Iodine: A Very Important Element, And A Very Dangerous Component Of A Nuclear Radiation Emergency

Let's Talk Iodine:   Boring but oh, so, critical for human health, in normal life, and especially in a nuclear radiation release.

And a subject near and dear to my heart: what can we do to better protect our pets?


Let me give you the low down out of the gate, and explain this: Iodine is extremely necessary to life, yet in the new world we live in 25% to 80% do not get enough.    Long ago, they started putting Iodine into salt, before salt was recognized as a high blood pressure cause.    That was a primary way to make sure we got enough Iodine.     What of those who stopped using added salt?    Indeed a problem.   Lots of Iodine can come from vegetables, BUT some areas of the USA just don't have much of this micronutrient in the soil.    Those with a "healthy diet" can be missing one of the most important elements: Iodine

This is my puppy dog, he is 9 years old now

Where did all this research start?  My older dog, has a history of allergy and skin problems, but it is not constant.    Lately, he is quite itching, always scratching to the point of skin damage, he has never been cold intolerant but is now (what I mean by that is that a 10 degrees he doesn't want to stay outside for 30 minutes) a bit grumpy, and less energy.     These are dead ringers for iodine deficiency, which I found after  hours of research.    Iodine impacts thyroid function, which influences a lot of things, including weight gain.

I do believe my dog is iodine deficient, I will increase his intake of iodine and observe for several weeks.   If warranted, do an expensive blood test if no results.   If things improve, then I nailed it, and no further action is needed.






Here are both my dogs, the younger one is his sister, from a subsequent litter.   Would you want these guys to have skin problems, be itchy all the time, subject to weight gain, low energy, and other health problems?    If not, you need to be aware of Iodine. 


There are iodine vitamins available, and iodine with D3 also.    Most of those seem to want to push up to the upper daily limit for humans.    Seems odd.     Why push to the "tolerable limit"?    But the lower limit is meant to avoid "goiter" in which the thyroid becomes large to try to produce it's hormones without adequate supply material (Iodine).    Funny that "they" our medical professionals, never came up with an "optimal" level of Iodine.

I am picking 325 micrograms as the optimum level for myself, and found a supplement at Amazon Prime, I love that Prime!   After using it for a month, I'll report back on whether I feel any different, and if its good, I'll investigate shelf life and stock up on it as an emergency prep item.  


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There are 2 widely varying applications of Iodine

1) During Nuclear Emergency (1000 times more required)
2) Normal Life

First--Nuclear Emergency Iodine

Babies to 3 years, 16,000 Micrograms to 32,000 Micrograms (32 Milligrams)

Adolescents, 65,000 to 120,000 Micrograms (120 Milligrams)

Adults 130,000 Micrograms (130 Milligrams)

Second, let's talk about normal life, the summary first, then later the discussion.

Very very simple rule of thumb to remember, for everyone over 12 YO, the minimum recommended is 120 to 130 Micro Grams per day.   That is millionth of a gram.   That is .130 Millgram per day.

The Maximum tolerable is 1100 micro-gram per day.    Micro.    Do not confuse this with milli-gram which is 1000 times larger, and what we speak of during nuclear emergency.

backup data is below from WebMD
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-35-IODINE.aspx?activeIngredientId=35&activeIngredientName=IODINE

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A possible source for human testing of thyroid, I have not vetted this company or this type of company.  

https://www.healthtestingcenters.com/cart.aspx


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The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

• For radiation emergencies: potassium iodide (KI) should be taken just prior to, or as soon as possible after, exposure. Radiation is most harmful to pregnant or breastfeeding women and children, so KI is dosed according to amount of radiation exposure and age. Radiation exposure is measured in centigrays (cGy). For infants, babies, children, adolescents, and pregnant or breastfeeding women, KI is given if radiation exposure is 5 centigrays (cGy) or more. Tablets can be crushed and mixed with fruit juice, jam, milk, etc.
• For birth through 1 month, the dose is 16 mg of KI;
• For babies and children over 1 month through 3 years, 32 mg;
• For children 3 to 12 years, 65 mg;
• For adolescents 12 through 18 years, 65 mg or 120 mg if the adolescent is approaching adult size;
• For pregnant or breastfeeding women, 120 mg.
• For adults 18 to 40 years with exposure to 10 cGy or more, 130 mg of KI is given.
• For adults over 40 years with exposure to 500 cGy or more, 130 mg of KI is given.

The National Institute of Medicine has set Adequate Intake (AI) of iodine for infants: 0 to 6 months, 110 mcg/day; 7 to 12 months, 130 mcg/day.

For children and adults, Recommended Dietary Amounts (RDA) have been set: children 1 to 8 years, 90 mcg/day; 9 to 13 years, 120 mcg/day; people age 14 and older, 150 mcg/day. For pregnant women, the RDA is 209 mcg/day, and breastfeeding women, 290 mcg/day.

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL), the highest level of intake that is not likely to cause unwanted side effects, for iodine intake have been set: children 1 to 3 years, 200 mcg/day; 4 to 8 years, 300 mcg/day; 9 to 13 years, 600 mcg/day; 14 to 18 years (including pregnancy and breastfeeding), 900 mcg/day. For adults older than age 19 including pregnant and breastfeeding women, the Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 1100 mcg/day.
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Some areas of the country just have low iodine levels in the soil.    Food grown in these areas is not going to have much Iodine.

I guess my article got the narrative going. Feb 6 another interesting article seen on beforeitsnews Iodine Supplements: The Three Best Kinds To Use Saturday, February 6, 2016 16:12 (Before It's News) Iodine Supplements: The Three Best Kinds To Use http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2016/02/iodine-supplements-the-three-best-kinds-to-use-3297136.html Iodine is essential for a vibrant and radiant body. It’s a key player in our DNA, it boosts our immune system, stabilizes our metabolism, and even assists with cardiovascular health. [1] Furthermore, it’s estimated that more than half of the US population suffer from insufficient levels of iodine. Iodine is a major contributor to the function of your thyroid gland, especially in the creation of T3 and T4 hormones, which are important for regulating your body’s metabolism. So what are some Iodine supplements available on the market, and how do they each stack up?