Iodine and Potassium Iodide

[Mrs.Tigersoap]

I went there to watch it but found the YT message: This video is unavailable. We're sorry.

Indeed, it's no longer working apparently. I'll have a look tomorrow for good ones (if any). There are many EFT ones on YouTube but they're not the same as what I've been using.

 

[Aiming]

Anti-candida, Inflammation, Heavy Metals Detox and Diet - there is also a link to a video of the allergy tap

I went there to watch it but found the YT message: This video is unavailable. We're sorry. I live in The Netherlands BTW so it might be a region problem.

I can't view it either (from Germany), and found nothing so far about a navel tap, but this one about allergy tapping on the back, but don't know about its reliability: _https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhBBWMbOd30

It's interesting that the night before Djc123 posted about muscle testing here, the arm muscle testing appeared in one of my dreams. I tried out the self-testing already, but also concluded it doesn't seem very reliable.

I've been on Lugol's 12% for about a month now and am currently at 2 x 4 drops per day and doing well with it, altough I had to take two breaks when I had upped the dose previously (one of those times I had a rash on my face). One tip for those with detox symtpoms: I've found doing the pipe breathing every evening to be very helpful.

 

[Djc123]

So, we started dragging all kinds of things out and testing for them including additional supplements, foods, sweeteners, different types of flour, etc. Very interesting results! It really hits home how different everyone is and how there is no "one size fits all"!

The results are amazing indeed. I've been using it almost daily for the last 12 years. It's helped so many people around me (in my practice but family members and friends, too). Do you remember, back in 2011, in the Life Without Bread thread, I asked you why you did not muscle test, because I was in fact so sure you knew that test!

Laura,

I remember reading that you knew how to muscle test. Maybe I'm stating the obvious and you've done this already, but have you tried muscle testing to know what you can and cannot eat? As well as the quantities you can have for each of these foods?

And indeed, one size does not fit all at all! I rarely ever consider anything safe anymore for anyone, it's so tailor-made. Magnesium makes me wired and have muscle spasms, the very thing it's supposed to help with, for example. Sometimes people test OK for canned carrots but not for organic ones!!

And then, besides the testing, there are corrections that are also possible. Holding specific points on the body with the substance on the CV-6 (just below the navel) helps relieve allergies or intolerances during or before they occur. There are also allergy taps for that (see below). They work like a system detox, really. I've used it many times with great results, notably to correct my cat hair allergy. I also want to add that perhaps the first things to test are the things people crave or really like. Most of the time, people are allergic to them!

Here are several threads where peeps might find interesting info, to further their testing:

Applied Kinesiology
Anti-candida, Inflammation, Heavy Metals Detox and Diet - there is also a link to a video of the allergy tap
Comments and warnings about diet supplementation

I tried few times both ways, but i guess i need to practice little more, because all responses look the same to me. Maybe should i try with another person.

Indeed self-testing is not very reliable, especially with verbal questioning.

Thanks for your great information and explanation....everyone is different.
I tested good for brazil nuts for selenium, magnesium oil, half tspn himalayan salt, but only with iodine supplementation, my body also needs vitamin B but not from a pill, 6 glasses of water (hot weather) and all this may change next week. Ha

 

[Laura]

Indeed self-testing is not very reliable, especially with verbal questioning.

Yes, it's not very reliable. Best to have the actual substances to put in the hand and even better if the person doesn't know what's being tested.

 

[Joe]

Came across this video from a Dr. Haskell on Iodine supplement warnings. He gives some interesting information.

http://<iframe width="560" height="...hE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Laura]

Came across this video from a Dr. Haskell on Iodine supplement warnings. He gives some interesting information.

Yes, he does; and makes good points. I think he's mostly right. As we've been saying, MOST people don't need higher doses, and if they do use them, they only need them for awhile! Thus, the testing is crucial.

And, first sign of unpleasant stuff, stop taking the lugols and drink a couple glasses of salt water a day and take vitamin C to detox. In fact, I'm wondering if just plain potassium iodide is not good enough for most people?

 

[Lilou]

I just watched that video this morning with Dr. Haskell. He seems to think 3mg daily is the most iodine/iodide someone should take, without any particular health problems. That and 200 mcg selenium. Higher doses should be monitored by a physician or at the least, lab testing.

