Iodine Deficiencies – The Truth!

A Two Edged Sword

Important Information Concerning Iodine Supplementation

From The Desk Of L. Carl Robinson, MH,TT,CCHt.
Clinical & Formulary Herbalist and Nutritionist

Being a clinical & formulary herbalist and nutritionist does not preclude me from making some fact-based and observational conclusions and assertions concerning the issue of iodine deficiencies, especially since it is within the prevue of nutrition and these observations and assertions are referenced to in clinical, nutritional and extensive cadaver autopsy studies among the populations being studied, not to mention my own years as a clinical herbalist and nutritionist who has often dealt with conditions that should have resolved or seen better results with a prescribed protocol, but in some instances didn’t or did not to the expectation anticipated. 
 
These baffling non-resolving or less than anticipated outcomes became more prevalent over the years, setting me on a course of research, studies and inquiries for a common denominator. It was not until a colleague gave me a book by Mark Starr, MD, wherein he asserted that even many common disorders that were difficult to resolve could be tied to iodine deficiency. This possibility of endemic iodine defficiency being the common denominator I was looking for came into even sharper focus when he referenced medical doctor Broda O. Barnes groundbreaking work on the thyroid/cardiovascular/iodine triangle of health and well-being.

From that reference I contacted the Broda O. Barnes Research Foundation, that is dedicated to educating other doctors and the lay public on his work in metabolic disorders and the thyroid, and from there did a thorough study of his life’s work, accomplishments and postulates in this field. Interestingly, in the next five years after I’d began my studies in thyroid/metabolic/iodine studies, over a dozen books were written by other physicians, now popularly referred to as the ‘Iodine Doctors,’ many who also refered to Dr. Barnes research and conclusions, some quite extensively.

The subject of endemic population-wide deficient iodine and deficient thyroid function are no longer fringe ideas but have become an accepted fact among a growing cadre of medical doctors, endocrine specialists, as well as ancillary and CAM (Complementary Alternative Medicine) providers. Of the many possible common denominators I observed and in turn premised might relate consistently to non-resolving or less than anticipated outcomes of protocols I had recommended it was an ever present hypothyroid/iodine deficiency complex that most consistnelty met both the multi-symptomology spectrum and etiology for these non-resolved/less than anticipated outcomes. In the ensuing years since I made that observation, and, in a manner consistent with Dr. Barnes observations and premise, I have utilized hypothyroid/iodine deficiency resolving/balancing recommendations and protocols accordingly, that has thus far stood the test of time once I have ascertained actual or possible hypothyroid and/or iodine deficiencies as being the core/underlying problem.

That said, iodine is the key mineral element to a properly functioning Hypothalamus/Thyroid/Pituitary Axis (HTP Axis), and many physicians and health practitioners, myself included, believe that the HTP Axis is the pre-cascading basis upon which the Hypothalamus/Pituitary/Adrendal Axis (HPA Axis) functions. In other words, for the HPA Axis to properly function, the HTP Axis must be properly functioning to support the primary stress-control/moderating functions of the HPA Axis, and iodine is the key element to proper efficient HTP Axis function. A simple formula concerning this premise might read: IDD = – HTP Axis = – HPA Axis = endocrine spectrum caused disorders. Said another way, IDD (Iodine Deficiency Disorders) equals a chllanged and/or failing HTP Axis function that cascades to a further challanged and/or failing HPA Axis function with all its concurrent problems and syndromes.

Remember, the HPA Axis is the key to healthy stress management and immunity, and that is dependent on healthy metabolism and correctly functioning homeostasis which the HTP Axis is at the root of, hence the ‘iodine factor’ being an essential key to not only proper metabolism and homeostasis, but to immunity and general well-being as well. I am aware of no other single ‘essential’ mineral and/or nutrient that possesses this ‘all encompassing’ spider web-like influence on the body’s physical and mental well-being, save for the more essential need for air and water. Interestingly, iodine is needed in only very small minuscule day-to-day amounts once the body’s tissue iodine saturated levels are attained, but that minuscule day-to-day input of  iodine intake is absolutely essential to ‘vibrant’ health and well-being.  

