Iodine and psoriasis

trigeek

I participated in the breast cancer iodine research project ( http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/) that is researching whether there is a relation between iodine deficiency and bc. So it turned out that my body does not absorb iodine it just passes through me. So for about 6 weeks I have been on a heavy dose of iodoral and ATP cofactor and 2-3 weeks into my regimen the psoriasis( which was really taking over the scalp area.. and getting nasty at elbows and legs) started disappearing.

So.... another link ? BC, Iodine, Psoriasis.. I read that iodine deficiency does lead to dry skin, flaky nails and stuff so maybe iodine deficiency lead to my skin being very dry.. and psoriasis took over ? Dang if that is the case my whole teenage childhood traumas were totally needless ! ( I had pretty severe case of it covered from head to toe.. only my face and hands were spared) You would not believe what remedies my poor mother tried.. carrying me all around to specilists.. some alternative med practices (I remember one where we had to drive 15 miles every day and he would paint my whole body with .. hmm.. now I am thinking the smell WAS iodine.. mixed with sulphur !!! ) then at night we used to put on some kind of cortisone cream and wrapped my knees elbows in plastic bags and taped them.. it was soo uncomfortable. getting scales out of my scalp was a pita too.. I had to put cream on my scalp ( my mom actually) and the next morning before I took a bath we had to comb them out yikes !!) 

anondenet

Trigeek,

In the Merck Manual from 1899 ( I have a reproduction copy) it lists iodine and potassium iodide as a treatment for Psoriasis. According to Dr. Brownstein, girls' need for iodine skyrockets when we hit puberty and our breasts and ovaries start working. Boys don't need very much iodine.

Be sure to tell breastcancerchoices.org about this!  That may be a question they could ask their people. It's interesting that you really needed to blast the iodine and ATP to get results. It may have taken you years to get absorption without the ATP.  Dr. Flechas will be so thrilled.

It's always great when we can identify a deficiency leading to something like psoriasis ---because  you know you couldn't just be iodine deficient in only one place in your body-- there had to be other places like your breasts that were starved.

I'm so happy for you!  Are you keeping any before and after pictures?

althea

I've been wondering how you've been doing trigeek.  How wonderful that your psoriasis is getting better!  And how awful that you suffered so much discomfort in your younger years because of it.  Gosh, I just don't get why iodine is cloaked in such mystery.  I just finished reading Dr Brownsteins book on iodine, and it doesn't say anything about why the USDA proclaims iodine to be toxic at just 1100 mcg.  Clearly, it isnt and there's so much benefit to be gained from using it as a supplement. 

Did you do that extra test to evaluate your NIS symporter function?  How much iododoral and ATP cofactor are you taking?   Are you taking vitamin C also?

trigeek

Anom I do not have pictures cause I did not expect this to happen.

Althea I took 100 mg/ day 50 in the morning 50 in the evening for 6 weeks now I am down to 50 / day. When I talked to dr flechas he did not mention the extra NIS test. At the end of the 12 weeks I am going to be tested again hopefully the body will learn to absorb iodine by then.

althea

From what I understand the NIS is rather new, and it can tell the doctor if our 'symporters' are working or not.  It was going to cost $160 and it requires a blood draw, so I opted to use the hit and miss method by tinkering with supplements.  My absorption rate is lousy also, but not as bad as yours.  I've been taking 2 tablets daily of the ATP cofactor for about three weeks now.  Last week I got some ester C tablets of 1000 mg each. 

I couldn't tell much difference with the ATP cofactor but I definitely get some reaction from the C.  I got a headache the first day of just one tablet (Dr Flechas told me to take 3000 mg/day of ester c).  I notice that my urine is often cloudy also, a sign of bromide detoxing.   I don't tolerate the C very comfortably, but hopefully it'll improve with time.  I haven't examined my magnesium intake yet, and that might be another thing I need to supplement also.  

Mazy1959

Hi Tri,

I just bumped into your post. I had severe psoriasis about 6 months before I started my periods at age 12. Once I started my periods I never had them again. I have always had dry flakey  & weak nails. Diagnosed with goiter in 2003. Down deep we know all this is connected to this breast cancer but it's so confusing. I wonder if psoriasis, goiter etc are signs that breast cancer could be in your future, like are they somehow early symptoms? Or is it an indicater that our hormones are just messed up LOL. Hugs, Mazy