Elevated TSH
If it is a elevated TSH that makes people believe, high dose iodine causes hypothyroidism, that is something one sometimes sees in the beginning of taking iodine. TSH can go all the way up to 30, with the free hormones not being affected. This is most likely because TSH has two functions. One is reporting back to the pituitary on the levels of the thyroid hormones. The other is in creating symporters. Symporters are the molecules that transport iodine into the cells. There are also other ways iodine enters cells.
The TSH will normalize within 3 to 6 months. It’s only if the free hormones are normal, like they were before iodine. If FT4 and or FT3 come down, it’s not this mechanism at play. Then you are going hypothyroid. I would reduce my iodine dose unti I got a grip on the situation.
Dr. B doesn’t mention this. But I see people report it in the iodine groups. I have seen many getting a thyroid disease after doing the Protocol. And I myself has gone down on FT3. But could be it affected my conversion. I wouldn’t think I convert that much though, as I get a lot of T3 in my NDT. I had to increase my NDT dose. Lots of things can affect thyroid levels, and I have always been up and down on my levels. But this decrease was much larger, I do believe was due to the iodine. It’s a mystery to me, quite frankly. UPDATE! 2 years later I could decrease my dose again, and I am now back to what I normally have taken in recent years, even a little less.
Some experience that their thyroid levels go up, which is what all us hypo people want. Dr. Brownstein says, 1/3 will stay on the same dose, 1/3 will be able to decrease dose and 1/3 can get off thyroid meds altogether. I guess he forgot those of us who must increase our dose, ha ha. I believe he takes thyroid meds himself. Or I know he does. His daughter as well. They both take NDT. I think there is a group that needs to be added here, those who aquire a thyroid disease, Hashimotos or Graves.
Remember, don’t stop meds unless your free hormones are too high. If you are sure you are going hyper, then Dr. B says, cut meds by half. I see too many just quitting meds with no testing or signs of hyper. And of course, they get sick.
After many years of thyroid disease, you will not be able to quit meds. Your thyroid is either infiltrated by T and B cells, or it is shriveled up like mine. I see a lot of people who don’t realize this, and have unrealistic expectations.
Caution!
It’s only when FT4 and FT3 stay normal, that one can assume, that new symporters are being created. Normal FT4 is a little under midrange, and normal FT3 is around midrange. I am talking about thyroid healthy people not on thyroid meds here. I have seen in iodine groups many times, that people who are really hypothyroid are being told, don’t worry, it’s normal. Here is an example I saw recently.
This person was told by an admin in the group, that she should read up on this with iodine and TSH. When everybody can see from her FT4, that she is VERY hypothyroid. Her FT4 is way under reference. She needs thyroid medicine asap. It’s very disturbing that an admin in an iodine group knows so little about thyroid issues. Sometimes I get the feeling, people want to “defend” high dose iodine and don’t want to hear anything about the risks. Not a wise attitude.
This is a person who most likely should never have started high dose iodine. She had been diagnosed with Hashimotos. She does not take thyroid meds, and has no trust in doctors. She knows nothing about high dose iodine. She might have damaged herself with iodine. She should have started on thyroid meds, dropped gluten, taken selenium and smaller doses iodine.
I often see this in US groups, people say, they don’t want to take thyroid meds. Please think again if this is you. It’s like saying, I don’t want to fill gas on my car. And except it to run. You damage yourself when you drag along with too low thyroid levels.
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