I attended the 39th Orthomolecular Medicine Today Annual International Conference that was held in Vancouver the past weekend. Orthomolecular Medicine Today is an annual conference which brings together leading orthomolecular pioneers from around the world to present and exchange ideas and foster relationships among MDs, NDs, PhDs and other health care professionals. For those of you that are not familiar with Orthomolecular Medicine, it was conceptualized by double-Nobel laureate Linus Pauling who aims to restore the optimum environment of the body by correcting imbalances or deficiencies based on individual biochemistry, using substances natural to the body such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace elements and fatty acids.
A very intriguing lecture was presented by Dr. David Brownstein on iodine: the synergistic importance of an underutilized nutrient. He stated that during 1971-2000 the National Health and Nutritional Survey showed iodine levels declined 50% in the United States. During this time, there was also an increased incidence of thyroid illness including hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroid illness, thyroid cancer and also cancers of breast, prostate, endometrium and ovaries. He speculated that all of the above conditions could be caused by iodine deficiency. He went on and explained that iodine deficiency is a worldwide problem. Iodine deficiency may have links to autism, mental impairment, reduced intellectual ability, ADD, and infertility. Therapeutically, iodine acts as alkalinizing, detoxifying, and mucolytic agents, and possesses antibacterial, anticancer, antifungal, antiparastic, and antiviral.
In addition, iodine which was added to the bakery products in the 60’s as a conditioning agent was replaced by bromine in the 70’s. Bromide is a toxic substance with no known value in the body. Bromine interferes with iodine utilization in the thyroid as well as other areas of the body. High bromide intake also results in iodine being eliminated from the thyroid gland and replaced by bromine which exacerbated the iodine deficiency problem. Ingestion of bromide has been shown to cause hypothyroidism in animals.
The RDA for iodine is 150 mcg per day which is inadequate to supply the body’s need. Whole body iodine sufficiency usually requires higher doses of iodine/iodide combinations. Who knows? Iodine may be the next vitamin D that everyone will be taking about. In the meantime, I am supplementing my iodine intake with unrefined salt and lots of seaweed and kelp. How about you?