time sleeping at night, so I guess I did a too agressive detox.

Would you recommend DMSA in pill form or as a cream applied externally?

Intake per week:
4 drops (25 mg)
6 drops (37.5 mg)
8 drops (50 mg)
10 drops (62.5 mg)
12 drops (75 mg)

Hi Birger, to be most effective DMSA should be taken in pill form. You could start off with a low dose, depending on your likely need for HM detox. 200mgs 3 times a day for 3 days. Then take 5 days off to remineralize. How many rounds you do is up to you and how you feel as you go along.

For sleep have you tried taking 5htp?

Usually I do not have trouble sleeping, it is because of constant pain in my arm.
So i guess i will try some painkillers and read some more about 5htp.

And i will get hold of some dmsa pills as you recommend.

And hope the pain will decrease some day

 

[Gaby]

Re: quick iodine supplimentation questions

As for the niacin, I wonder if there was a misunderstanding when you responded Joe. The niacin I bought was Flush free niacin as inositol hexanicontinate, not niacinamide.

FWIW, from the main thread:

“Slow release” varieties have higher hepatotoxic activity, hence some types of prescription niacin are not recommended due to potential harm.

One form of dietary supplement is inositol hexanicotinate (IHN), which is inositol that has been esterified with niacin on all six of inositol's alcohol groups. IHN is usually sold as "flush-free" or "no-flush" niacin in units of 250, 500, or 1000 mg/tablets or capsules. It is sold as an over-the-counter formulation, and often is marketed and labeled as niacin, thus misleading consumers into thinking they are getting the active form of the medication. While this form of niacin does not cause the flushing associated with the immediate-release products, the evidence that it has lipid-modifying functions is contradictory, at best.

More info here:

http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,13371.msg620138.html#msg620138
https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,13371.msg619991.html#msg619991

 

[Gwenllian]

As someone mentioned here in the thread I had a look at my tongue after reading an article about tongue diagnosis and if the author is right I could have a problem with my central nervous system. In the middle of my tongue there is a fairly large crack.

When there is a deep crack running down the centre of the tongue, it can represent chronic stress in the central nervous system or spinal stress caused by injury.

http://www.sott.net/article/310211-The-state-of-your-tongue-can-give-you-clues-to-your-overall-health

As iodine seems to bring up old issues for many people I was wondering whether this crack indicates old injuries, caused by abuse. I used to go to an acupuncturist who always checked my tongue and she never mentioned a crack or problems with the CNS. I can't remember ever seeing one, but my memory is not very reliable.
I stopped going to a chiropractor last August after many treatments, also visited a neurologist who checked a number of things and AFAIK they didn't notice any injuries. I was thinking of giving my chiropractor and acupuncturist a call and see whether they have something to add.

I am now on three drops of Lugol's after building it up really slowly. My right hand feels very stiff from time to time, but it disappears when I move my fingers for a while. Pains have started appearing at the base of my thumbs which I have never had before. An old headache at the base of my neck has reappeared, but it only lasts a few seconds or so. And sometimes I feel very dizzy, and I start falling over, but then I have enough time to correct my movements, but it is worse than normal.

Added:

Ama, in Ayurveda, refers the the accumulation of improperly digested food that clogs the intestinal tract. The tongue builds up a thick coating that covers it completely. If there is a build up on the back of the tongue, that could represent a buildup of toxins in the large intestine.

These past few months I had a bad taste in my mouth. I can't see a build up on the back of my tongue, but there must be something. The bad taste disappears when I take some organic chlorella with a lot of water.

 

[RedFox]

Hi Mariama
I had very similar symptoms to start with. I'd suggest the following - only have one drop of lugols a day, and make sure to have a few days off a week.
Make sure you are still taking Selenium, and add the vitamin B2 and Niacinamide.

I recently tried not taking the Niacinamide and it felt like the effects of the lugols where massively amplified - as the Niacinamide and Selenium are needed to stop thyroxine (T4) getting out of control I assume this was the problem, too much thyroxine. If this doesn't help you may want to switch to Potassium Iodide as this doesn't raise T4 so much.

For those who are taking Niacinamide and having problems with low body temperature, feeling the cold, lack of energy, depression and even dizziness I found the following:
http://healthcorrelator.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/niacin-and-its-effects-on-growth.html

Niacin and its effects on growth hormone, glucagon, cortisol, blood lipids, mental disorders, and fasting glucose levels
[..]
Nobody seems to understand very well how niacin works. This leads to some confusion. Many people think that niacin inhibits the production of VLDL, free fatty acids, and ketones; preventing the use of fat as an energy source. And it does!

So it makes you fat, right?

No, because these effects are temporary, and are followed, often after 3 to 5 hours, by a large increase in circulating growth hormone, cortisol and glucagon. These hormones are associated with (maybe they cause, maybe are caused by) a large increase in free fatty acids and ketones in circulation, but not with an increase in VLDL secretion by the liver. So ketosis is at first inhibited by niacin, and then comes in full force after a few hours.