One of the most outstanding things that has stood out in my studies and observations of iodine deficiencies is the listed established RDA levels for iodine intake, that appear to not be high enough for current population needs, and in fact may be woefully insufficient. This observation is not original or unique to me as many physicians who specialize in thyroid related endocrinology have prior and continue to go on record with this assessment, often to the chagrin and ire of the greater medical community who typically exhibit a proclivity to be more interested in conforming to dogmatized and often outdated establishment structured beliefs, even in the face of mounting evidence that clearly shows otherwise.
 
First things first however. No doubt, that where health issues are concerned iodine is a squirrely element that makes it both essential to health and yet if used wrongly or in the wrong form can result in serious health problems and injuries, and in some instances, even death. Of all the minerals deemed essential to health and well-being and that require a daily intake, iodine, because of its extremely powerful nature (it is the most dense and heavy of the ‘attainable’ minerals in its class and most dense and heavy of the essential minerals deemed essential for daily health), is most like the legendary Sword-of-Damocles in its consequences if it is misused, intentional or not.

Like the legendary sword, which only hung by a single horse’s hair tied to its hilt with its tip pointed down directly above the one seated at the throne of power, so iodine is in its effect on the body. First, and most important, where general supplemental use is concerned, iodine must be in the appropriate non-toxic form to be relatively safe for dietary supplemental use, and secondly, a non-toxic form of iodine should only be taken in a manner/daily dosage that benefits health and well-being over a lifetime. Consider the following. Unlike the lesser elemental density and weight of the other minerals which can be taken in fairly large amounts, even over sustained periods, without serious toxicity, iodine’s elemental density (i.e. its mass) and high weight don’t allow for it to be used in such a flexible manner where daily dosage levels are concerned. This is why where thyroid and/or cardiovascular problems exist or a person is taking medications, iodine supplementation should only be done under the direction and watchful eye of a qualified physician. It’s that simple! That said, let’s move on.

Now one could argue, as has been done, that the increased lifespan of Americans, for example, attests to the premise that regardless otherwise, this deficiency here and that deficiency there, are based on hubrus, hyperbole and myth, which on the surface I myself would be inclined to agree with, except for the counterfactual evidence that the same population experiencing a longer lifespan is also experiencing increased cancer rates (breast cancer and prostate cancer far above 1980′s levels), increased cardiovascular disease, exploding obesity and diabetes rates in the last two decades alone, rampantly increasing autoimmune conditions, to name just a few, to which a more thorough delving into shows that the increase in American’s lifespan is not because they are necessarily more healthier than prior generations, which they are not, but that advances in medical mechano-electronic technology coupled with a plethora of symptom-suppressing pharmaceutical products have delayed what would otherwise be earlier deaths due to unsuppressed health problems, and their symptoms, continuing to cascade, without mitigation, what would be an earlier death in the absence of these technological advances. The marginalization/suppression of disease conditions and minimizing/mitigating the consequences of trauma or a hard driving lifestyle are what has increased lifespan, not that humans are ‘more healthy’ per se.’ The next question to be asked in all of this is, ‘Has advances in medical technology and a raft of pharmaceutical products made for a better quality of life, health and productive wellness?’ The answer is for most a resounding and emphatic no! So again, the case for nutritional deficiencies, especially essential nutrients, such as iodine, becomes more viable and noteworthy once all the factors regarding longevity and quality-of-life statistics are taken together and into serious consideration.
 
Again, the most disconcerting point related to iodine deficiency based studies is that the American population (and world-wide) is consistently showing a profound increase in health problems, especially of the degenerative kind, regardless of symptomatic minimizing/suppression, that can more often than not be tied to deficient iodine/thyroid problems and low general tissue iodine levels. This is all substantiated statistically and is concurrent with the fact that iodine previously added to certain foods by law ceased being so once the law was repealed (e.g. substantially decreased intake of iodized table salt and iodine no longer added to commercial bakery products since the 1970′s,), with chlorine, bromine and floride becaming ubiquitous to our water, foods & beverages supply, lifestyles and environment. (Compounding all of this is the exponential rise in radio isotopes in the world’s shared water supplies (Fukushima unresolved compounding radiation ejecta currently being one of the worst), industrial ejecta, cosmic and background radiation, etc.)

