Review Of The Evidence
Breast cancer
Iodine’s role in maintaining the health of breast tissue is suggested by its therapeutic effects on benign breast conditions. In a publication reviewing three clinical trials of varied designs, molecular iodine reduced fibrocystic signs/symptoms while iodide was less effective and affected thyroidal function more readily.34 In one of the trials included in that review, the dose of molecular iodine was 0.07 mg to 0.09 mg/kg body weight per day. Converting this to something more clinically useful, this is approximately 3.2 mg to 4.0 mg/100 lb body weight per day of molecular iodine .
In another study of 111 women with cyclic mastalgia, women took either 6 mg/day, 3 mg/day, or 1.5 mg/day of a combination iodide/iodate , or a placebo.35 Sodium iodate was used with the prediction of dissolution in the stomach to molecular iodine . In that study, more than 50% of the women taking 6 mg/day had a reduction in mastalgia symptoms at 6 months.
Gastric cancer
Prostate cancer
Other cancers
How and whether 6-IL affects colon cancer cells is still not known. In a separate experiment, 6-IL was able to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in colon cancer cell line .66 Going forward, research should clarify which cancers are most affected by I2 and/or 6-IL.
Side Effects Of Iodine
In addition to the staining of skin, which is not dangerous, iodine can have side effects in some individuals.
Iodine may cause digestive distress, including stomach ache, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Too much iodine can cause hyperthyroidism. It can cause a jittery feeling, racing heart, sweating, and insomnia.
Iodine could cause flu like symptoms, especially if it is removing poisons from the body.
Goiters Poison And Medical Blunders
Years ago, in the 1920s, doctors first discovered that iodine deficiency causes goiter. The early experiments produced amazing results. Before iodine was introduced into the American diet, 40 percent of the children in some communities had enlarged thyroid gland .
Just four years after iodine was introduced, the number of goiter cases went down 75% and by 1951 fewer than one percent of school children had goiter.
I have vivid memories of seeing a woman with goiter when I was maybe five years old. She had a huge swelling as big as a baseball hanging from her neck. Thats my childish memory. Maybe it was only as big as a golf ball, but it was shocking. Its hard to believe this condition used to affect millions of people.
This epidemic was totally wiped out by supplementing with a mineral — iodine. As you probably know, the authorities took the approach of adding iodine to salt. Later, the baking industry started adding iodine to bread and other wheat products as a dough conditioner. At one time you could get your entire RDA of iodine from one slice of bread.
In spite of this huge success story, the medical establishment has practically forgotten iodine. These days, fewer than half of us use iodized salt. And just as you would expect, medical tests indicate the average Americans iodine level has plunged 50 percent.
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Analysis Of Iodine From Urinary Samples
For clinical specimens from breast cancer patients, a total of 33 patients who have pathological diagnosis of breast cancer and 22 normal healthy women were involved. For women undergoing laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, 8 patients with endometriosis and 8 normal healthy controls were involved. All participants were consuming a normal Chinese diet. None of the participants were using nutritional iodine supplements. After giving informed consent, urine samples were collected using the filter paper strip , dried, stored at 20°C. Dried urine iodine extraction and analysis were conducted as we previously described . For animal studies, nude mice were topically treated with Iodine Tincture every 2 or 3 day. Mouse urine samples were collected at the next day of iodine application.
Joan An English Teacher
The first patient, Joan a 63 year old English teacher, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989, declined conventional treatment, and took 50 mg per day of Iodoral, . Six weeks later, a PET scan showed, all of the existing tumors were disintegrating. Upper Left Image: Upper two frames is a PET scan showing breast cancer ). Lower two frames is a CAT scan showing enhancing breast cancer mass, red arrow. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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Will Radioiodine Be Useful In Treatment Of Breast Cancer
volume 6, pages 859860
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144 Accesses
Expression of a sodium iodide transporter by the thyroid gland causes iodide accumulation, and radioactive iodide is an effective treatment for thyroid cancer. The identification of a similar transporter in mammary tissue indicates that this approach might also be used to treat breast cancer .
Iodide is an essential component of thyroid hormones, which are required for normal development and metabolism. Iodide was first reported to accumulate in the thyroid in 1915 and was later discovered to be concentrated there by a sodium iodide symporter , which mediates the Na+/K+ ATPase-dependent coupling of inward iodide and sodium fluxes. In this issue, Tazebay et al. show that NIS is also expressed in mammary gland and in mammary tumors, indicating that this symporter may be a breast cancer marker as well as a target for therapy.
Preventing And Treating Diseases With Iodine
Iodine is a critically overlooked nutrient that could play a crucial preventative and treatment role in many diseases, especially of the breast. Unfortunately, iodine deficiency is a growing concern, even in developed countries.
Iodine is a critically overlooked nutrient that could play a crucial preventative and treatment role in many diseases, especially of the breast. Unfortunately, iodine deficiency is a growing concern, even in developed countries.
The optimal daily dose of iodine for a person is approximately 12.5 mg.