The decreased VLDL secretion is no surprise, because VLDL is not really needed in large quantities if muscle tissues (including the heart) are being fed what they really like: free fatty acids and ketones. When VLDL particles are secreted by the liver in small numbers, they tend to be large. As they shrink in size after delivering their lipid content to muscle tissues, they become large LDL particles; too large to cross the endothelial gaps and cause plaque formation.

It is as if niacin held you back for a few hours, in terms of fat burning, and then released you with a strong push.

Since niacin does not seem to suppress the secretion of chylomicrons by the intestines, it should be taken with meals. The meals do not necessarily have to have any carbohydrates in them. If you take niacin while fasting, you may feel “funny” and somewhat weak, because of the decrease in VLDL, free fatty acids, and ketones in circulation. These, particularly the free fatty acids and ketones, are important sources of energy in the fasted state.

I've tried larger doses of niacin in the past and ended up going from feeling warm, comfortable and at ease to freezing cold, shivering and on edge - as if I'm sat in a cold shower and can't get out.
So far, it seems I need to eat carbohydrates with the Niacinamide. If not everything crashes, and I drop out of ketosis.
I only noticed this building up slowly over time, as I was getting colder and wondering why I couldn't warm up. Presumably my glycogen stores where getting depleted.
I've also added in a little bit of standard Niacin

http://accidentalscientist.com/2009/06/niacin-adventures-part-1-natures-prozac.html

[..]
Now, your body uses most of the Tryptophan (about 93%) for other things. About 7% of it is available to be converted to Serotonin, and Niacin. (These figures may be wrong – I read the paper a while back and can’t find it right now, but they’re in the ballpark).

The pathways work like this:

Tryptophan + Vitamin B6 –> Niacin

Tryptophan + Tryptophan Hydroxylase –> 5-HTP; 5-HTP + 5-HTP decarboxylase –> Serotonin; Serotonin eventually becomes Melatonin.

Now, there’s a switch here. Your body needs Niacin more than it needs Serotonin. If you’re Niacin deficient, then your body will convert more of the Tryptophan to Niacin, in order to get the right amount. (The two biosynthesis pathways compete, and the Niacin one is stronger).

What this means for Your Brain

Simply put, if you’re not getting enough Niacin in your diet, you will end up being deficient in Serotonin. And Melatonin. So you’ll be depressed, and will have trouble sleeping.

What are our foods fortified with? Typically, it appears to be not Niacin, but Niacinamide. There are two forms of Niacin; one is Nicotinic Acid, and the other is Niacinamide. Presumably because it’s cheaper, or more stable, the niacinamide form is preferred as an additive in cereals and flour. In fact, the USDA requires that food manufacturers use either form – not just nicotinic acid.

Now this is the really important part – Niacinamide does NOT trigger the switch in the pathways. It’ll stop you from getting Pellagra, sure. But it won’t flip the switch to say “hey, you’ve got enough Niacin – let’s start making Serotonin instead.”

So your body will carry on trying to convert Tryptophan into Niacin, and use it all up, leaving you with a somewhat lower amount of Serotonin in your system (and Vitamin B6, as this is used up in the conversion process).
[..]

 

[adam7117]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I will start on chlorella as well, which I can get locally. As of now, I have stopped the iodine for 3 days and markedly increased vitamin C for 1 day. The stomach rumbling has mostly stopped. So that might be an encouraging sign.

Laura, I will give it a week to see if it goes away. If not then I'll get a colonoscopy and endoscopy as you advised.

Don't wait longer than that. It sounds like serious IBS no matter what the cause. Maybe eat some instant mashed potatoes in the evenings to soothe the colon.

Bobo08,

Sorry to hear about your condition - from personal experience, I know how upsetting these things can be. Let me share a few pointers with you, perhaps they will be helpful on top of what has already been said.

It is also possible that you have ruptured internal haemorrhoids - the key here seems to be the colour of the blood. If it is bright and red, that means the body has not had the chance to digest the blood, i.e., it has not travelled much along the intestines. If the blood is mostly brown or black (as in black faeces), it came from the further sections of the digestive system - that would need to be investigated immediately.

The fact that fiber made the bleeding worse is also consistent with such a condition - fiber gives you nice solid poos but also acts as a sandpaper on the haemorrhoids and ruptures them again causing more bleeding.

I would suggest that your best bet is to stop taking Vitamin C for now as it thins the blood and prolongs the bleeding - this is probably why it just keeps on going. Induce mild diarrhoea by taking more magnesium - and reduce the time you spend on the toilet! Staying horizontal during the flare-up will help, too. A nice fast would go a long way - simply because it will give your rectum a rest...

This will not heal itself. While you may be able to stop the haemorrhage, the symptoms will likely return - so, be it IBS or "piles", a doctor needs to check you out. I think an endoscopy is too horrific to start but you will need a colonoscopy, for sure. Perhaps, a flexible sigmoidoscopy, too. The latter is pretty cool because you get see the colon.