The afore described revelations are also bringing the current RDA levels for daily iodine intake into serious question and debate. In fact, there is mounting evidence that the RDA level for iodine was set too low in the first place, putting the daily intake at too precarious a low threshold level leading to imminent deficient daily iodine intake, especially as humans, particularly in Western influenced societies, that over the ensuing years, have become more stressed and traumatized, that in turn has further stressed and shocked the endocrine system, especially the thyroid, compounded by the ubiquitous presence of halogens  (e.g. chlorine, bromine and floride elements that are of the same group as iodine, that also aggressively act as strong ‘goitrogens’ – goitrogen being an agent that blocks the uptake/utilization of iodine and can potentially displace iodine in the body). There is a mountain of mounting evidence and numerous considerations, both scientific and evidentiary (anecdotal), that support these premises and the observations made therefrom.  

Consider the following points…

First – the history upon which the original iodine RDA levels was based. When it was established that iodine needed to be supplemented into the daily diet the next step was to ascertain what the RDA level would be for the general population. By ‘general population’ it is meant to imply a normal fairly healthy cross section of the population, not sick or infirmed subjects, who are not supposed to be part of such a study. This means a study taking a cross section of a generally healthy population would be required to perform such a study. Goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland caused by profoundly deficient tissue iodine levels was the catalyst for concern, since it was at epidemic levels across all segments of American society in the late 1800′s/early 1900′s.

In the early 1900′s a landmark clinical study was sponsored by the American government with scientist to ascertain the maximum safe daily intake of iodine. During the study’s earliest phase all of the participants experienced good results from the iodine intake protocols, however, part way through the initial phase of the study one of the participants suddenly died of a cardiac arrest. This, naturally, frightened the researchers who attributed this person’s death to too high iodine intake during the study, that may have been true or not. The erroneous assumption of the researchers however, when taken relative to the other subjects of the study, was that this single death of a study subject was immediately seen, without a thorough forensics follow-up of the circumstances, as a representative of what would happen to the whole group and hence the public at large with the size dose level this individual was believed to have died from. As a result of this death the study was immediately discontinued, without further scientific inquiry, and the scientist in a highly unscientific irrational manner set a highly subjective and arbitrarily low RDA level for iodine intake, an RDA level many times lower than the researchers had originally determined from prior studies would be the case, that today many endocrinologists, especially those specializing in thyroid issues, have now gone on record as saying are woefully low to meet current population needs.

As was shared with me, through an associate who knew a former researcher with the NIH, my associate was informed that a thorough review of this study’s subject participants selection protocols shows that the selection protocols were seriously breached thus rendering the study flawed from the beginning. The person (a woman) who had died from the so-called too high iodine intake should not have been part of the study as she had already experienced two life threatening cardio events prior to participating in the iodine intake study. In other words, this individual did not qualify at all for being included in the study and her health history was totally counter to the study’s subject selection qualifications standard that participants were supposed to be representative of – a ‘generally healthy’ segment of the general population being studied, and was not supposed to include any participants with a prior history of serious health problems, especially of a cardio-vascular nature. Said another way, that so-called landmark study was pure ‘Bad Science’ at its worst. Sadly, that study, considered so essential to determining a health and wellbeing policy for the population, has never been redone according to integrally sound scientific protocols for accurately and truthfully ascertaining optimal RDA levels for daily iodine intake, and so the woefully low RDA level for iodine, set only to prevent the most serious IDD (Iodine Deficiency Disorder) conditions, such as clinical goiter and cretinism (congenital mental retardation),  continues to be based on an irrationally flawed interpretation of a badly crafted, poorly executed and irrationally interpreted study, done by so-called  ’scientists’ no less!