I took a 5 day break after having the rapid heart rate, which I suspect was from mineral imbalance and/or too much TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). I resumed today with only 2.5mg dose. I'm still waiting on my lab results, and need to look at the big picture before upping the dose again.

I may consider a pulse dose schedule, such as Edgar Cayce recommended with atomic iodine. I haven't looked into the conditions he recommended this for, but the schedule was 1 drop on day 1, 2 drops on day 2, 3 drops on day 3, 2 drops on day 4, then 1 drop on day 5. Then 5 days off and repeat. I'll look into it and see what this dosing was recommended for and how many milligrams each drop represents.

So anyone starting out with high doses (12.5mg to 50mg or more) - should heed the bodies warnings and not assume it is just a "detox" reaction and push threw. But lower the dose or stop supplementation altogether and then have some lab tests. OSIT.

I don't know if just iodide is good for women, since the breast and ovaries only absorb elemental iodine. With the 2% Lugol's, it is easier to take the lower doses. Or Haskel sells a 3mg tablet with selenium - 1.5 mg iodine, 1.5mg iodide, 200 mcg selenium.

 

[John G]

Yeah my wife and I have been on the 2% Lugol's for about two weeks and have gone from 5 to 4 to 2 to 1 drop. We've been on one drop for 3 days. We stopped the Niacinamide and Riboflavin and now just have the real salt, selenium, and milk thistle added to what we were already taking (vitamin C, NAC, magnesium, multivitamin/mineral).

Our symptoms were oddly exactly what we had when we first started the ketogenic diet (after no problems with Paleo before that). I got hay fever, lung congestion, and stuffed sinuses that seem at times to do quick odd things to my cheeks and even a couple times down to my neck and shoulder kind of like a numb falling asleep thing with sometimes a little subtle prickly feeling. My wife got leg cramps and after exercise or even just standing for a decently long time, would get flushed and light headed. Back at the start of going ketogenic, I tended to relate it to an article Gaby had linked to:

http://primaldocs.com/members-blog/histamine-intolerance-gaps-and-low-carb/

We all have an enzyme (Diamine oxidase [DAO]) which breaks down any histamine that we absorb from a histamine-containing food, so when we eat a food which contains histamine it does not affect us. However some people have a low level of this enzyme, and when they eat too many histamine-rich foods, they may suffer ‘allergy-like’ symptoms such as headaches, rashes, itching, diarrhoea and vomiting or abdominal pain. This is called histamine intolerance. Some studies have also suggested links between histamine intolerance and urticaria, asthma, eczema and anxiety and panic attacks.

The above is only a very partial list of symptoms which may be related to the cascade of reactions caused by histamine intolerance.
Here are some additional common ones:

autonomic dysregulation: tachycardia, palpitations, light headedness,
low blood pressure and fainting
constipation and bloating
muscle pain, cramps
joint pain, athritis
hearing problems, tinnitus
attention and memory problems
depression, mind racing
insomnia, fatigue
unexplained bruising and bleeding
restless leg syndrome
flushing and rosacea

Oddly it seems like mine, my wife's, and general detox/immune system reactions/problems all are part of the above list. Antihistamines seem to work OK for me but it could just be the symptoms were on their way down at those times anyways or maybe I'm getting a placebo effect or something. Iodine is supposed to be an antihistamine (and expectorant) and I have noticed my sinuses (and lungs a little) clear right after I take it for a little while. One of the reasons I dropped the Niacin is it might be something that ups the histamine. We are planning to add boron and switch to a better multivitamin/mineral given that boron in general might help with my wife's muscle cramps (though they seem OK now that we are on one drop and given what Dr. Haskell says, I guess we will probably stay there).

 

[Kay Kim]

IODINE Why You Need It by Dr. Brownstein

A 15 years old girl with thyroid cysts protruding out of her neck, but her energy level was good and very active.
25mg/day iodine, unrefined salt, and multivitamin.
Two weeks later, the ultrasound showed a 50% reduction in the overall size.

A 42 years old lady, suffered with severe headaches for over ten years,
37.5mg of iodine, improvement within two weeks.

A 42 years old man had been taking 12.5mg of Lugol's for two years and he could not tell a difference upon taking the iodine, although he generally felt well. Increased man's iodine dosage to 50mg/day, he felt a boost in his energy.

Those people didn't need to take B2 and B3.
Clinical experience has shown that most people need from 12-50mg/day of Lugol's solution or tablets.


