Do As Japan Does, Not As I Say....
So why does the question of how much iodine to take result in discussion of the small island of Japan?
Well, for a couple of reasons...
Japan has a population that lives considerably longer than many other countries in the world and it's people eat 12 mg or 12,000 mcg of iodine per day. Iodine is also linked to intelligence and diligence and perhaps, so unsurprisingly so is Japan.
Thought 1: The Japanese diet can be learned from, even if you have no plans of getting on a plane any time soon, since they eat many foods containing iodine like kelp and seaweed (some varieties) then you can bet that it (iodine) had better be in your diet even if you aren't finding much kelp at your local stores.
So, how much iodine should you take?
Thought 2: Well, step 1 would be to play 22 questions in a post your can find here to determine the level of your symptoms.
Thought 3: Taking getting more iodine than commonly accepted isn't scary, it's what make the most sense after studying populations of Japan.
Thought 4: With iodine, sometimes referred to iodide, you will see the RDA is a minuscule 150 mcg yet this number is laughably insufficient for nearly everyone, AND, if you happen to already have a severe iodine deficiency, taking the RDA will mean that you will never overcome your deficiency of your symptoms of thyroid disorder. (The exception being well-documented cases of hyperactive thyroid function, aka hyperthyroidism).
So how much is enough and what does this have to do with the Japanese again?
Well, let's say that a leading researcher, Dr. Brownstein suggests a minimum of 6 mg per day so between the 6 mg dosage with an upper limit as high as the Japanese seems conservative.
Thought 5: Some clinicians recommend up to 30 mg (30,000 mcg) per day - usually for some intro period of several days, to a week or perhaps a month in some cases since things like smoking, viruses, air pollution in general, and giving birth all contribute to significant deficiency in some cases.
Thought 6: Did we mention cancer? Japan has much lower rates of cancer than most developed countries, especially the United States. Iodine deficiency and cancer have a well -documented history (and its "no bueno").
Thought 7: Much medication prescribed is said to be the result of improper or imbalanced mineral levels, and this certainly includes iodine, so testing is a good idea.
Many iodine products suffer from low absorption so we are very conscious of this and recommend that you choose an iodine / iodide product that keeps dosage, taste, many taste quite bad (ours tastes like water since it is nano form), and of course absorption in mind.
The good news is by the time you find this post our Upgraded Iodine will be ready to ship so send us an angry email if it isn't!
Live Optimally,
Barton Scott Nutritionist and Founder of Upgraded Formulas