According to an update on the popular Breast Cancer Choices website, the therapeutic use of iodine for treating breast cancer is proving to be very effective. Furthermore it was reported that after 50 years of research and cross examination, abnormal iodine metabolism needs to be considered as a causative factor in many of our common ailments. An iodine deficiency has wormed its way into our modern constitutions due to a bromide overload, thanks to dietary and environmental sources.
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Faqs On Molecular Iodine And Breast Cancer
Can iodine kill cancer cells?
To a certain extent, it can cause metastasis. Radioactive iodine, however, is an effective cancer treatment type effective for cancer of the thyroid gland. Its effective as the radioactive iodine from the drink or capsule is soaked into your body and picked up by the thyroid cancer cells, even if its spread all across the body. The radiation causes the death of many cancer cells.
Does iodine help with cancer?
Yes! Iodine is required in the body for producing hydrochloric acid and reducing HCL acids has been indicated in the development of these cancers. Iodine causes apoptosis , removal of precancerous and virus-infected cells.
Can too much iodine cause cancer?
Yes, too much iodine can be harmful to the body. Taking high levels of iodine can lead to similar symptoms of iodine deficiency, including goiter . Increased levels of iodine intake can cause thyroid inflammation and thyroid cancer.
What are the symptoms of low iodine levels?
Here are some of the most common symptoms of iodine levels:
- dry skin
- weight gain
Does iodine reduce breast cysts?
After a review of clinical studies, its been found that iodine replacement therapy, mostly for people with low levels of iodine, might enhance the tenderness associated with fibrocystic breast tissue. Women who taken iodine have met with very few side effects.
Suiciding Healthy Oxygen Levels With Iodine Deficiency
When the oxygen levels in the cells drops below 60%, the respiration process of making energy changes into fermentation and presto we have a cancer cell. Normal cells can turn cancerous, not just because of DNA malformation but also because of oxygen deficiency. Dr. Ma Lan and Dr. Joel Wallach point out that one type of white blood cell kills cancer cells by injecting them with oxygen, creating hydrogen peroxide in the cells.
Thyroid hormones stimulate diverse metabolic activities in tissues, leading to an increase in basal metabolic rate. One consequence of this activity is to increase body heat production, which seems to result, at least in part, from increased oxygen consumption and rates of ATP hydrolysis.
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Iodine Research From Mexico India And Japan
India
The Shrivastava group in India reported molecular iodine induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cell cultures. Iodine showed cytotoxic effects in the cultured human breast cancer cells.
Mexico
From Mexico, the Carmen Aceves Velasco Group reported Iodine to be safe, with no harmful effects on thyroid function, and an anti-proliferative effect on human breast cancer cell cultures. Their 2009 paper reported the mechanism by which Iodine works as an anti-cancer agent. Iodine binds to membrane lipids called lactones forming iodo-lactones which regulate apoptosis . Iodine causes apoptosis which makes cancer cells undergo programmed cell death. Dr. Aceves concluded that continuous molecular iodine treatment has a potent antineoplastic effect on the progression of mammary cancer.
Japan
From Japan, Dr Funahashi reported a common seaweed food containing high iodine content is more beneficial than chemotherapy on breast cancer . He found thatadministration of Lugols iodine or iodine-rich Wakame seaweed to rats treated with the carcinogen dimethyl benzanthracene suppressed the development of mammary tumors. The same group demonstrated that seaweed induced apoptosis in human breast cancer cells with greater potency than that of fluorouracil, a chemotherapeutic agent used to treat breast cancer.
Fig 2 from Funahashi 2001. Breast cancer induced in rats with DMBA a carcinogenic chemical.
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Acid Body Conditions And Iodine Utilization
Iodine, which is high up on the atomic scale, requires near perfect pH for its assimilation into the body. Iodine is crucial for proper functioning of the thyroid but the thyroid does not get access to iodine unless the body pH is near perfect, as it usually is in the blood. Body mineral content and balances control the quantity of electricity in our bodies. The speed at which the electricity flows is controlled by the bodys pH balance and in fact, pH and voltage are measurements of each other.
There are complex biochemical processes taking place in the body constantly in an attempt to keep blood pH as near perfect as possible. These are known as the pH buffering systems. These buffering systems need a good balance of minerals to work effectively. If we are getting inadequate mineral intake from the food we eat, we are going to start having problems with our pH balancing systems.
Slightly alkaline intercellular fluids hold 10 to 20 times more oxygen than slightly acidic inter-cellular fluids. A pH 6.0 is ten times more acid than 7.0. pH 5.0 is 100 times more acid 4.0 is 1,000 times as acid and so on. The body pH value tells you how acidic or alkaline your body is relative to a neutral 7.0, and balanced body pH is essential for a healthy body and a major line of defense against sickness and disease.
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Correcting An Iodine Deficiency
When it comes to correcting iodine deficiency, the thyroid is like a big sponge, absorbing iodine from the blood to make thyroid hormone. Unfortunately, too much iodine can be just as problematic as not enough, so it is essential to supplement with the right type of iodine, at the correct dose and pace for your personal situation. There are many forms of iodine on the market and not every form is created equal . For example, whether I prescribe molecular or potassium iodide depends on various factors, including the target tissue , the dose required and the patients previous response to iodine supplementation. Some over-the-counter supplements provide the recommended daily intake of iodine at 150 MICROGRAMS, whilst others contain more than 85 times this dose!! This is why it is essential to discuss iodine supplementation with a qualified healthcare practitioner, to determine not only if it is right for you and your personal circumstances, but also what dose and type of iodine is best indicated. Individuals with thyroid disease need to be particularly careful when it comes to iodine, as both too much or too little can exacerbate the situation, so any form of iodine supplementation in such instances must be closely monitored.