Many people with chronic illnesses, such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and autoimmune disorders complain they have no energy even though they taking iodine.

A 58 years old man was diagnosed with fibromyalgia two years ago.
75mg iodine/day along with a complete nutritional program. However he did not feel better.

A 52 years old man had Hashimoto's disease 15 years.
2 years of taking iodine 75-100mg a day, but when tested his cells were not properly ultilizing the iodine

If there is an inability to oranify or oxidize iodine, the body will not receive the true benefits.

The Mitochondria produce energy( i. e. ATP).
ATP is the molecule that stores energy for the body. The body is constantly producing and utilizing ATP. Its production is a complex process. However there are two cofactors, vitamin B2( riboflavin ) and B3( niacinamide ), that are integral to stimulating oxidative phosphorylation and ATP production.
Thus, some people felt energy improve after taking iodine with B2 and B3.

Iodism occurs when the dose of iodine is too high and result in a metallic taste in the mouth, increased salivation, sneezing, headache, and acne. Also, sinus headache, especially headache in the frontal area and sense of fever maybe present.
. Rectified by adjusting the dosage of iodine.
. Chlorophyll tablets will eliminate the metallic taste of iodine.
. Unrefined salt and vitamin C powder also minimize iodism.

If person has no thyroid gland, still need iodine?
Iodine is found in all the tissues of the body. Even without a thyroid gland, the rest of the body needs iodine.

How to treat Autoimmune Thyroid Disorder
1. Ingest enough iodine.
2. Take vitamin B2(riboflavin) 100mg, and vitamin B3(niacinamide) 500mg twice per day will help to stimulate ATP productions.
3. Vitamin C provides the antioxidant protection necessary to overcome oxidative damage for most person.
4. Ensure adequate Magnesium levels.
5. Minimize oxidative stress in the body by adequate intake of unrefined salt and water.
6. Adequate Selenium levels are necessary for regulating thyroid function and iodine metabolisms. 100- 400mcg/day to be a safe range.
Studies have found Selenium depletion in individuals with gastrointestinal disorders.
Large doses of selenium can cause adverse effects,
Hair loss
Fatigue
Irritability
Garlic breath odor
Mild nerve damage.

 

[fabric]

Came across this video from a Dr. Haskell on Iodine supplement warnings. He gives some interesting information.

Seems like an ad for Iodoplus, but interesting nonetheless. I was curious about other info regarding complications, the bolded part sounds like what Dr.Haskell was talking about.

Why I Discourage High-Dose Iodine

By: Dr. Alan Christianson

iodine-4Remember how Goldilocks wanted her porridge not too hot, but not too cold, and her bed not too hard, but not too soft? Iodine is like this. Too little is not good, and too much is not good.

Despite the fact that iodine is likely the most studied nutrient on the planet, so many ask about iodine because a small (but vocal) group has made claims that run contrary to the knowledge we have built up over the last century.

The following is a specific discussion about these claims that I first wrote over a decade ago. Please enjoy, and if you would like a more technical and well-referenced article on iodine, I have one here: _http://naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2011-04/nutrient-profile-iodine. {this link is also pretty interesting. he recommends 1mg as an upper dose}

In Arizona, many retirees spend their summers elsewhere. To me, it marks the change of seasons to welcome my ‘snowbirds’ back in the fall and see them off in the spring.

Several years ago, I had a kind gentleman return for the winter with new symptoms: watery diarrhea after every meal and a non-intentional tremor of his hands. The diarrhea started three or four months ago, the tremor, more recently. Normally in excellent health, Tim joked about getting old and his body falling apart. He had his screening tests completed before I heard about this. His tests were normal, except his thyroid levels were too high. He was not on thyroid treatment and had no history of thyroid disease. During his exam, I found several thyroid nodules that were not present last year, and his heart rate was over 100 beats per minute at rest.

Further tests showed me that Tim had a multi-nodular goiter. In senior men, this is quite rare, but when it happens, it is usually caused by high-dose iodine exposure, such as in contrast imaging. I asked if he had a CT or MRI done recently. He told me he did not but that he’d been taking an iodine pill for five months. Apparently, he had been tested, found to be low in iodine and was now taking one tablet of Iodoral daily, providing 50,000 mcg of iodine.