In other words, the ‘established’ RDA for iodine is not set to meet the minimum standard for maintaining ‘general’ health and well-being as the RDA is listed for all other essential nutrients, but is set only to prevent the most serious IDD of goiter and cretinism , while other iodine deficiency driven problems, some of a serious nature and many of a malingering sub-clinical nature resulting in many probable syndromes, are not addressed from the ‘maintaining minimal general health & well-being’ RDA standard, leading to the plethora of iodine deficient related problems now believed endemic in society at large.
 
Second – a very important point concerning iodine should not be lost on understanding the ramifications for increasing RDA intake of iodine. Iodine is the heaviest with the lowest mass (e.g. high weight in a very small package) of the elements required (i.e. ‘essential’) by the body, both developmentally and throughout life, for health and well-being. This is important from an ‘energetics’ perspective (i.e. a metaphorical point of view that in this instance regards the ‘nature’ of something) as it also tells us something about the alchemical-based qualities of iodine. These alchemical-based qualities are meant to be approached from a purely metaphorical perspective. However, metaphor often has profound implications, ramifications and defining of cause-&-effect factors that crossover into reality, especially where the ‘nature’ of something or an event is concerned as to its effect on the corporeal world, which is why ‘metaphor’ is seen as a valuable tool and often utilized in many scientific endeavors as part of a scientific inquiry. Such is the case with iodine’s immense compacted density coupled with its immense weight. The following explanation of this commentary will bring this into perspective.
 
Radio isotopes, such as uranium derivatives, are even more dense and heavier than iodine, which is why radiation spillage/blooms/ejecta into the environment are such a critical event since the heavy and greater highly concentrated mass radio isotopes have a profound affinity for the heavy and greater concentrated mass iodine element – a sort of ‘likes attracts likes’ scenario. Here the ‘two edged sword’ quality of iodine really manifests itself – Iodine has a strong affinity for certain radio isotopes of the most common type, and… iodine also has a strong affinity for the tissue proteins of the body (that interestingly are some the the heaviest and greatest concentrated mass tissues/compounds in the body), provided the iodine is able to bind itself into the tissues protein matrix and not be displaced by the other halogen group of elements (e.g. bromine, chlorine and florine) that undermine iodine tissue bonding and its biochemical utility. This is where the rub lies.

If the tissues of the body, especially the thyroid gland, are not saturated with adequate amounts of tissue-bound iodine, those tissues are not capable of producing enough T3 and T4 (Thyroid hormones) that in turn themselves intrinsically possess secondary properties for displacing and turning away the heavier radio isotopes, many already bound with freely available iodine from the body’s fluid systems that may not have been tissue bound yet. If this lack of tissue iodine binding happens in the body those toxic radio isotope based molecules will have easy access throughout the body and passage into the tissues that weren’t already iodine saturated, and once tissue invasion of iodine deficient tissues takes place the much heavier radio isotopes and radio-bound iodine becomes sequestered in the tissues and is very difficult to remove, that includes the accompanying toxicity and life threatening problems that accompany this scenario.

Therefore, tissue saturation of iodine (also called ‘iodine loading’) is essential to efficient thyroid production of T3 and T4 hormones, with said hormones also being essential to sustaining the body’s ‘intrinsic’ ability to effectively deal with incursions of radio isotope bound molecules whether from a radiation crisis event or from day-to-day increasing background radiation and contamination of foods supplies that is becoming more prevalent and insidious with each passing year.

Of greater concern is that in vitro chemically manufactured mineral salts of iodides (i.e. KI – potassium iodide), especially when taken as part of an iodine loading protocol, appear to not be as effective as hoped for in dealing ‘efficiently’ and safely enough with day-to-day increasing radiation pollution of food and water supplies and rising background radiation, and to my knowledge there is currently no credible studies substantiating that in-vitro chemical manufactured mineral salts of iodides adequately contribute enough to T3 and T4 production as a direct result of mineral salts of iodide intake, especially in light of the fact that in vitro chemically prepared KI’s primary function is to initially block the thyroid from absorbing not only radio iodine, but all other forms of iodine in the process, including natural and in vivo intrinsic (those synthesized in vivo within the body) based bio-iodides, which again are required for the thyroid to produce T3 and T4 since any manufactured mineral salts of iodides must first be reconfigured and transformed in the liver into body-wise bio-iodides to effectively be taken up by tissues of the body as certain protein carriers that are also bound to the minerals and iodine complex synthesized in the liver must also be factored into the bio-iodide equation, which manufactured mineral salts of iodide lack.