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Doctors Themselves Are Often The Cause Of Their Patients Cancer
A womans breasts are one of her most sensitive areas when it comes to cancers caused by radiation exposure. Dr. David Brownstein says, Unfortunately, screening mammograms, used for nearly 30 years, have never been shown to alter breast cancer mortality. Moreover, to make matters worse, mammography exposes sensitive tissue to ionizing radiation, which actually causes cancer. A Norwegian study found that mammogram screening may reduce the risk of death from breast cancer by only 10 percent. Mette Kalager, M.D. and colleagues followed 40,075 women, screened and unscreened from 1996 through 2005.
Dr. Russell Blaylock says studies show mammograms actually increase a womans risk of developing breast cancer from 1-3% per year, depending on the technique used. If women religiously undergo a mammogram every year for 10 years, they increase their risk from 10-30%. By the age of 50, a full 45% of women will have cancer cells in their breasts. This does not mean that all these women will develop breast cancer, because in most women these cancer cells remain dormant. What it does mean is that, if you are one of these 45% of women, you are at high risk of spurring these cancer cells to full activity .
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Preparing For Rai Therapy
For RAI therapy to be most effective, you must have a high level of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the blood. This hormone is what makes thyroid tissue take up radioactive iodine. If your thyroid has been removed, there are a couple of ways to raise TSH levels before being treated with RAI:
- One way is to stop taking thyroid hormone pills for several weeks. This causes very low thyroid hormone levels , which makes the pituitary gland to release more TSH. This intentional hypothyroidism is temporary, but it often causes symptoms like tiredness, depression, weight gain, constipation, muscle aches, and reduced concentration.
- Another way is to get an injection of thyrotropin , which can make withholding thyroid hormone for a long period of time unnecessary. This drug is given daily for 2 days, followed by RAI on the 3rd day.
Most doctors also recommend that you follow a low iodine diet for 1 or 2 weeks before treatment. This means avoiding foods that contain iodized salt and red dye #3, as well as dairy products, eggs, seafood, and soy.
Iodine And Companion Nutrients
Vitamins and minerals work together in the body. Iodine has several companion nutrients that must be present in the body to ensure that the full benefit of iodine is experienced. Additionally, without the companion nutrients, a reaction to iodine or lack of success with iodine supplementation is likely.
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Tumor Growth In Athymic Nude Mice
A nude mouse tumorigenic assay was performed as we previously described . Briefly, Approximately 5 × 106 MCF-7 cells were injected into a 6-week-old female ovariectomized athymic nude mouse. Each animal received two injections, one on each side, in the mammary fat pads between the first and second nipples. For estrogen treatment, 17-estradiol pellets were implanted subcutaneously. For iodine treatment, mice were tropically applied with iodine by rubbing mouse back skin with Iodine Tincture . Tumor size was determined every 2 or 3 days by three-dimensional measurements using a caliper. Only measurable tumors were used to calculate the mean tumor volume for each tumor cell clone at each time point.
In Vivo Effects Of Topical Application Of Iodine On Expression Of Estrogen
To investigate the in vivo effect and to imitate the clinical observation, we determined the effect of topical application of iodine on the established MCF-7 tumor in ovariectomized athymic nude mice. We first analyzed the effect of topical application of Iodine Tincture on iodine absorption and on estrogen-regulated genes in MCF-7 tumor. Topical application of Iodine Tincture increased urine levels of iodine, suggesting an efficient skin absorption in nude mice . Although pS2 expression on both iodine and estrogen treated groups show no significant difference compared to control levels , expression levels of CyclinD1 and Cat-D was significantly higher in the iodine or estrogen treated nude mouse when compared with the average expression levels of control group . These data suggest that skin-absorbed iodine has an estrogenic effects on MCF-7 tumors grown in athymic nude mice.
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Number And Origin Of Patients And Controls
Tables 3A, 3B show the key aggregated data for each of the nine centers and 10 databases included in our survey. The cohorts comprised altogether 7,565 female DTC survivors given RAI or not given RAI . The number of RAI patients per institution varied considerably from 15 to 1,644 and the number of controls from 0 to 419.
Table 3A. Registry survey: RAI patient and control cohort characteristics by center – young age groups.
Table 3B. Registry survey: RAI patient and control cohort characteristics by center – all age groups.
The three largest groups of RAI patients, with more than 1,000 cases each, were contributed by the participating centers in Münster, Kiev, and Pisa. By contrast, by far the largest no RAI control group was provided by the Foundation ARNICA, Minsk, with a total of more than 500 controls . Table 3A is firstly a list of the three cohorts from Minsk and Kiev, which included a considerable proportion of young patients who developed DTC after the Chernobyl reactor accident in 1986 .