Within several months, I had roughly the same thing happen to five other patients, all after taking high-dose iodine. One patient also had a toxic, multi-nodular goiter, one had Grave’s disease and one was hypothyroid secondary to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Since then, dozens more have come in with new thyroid disease after taking high-dose iodine.

To be clear, not all patients who take high-dose iodine will get thyroid disease, just like not all smokers get lung cancer.

Iodine in doses above nutritional requirements is the single, best-documented, environmental toxin capable of inducing autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD).1

I had dimly been aware of iodine becoming a new topic at holistic conferences. A little digging quickly revealed “The Iodine Project” as the source of the new ideas on iodine. The Iodine Project was a series of articles by Guy Abraham, MD, originally published in the magazine, The Original Internist (http://www.clintpublications.com), a non peer-reviewed journal. These concepts have also been found verbatim in books from Dr. David Brownstein (Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It) and articles from Drs. Donald Miller and Jorge Flechas.

Over the next several months, I read every word written to date in The Iodine Project and related works, as well as all of their references that were available. I also read everything I could find from every other source on human iodine requirements.

Since these views on iodine are getting more pervasive, I felt compelled to share my findings and experiences in a broader forum, thus this article came about.

The Iodine Project can be summarized as the following claims:2

High-dose iodine helps conditions, such as fibrocystic breast disease; therefore, these doses are necessary for everyone.
The Japanese consume much more iodine than Americans and have lower rates of thyroid disease and breast cancer.
Iodine status can be determined by 24-hour, urine-iodine levels following a 50,000 mcg oral dose. Those excreting a smaller fraction of the dose may have retained more iodine; therefore, their bodies needed it.
Adult humans need 12,500 – 50,000 mcg of iodine for good health.
Iodine overdose is not a real phenomenon and the “Wolff-Chaikoff effect” is a delusional construct, resulting from “iodophobic bioterrorism.”
The topsoil of the earth was divinely created 6000 years ago with an extremely high level of iodine, which was depleted by the flood of Noah. Human health has been poorer ever since.
The current, academic views on iodine are distorted by international, foreign powers in order to make zombies out of Christian America.


I imagine most who have entertained these ideas had no idea how radical some of the essential, underlying concepts are. Dr. Abraham states that the whole body of his work depends on the points 6 and 7 to be valid.

[...]


[continued here: _http://www.integrativehealthcare.com/why-i-discourage-high-dose-iodine/]

The dose Dr.Christianson recommends I think is too little considering all the toxic halides we encounter through daily living. But then again, there's such a wide tolerance with this that one needs to be careful. I was going to try the 24hr urine loading test to see what the results are, but apparently it's not that reliable either? One thing I am a little confused on was how some of these people developed nodules in their thyroid on high doses. I thought excess iodine was simply excreted in the urine. It would be interesting to see what were the circumstances on cases where long term high dosing caused inflammation of the thyroid as Dr. Haskell describe or growth of nodules in the thyroid. The last couple of weeks, I was taking about 30mg M-F, off on the weekends, and then went back to 60mg, off again, and started this week at 50mg. I went to the higher dose as i was not feeling any side effects and just doing the salt water with selenium. Either way, I think I'll err on the side of caution and back off on the dosage for now.

 

[Lilou]

That is probably a good idea, fabric. If you don't have any health conditions, lower dose supplementation or even just occasional pulse dosing may be more appropriate. I understand now why Dr. Mercola did not endorse these higher doses across the board. Each person is different and there is no "set" dosage that applies to everyone.

I was reading up on Edgar Cayce's recommendations for atomic iodine. It was recommended for "glandular disturbances" to stimulate and purify. It was typically in pulse doses, and more so as a "medicine" rather than a supplement. A short treatment was often all that was prescribed to restore balance.

I do believe many people have subclinical hypothyroidism and lack of iodine is part of the reason. Below a list of causes for thyroid dysfunction, but the chart doesn't include the bromide and fluoride we are now bombarded with, not to mention radiation fallout. It is a delicate balance and each person is different. Iodine supplementation should not be taken haphazardly.

[quote author= http://www.edgarcayce.org/are/holistic-health.aspx?id=9321&terms=thyroid ]
Factors Affecting T4 to T3 Conversion:

Excesses:
•Hormones (estrogen, cortisol)
•trace minerals (lithium, iodine, copper)
•goitrogens (soy, brassicas vegetables)
•toxic metals (lead, aluminum, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, antimony)
•High glycemic index diet

Deficiencies:
• Minerals (selenium, iodine, iron, zinc),
•Vitamins (Riboflavin)
•Amino acids (tyrosine)
[/quote]

 

[Windmill knight]

A 52 years old man had Hashimoto's disease 15 years.
2 years of taking iodine 75-100mg a day, but when tested his cells were not properly ultilizing the iodine

[...]