Any GP worth their salt, will also request a blood test to check for any cancer-related stuff. It's not a pleasant thought but the symptoms do necessitate it. Just face it and get it done - actually, there may be lots of reasons behind these symptoms.

Haemorrhoids can be removed by a banding procedure and you'll be good as new in no time. IBS ought to settle with GF/DF diet.

Chins up!

 

[SeekinTruth]

Re: quick iodine supplimentation questions

The vitamin C with bioflavonoids and rose hips should be good. Some people claim it's actually better than just vitamin C alone - I think it was also mentioned by Gedgudas in Primal Body, Primal Mind. Is it ascorbic acid or a mineral ascorbate? Ascorbic acid is probably better for oral supplementation.

 

[Laura]

Re: quick iodine supplimentation questions

It's quite irritating that people keep trying to skip over the reading of the main thread. I'll be merging this with that one.

 

[lilyalic]

I was just wondering whether anyone has experience swelled blood shot eyes... a few weeks ago I woke up with a really blood shot, painful itchy eye. (just one) Mostly around that area my skin would be red/ sore to touch. It lasted 2-3 days, then it happened again last week. This time it didn't last as long.
Any researching I've done comes up with Thyroid issues, when I link it with Iodine anyway. Some folks have said it's linked to the detoxing of the Bromide.

To update anyway, emotions are settling down a little I think - although I'm still feeling a slight depression now and again. When I do feel emotional, or acknowledge what I'm feeling then it does seem to be heightened. It definitely seems as if I'm able to control them more, taking step backs etc.
-CONSTANT flem and snotty nose, like I mean literally constant and waking up coughing in the morning. (I'm on 3 drops of 12%) - taking Niacin to help with that!
..Hormones seem to be heightened depending what time of the month it is. I was ovulating the other day and could feel "super powers" if that makes sense! although it was pretty frustrating too, but I've never felt them like that.

 

[Beau]

I was just wondering whether anyone has experience swelled blood shot eyes...

Not bloodshot, but swelling and tenderness around the eyes, yes. Pretty sure it's a detox reaction related to bromide, like you said. I would make sure you are taking enough salted water and Vitamin C, and maybe lower your dosage from 3 drops to 2 or even 1.

 

[Gaby]

I was just wondering whether anyone has experience swelled blood shot eyes... a few weeks ago I woke up with a really blood shot, painful itchy eye. (just one) Mostly around that area my skin would be red/ sore to touch. It lasted 2-3 days, then it happened again last week. This time it didn't last as long.

Yeah, that could have been a detox reaction or conjunctivitis, much more common than eye problems from thyroid issues. Thyroid problems don't really ring a bell here.

Take it easy if detox gets out of hand.

 

[lilyalic]

I was just wondering whether anyone has experience swelled blood shot eyes...

Not bloodshot, but swelling and tenderness around the eyes, yes. Pretty sure it's a detox reaction related to bromide, like you said. I would make sure you are taking enough salted water and Vitamin C, and maybe lower your dosage from 3 drops to 2 or even 1.

Yeah, that could have been a detox reaction or conjunctivitis, much more common than eye problems from thyroid issues. Thyroid problems don't really ring a bell here.

Take it easy if detox gets out of hand.

OK thank you Beau & Gaby, I'll keep a close eye on it ;)
Yeah I may need to drop down again, we'll see.

 

[Laura]

Found something very useful as a result of my recent cold that I used to use in general for fibromyalgia/fatigue relief: guaifenesin. I think it helps the detox process immensely.

It is usually found in cough syrups.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guaifenesin

It really loosens and brings up the phlegm and whatever toxins are in that phlegm.

 

[Galaxia2002]

Found something very useful as a result of my recent cold that I used to use in general for fibromyalgia/fatigue relief: guaifenesin. I think it helps the detox process immensely.

It is usually found in cough syrups.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guaifenesin

It really loosens and brings up the phlegm and whatever toxins are in that phlegm.

I noted that Guaifenesin is consistently named in books about fibromyalgia. I can't read it for the moment but here are some of them:

http://www.amazon.com/Guaifenesin-Guide-Treating-Fibromyalgia-Irritable/dp/1880397552/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453236969&sr=8-2&keywords=fibromyalgia+guaifenesin

http://www.amazon.com/What-Your-Doctor-About-Fibromyalgia/dp/B001Q3M66G/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453236969&sr=8-3&keywords=fibromyalgia+guaifenesin

 

[Mr. Premise]

I think I may have found the weirdest benefit to the iodine protocol. I had mild fear of heights. It was something that got worse as I got older. Today I have been staying at an Embassy Suites hotel. They have a large courtyard in the middle with glass elevators. These elevators used to give me the willies to where I would turn away from the glass and look down. Today I could look out the glass with no problem going up to the seventh floor. Also, I was on the 9th floor of an office building and the office has those floor to ceiling windows that used to give me real problems but today I could look straight down with no problem. The only thing I could think of that changed is two months on the iodine protocol.