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Dr Karen Shue's avatar

Too funny - we're aligned again! just a few weeks ago, I started adding daily agar flakes to my vegan diet to make sure I was getting enough iodine. It's hard to gauge the "dose" of course, but I figure a regular something is better than nothing.

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Helena Bianchi's avatar

HELL YEAH!!! oh Karen you're in for such amazingness. How much agar flakes do you take per day? You're probably getting 10-100 micrograms iodine per day...plus if you take iodized salt should be getting close to the recommended daily intake for adults is 150 micrograms at minimum - If you were deficient it will take a while to feel a difference unless you increase the dose and eat more flakes.

Just so you have an idea, Japanese women get 13 MILLIGRAMS per day from KOMBU seaweed eating and more seafood animals too!! whoa! and they see a lower incidence of breast cancer, and more hormonal balance in general including robust thyroid function.

This always baffles me how 150 mcg recommendations are so far away from what the Japanese get. Have you done an iodine loading test? - seems like it is the best way to gauge levels in body. I take 13 mg per day. I started with 2 mg, then 6, then 13. I had a huge bromide detox reaction --- watery eyes for an entire two weeks then brain fog and low energy pretty much disappeared.

Have you read this book: Iodine, why you need it why you can't live without it by David Brownstein, M.D. ?

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Dr Karen Shue's avatar

Thanks Helena -- I use 1 tsp, but we don't even have an iodiozed salt at home. Many moons ago I was macrobiotic, so much more in the way of seaweeds regularly. Kombu at the bottom of every pot of rice! But not so much now. I'll have to ask my physician about testing. Have put the book on my list! 🙏🏻

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Helena Bianchi's avatar

My pleasure! oh awesome so you are getting Kombu as well! You are most likely getting the 150 mcg basics then. Yeah, it would awesome to test it - ideally with the iodine loading test

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