How to treat Autoimmune Thyroid Disorder
1. Ingest enough iodine.
2. Take vitamin B2(riboflavin) 100mg, and vitamin B3(niacinamide) 500mg twice per day will help to stimulate ATP productions.
3. Vitamin C provides the antioxidant protection necessary to overcome oxidative damage for most person.
4. Ensure adequate Magnesium levels.
5. Minimize oxidative stress in the body by adequate intake of unrefined salt and water.
6. Adequate Selenium levels are necessary for regulating thyroid function and iodine metabolisms. 100- 400mcg/day to be a safe range.
Studies have found Selenium depletion in individuals with gastrointestinal disorders.
Large doses of selenium can cause adverse effects,
Hair loss
Fatigue
Irritability
Garlic breath odor
Mild nerve damage.

Regarding Hasimoto's (an autoimmune thyroid disorder), these two articles say that Iodine supplementation for such patients is good BUT must be taken with Selenium; otherwise it may be dangerous.

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2011/05/iodine-and-hashimotos-thyroiditis-part-i/
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2011/05/iodine-and-hashimotos-thyroiditis-part-2/

and:

http://jeffreydachmd.com/hashimotos-selenium-and-iodine-part-two/

The first source concludes:

Conclusion and What I Do

Iodine and selenium are two extremely important minerals for human health, and are righly emphasized as such in the Perfect Health Diet book and blog. I believe they are fundamental to thyroid health and very important to Hashimoto’s patients.

A survey of the literature suggests that Hashimoto’s is largely unaffected by iodine intake. However, the literature may be distorted by three circumstances under which iodine increases may harm, and iodine restriction help, Hashimoto’s patients:

Selenium deficiency causes an intolerance of high iodine.
Iodine intake via seaweed is accompanied by thyrotoxic metals and halides.
Sudden increases in iodine can induce a reactive hypothyroidism.

All three of these negatives can be avoided by supplementing selenium along with iodine, using potassium iodide rather than seaweed as the source of iodine, and increasing iodine intake gradually.

It’s plausible that if iodine were supplemented in this way, then Hashimoto’s patients would experience benefits with little risk of harm. Anecdotally, a number have reported benefits from supplemental iodine.

Other evidence emphasizes the need for balance between iodine and selenium. Just as iodine without selenium can cause hypothyroidism, so too can selenium without iodine. Both are needed for good health.

A few months after I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s I started 50 mg/day iodine plus 200 mcg/day selenium. If I were starting today, I would follow Paul’s recommendation to start with selenium and a low dose of iodine, and increase the iodine dose slowly. I would not take any kelp, because of potential thyrotoxic contaminants.

Currently I’m doing the following to try to reverse my Hashimoto’s:

PHD diet and follow PHD book and blog advices to enhance immunity against infections, since infections seems to be implicated in Hashimoto’s pathology [28][29][30]. I give special attention to what Chris Masterjohn calls “traditional superfoods”: liver and other organs, bones and marrow, butter and cod liver oil, egg yolks and coconut, because these foods are high in minerals, like iodine, zinc, selenium, copper, chromium, manganese and vanadium, all of which seems to play a role in thyroid health [31];
High dose iodine (50mg of Lugol’s) plus 200 mcg selenium daily. These I supplement because of their vital importance to thyroid and immune function;
3 mg LDN (low dose naltrexone) every other day to further increase immunity. LDN resources are listed below [32][33][34][35][36];
Avoiding mercury and other endocrine disruptors. When I removed 9 amalgams (mercury), my TPO antibodies increased for 3 months and took another 6 months to return to previous values. I also avoid fish that have high and medium concentrations of mercury. Cod consumption increased my TPO antibodies;
1g of vitamin C daily. Since it seems to confer some protection against heavy metal thyroid disfunction [37], improve thyroid medication absorption [38] and there is some evidence that it could improve a defective cellular transport for iodine [39];
Donating blood 2 to 3 times per year. In men, high levels of iron seems to impact thyroid function [40].

And the second:

Selenium supplementation is a prerequisite in all patients with elevated anti-thyroid antibody levels and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Iodine deficiency is a health risk and Iodine supplementation is beneficial. However, Selenium supplementation is required before giving Iodine to the Hashimoto’s patient. Selenium is inexpensive and readily available as a supplement in tablet or capsule form. The usual dosage is 200-400 mcg/day of seleno-methionine. Selenium can be toxic at excessive dosage, so it is best to measure selenium blood levels, and work closely with a knowledgeable physician.

For Iodine supplementation in autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimotos) patients we follow a protocol described here, which starts off with selenium supplementation (200-400 mcg/d) for 2-4 weeks. After which, low dose (225mcg/d) iodine supplementation may be started.

For all other without autoimmune thyroid disease and normal antibody levels, we use Iodoral from Optimox available without a prescription on the internet. Again it is best to monitor iodine levels with spot urine iodine testing, and work with a knowledgeable physician for starting dosage.

 

[PERLOU]

Merci à tous pour le partage de vos expériences et informations...
C'est un vrai plaisir de vous retrouver chaque jour...
J'ai oublié hier la Glycine qui était aussi OK avec le test auriculaire et pouce...

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and information ...
It's a real pleasure to see you every day ...
I forgot yesterday Glycine who was also OK with the test finger and thumb ...

 

[Joe]

Came across this video from a Dr. Haskell on Iodine supplement warnings. He gives some interesting information.

Yes, he does; and makes good points. I think he's mostly right. As we've been saying, MOST people don't need higher doses, and if they do use them, they only need them for awhile! Thus, the testing is crucial.

And, first sign of unpleasant stuff, stop taking the lugols and drink a couple glasses of salt water a day and take vitamin C to detox. In fact, I'm wondering if just plain potassium iodide is not good enough for most people?

I think the problem here is that most people, like Haskell, are focused on iodine for thyroid problems, and it seems reasonable to sound a warning about using a "one size fits all" approach when it comes to that. There are clearly many different body 'types' and that probably means different thyroids and their functioning. So the appropriate thing to do in that case is, as Laura has been saying throughout this discussion, to take it very slowly. Start off with 1 drop per day and pay close attention to any reactions, both physical, mental and emotional over a period of say, two weeks. If there are no real effects, then move on to two drops and repeat the process.

Now that's just for thyroid function. BUT we are also considering iodine for 'critter killing' and 'detox' which is a whole different application. Iodine is probably very effective for amoeba/virus/detox treatment and if it were ONLY for that purpose and ONLY had that effect we could possibly take the 'nuclear' approach by using higher doses. Unfortunately, iodine as amoeba/virus/detox treatment can't be separated from its direct and probably PRIMARY effect on the thyroid.

So a minimal initial dose and close observation seems to be the responsible approach to take.

 

[RedFox]

So a minimal initial dose and close observation seems to be the responsible approach to take.

Agreed. A couple of other individual factors to consider are resource deficiencies, and the bodies toxic load (stored toxins).

On the note of possible resource deficiencies:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24351023

Thiamine and Hashimoto's thyroiditis: a report of three cases.
Costantini A1, Pala MI.
Author information
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:

In a previous study on fatigue and related disorders in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we observed that IBD patients improved after treatment with high-dose thiamine. We hypothesized that the chronic fatigue accompanying inflammatory and autoimmune diseases is the clinical manifestation of a mild thiamine deficiency that is probably due to a dysfunction of the intracellular transport or to enzymatic abnormalities. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is both a common automimmune disease and cause of hypothyroidism. Although levothyroxine, a thyroid hormone, is the treatment of choice for hypothyroidism, a significant number of patients on thyroid hormone replacement therapy report not feeling well despite having thyroid function tests within the healthy range. Based on our hypothesis, we started treating the fatigue in patients affected by Hashimoto's thyroiditis and taking a thyroid hormone with thiamine. This is a report of the outcomes of three cases in which the fatigue component reported by patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis was treated with thiamine.
DESIGN:

Three patients on thyroid hormone replacement because of Hashimoto's thyroiditis were treated for the fatigue component of the disease from May to July 2011. Fatigue was measured using the Fatigue Severity Scale. Free thiamine in the serum and thiamine pyrophosphate in red cells were tested before and after the therapy. All three patients received oral (600 mg/day) or parenteral (100 mg/ml every four days) doses of thiamine.
RESULTS:

Treatment with thiamine led to partial or complete regression of the fatigue within a few hours or days.
CONCLUSION:

As the administration of thiamine led to a partial or complete regression of the fatigue and related disorders, it is reasonable to infer that the administration of large quantities of thiamine restores thiamine-dependent processes. The mild thiamine deficiency suggested by fatigue and related disorders may be due a dysfunction of the intracellular transport of thiamine or to enzymatic abnormalities most likely related to the autoimmune process of the disease.

And:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=265475

Experimental or spontaneous hyperthyroidism {which people may be getting by having by taking iodine} increases the rate of cell metabolism and thus leads to a higher requirement of essential factors involved in the breakdown and resynthesis of metabolites. Among these factors the important role of thiamine is well established. The phosphorylated form of thiamine, diphosphothiamine or cocarboxylase, serves as prosthetic group for the enzymes concerned with the oxidation, carboxylation, decarboxylation, dismutation and condensation of pyruvic acid. Pyruvic acid is an obligatory intermediary in the normal pathway of carbohydrate breakdown and probably in the interconversion of protein, fat and carbohydrate. Conditions that lead to increased cellular metabolism and therefore to increased requirements for essential factors tend obviously to produce a relative deficiency of thiamine.

https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b1-thiamine

Like other B-complex vitamins, thiamine is sometimes called an "anti-stress" vitamin because it may strengthen the immune system and improve the body's ability to withstand stressful conditions. It is named B1 because it was the first B vitamin discovered.

Thiamine is found in both plants and animals and plays a crucial role in certain metabolic reactions. Your body needs it to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which every cell of the body uses for energy.

It is rare to be deficient in thiamine, although alcoholics, people with Crohn disease, anorexia, and those undergoing kidney dialysis may be deficient. Symptoms of thiamine deficiency are:

Headache
Nausea
Fatigue
Irritability
Depression
Abdominal discomfort

People with thiamine deficiency also have trouble digesting carbohydrates. {Pretty sure some people have mentioned this, maybe not in this thread} This allows a substance called pyruvic acid to build up in the bloodstream, causing a loss of mental alertness, difficulty breathing, and heart damage, a disease known as beriberi.

Beriberi

The most important use of thiamine is to treat beriberi, which is caused by not getting enough thiamine in your diet. Symptoms include:

Swelling, tingling, or burning sensation in the hands and feet
Confusion
Trouble breathing because of fluid in the lungs
Uncontrolled eye movements (nystagmus)

People in the developed world usually do not get beriberi because foods such as cereals and breads are fortified with vitamin B1.

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a brain disorder caused by thiamine deficiency. Wernicke-Korsakoff is actually two disorders. Wernicke disease involves damage to nerves in the central and peripheral nervous systems. It is often caused by malnutrition due to alcoholism. Korsakoff syndrome is characterized by memory problems and nerve damage. High doses of thiamine can improve muscle coordination and confusion, but rarely improves memory loss.

Cataracts

Preliminary evidence suggests that thiamine, along with other nutrients, may lower the risk of developing cataracts. People with plenty of protein and vitamins A, B1, B2, and B3 (or niacin) in their diet are less likely to develop cataracts. Getting enough vitamins C, E, and B complex vitamins, particularly B1, B2, B9 (folic acid), and B12, may further protect the lens of your eyes from developing cataracts. More research is needed.

Alzheimer disease

Lack of thiamine can cause dementia in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. So researchers have speculated that thiamine might help Alzheimer disease. Oral thiamine has been shown to improve cognitive function of patients with Alzheimer. However, absorption of thiamine is poor in elderly individuals. More research is needed before thiamine can be proposed as a treatment for Alzheimer disease.
Heart failure

Thiamine may be related to heart failure because many people with heart failure take diuretics (water pills), which help rid the body of excess fluid. But diuretics may also cause the body to get rid of too much thiamine. A few small studies suggest that taking thiamine supplements may help. Taking a daily multivitamin should provide enough thiamine.

Depression

Low levels of thiamine are associated with depression. In one study of elderly Chinese adults, poor thiamine levels were associated with a higher risk of depression.

Thiamine is available in a fat soluble form know as benfotiamine, which has had successful trials with nerve damage repair and blood sugar regulation (if you have blood sugar problems do research go slow, because benfotiamine can drastically lower blood sugar for some time).