On the other hand, stabilized transformative mono-elemental pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine (that the liver converts into its own body-wise (i.e. body friendly) in-vivo bio-iodides), as  derived from pure diatomic elemental crystalline iodine, is theoretically believed to be the most efficient dietary supplemental form of iodine that the body can efficiently and with less metabolic stress use to convert into an intrinsic in-vivo synthesized body-wise form of bio-iodide that the thyroid readily uptakes into its tissues and in turn efficiently utilizes to make T3 and T4, along with the other tissues iodine receptors of the body being able to uptake and utilize. 

Simply put, only elemental iodine in a stable (non-nascent) pco-colloidal state, that is intrinsically converted in-vivo in the body into body-wise bio-iodides, is what becomes an intrinsic biologically natural part of a T3 and T4 thyroid hormone producing event. In all the research I’ve done on the subject this aspect of what actually happens in the body with manufactured mineral salts of iodide seem to have either been passed over or altogether ignored, resulting in a huge misunderstanding of what’s involved here as to the highly stressing metabolic aspects of converting manufactured mineral salts of iodides into body-wise bio-iodides versus the more apparent efficient synthesizing of a mono element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine into an in-vivo body-wise bio-iodide. No matter how parsed, this is a huge consideration as regards an iodine loading protocol and daily iodine supplement intake.

To be clear, there is no doubt that for radio iodine poisoning, KI (a mineral salt of Iodide) does indeed block the thyroid from absorbing ALL iodines, the radio isotope bound as well as the non-radio isotope bound. Here the mineral salt of iodide, as KI, is playing the dark side of the Sword-of-Damocles concerning its negative effects on day-to-day thyroid health and the potential ‘sideways’ problems it may cause during emergency rapid iodine loading needs to deal with radioactive events, as well as the possible ‘initial’ thyroid blocking effects KI appears to possess when taken for dietary supplement purposes as well. Regarding this latter statement, the jury is still out on this highly controversial view, but a thorough study of the basis of the W-C Effect, regardless of the side one takes regarding this twice done study, appears to lend credence to this premise or at least a questionable plausibility. 

The question is now offered, why is the production of T3 and T4 of such importance where incursion of radio isotopes/radio-bound iodine is concerned? As already alluded to, T3 and T4 also possess the intrinsic effect of blocking the entry of heavy metals and radio isotopes into the thyroid (due to an already tissue iodine saturated thyroid), by stimulating the thyroid to shut off entry of heavy metals (that’s right! heavy metals…) and radio isotopes into the thyroid (while at the same time accepting ‘clean’ iodine itself – ‘clean’ iodine defined as ‘freely available’ iodine as a body-wise bio-iodide, not bound to heavy metals or radio isotopes), and does so more efficiently than mineral salts based iodides and without the serious side-effects to both the thyroid and other body’s systems in vitro manufactured mineral salts of iodides (e.g. potassium iodide) cause. This is why well before an imminent or actual radiation event occurs, preventative pre-emergency iodine loading intake with a stabilized transformed mono-element pico-colloidal iodine is preferred over that of a mineral salt of iodide such as potassium iodide. An iodine tissue saturated body can more efficiently deal with heavy metal and radio isotope incursions without the side-effect harming of  the body as in-vitro based manufactured mineral salts of iodides may do in typical mineral salts of iodide based iodine loading scenarios.

This is a profound consideration given that a mono-element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine (not manufactured mineral salts of iodides) is essential to efficient and timely T3 and T4 biosynthesis, and T3/T4 are in turn essential to healthy thyroid protection from heavy metal and radio isotope incursions, meaning, that the thyroid makes the T3/T4 hormones, and those hormones in turn protect the thyroid. In vitro chemically manufactured mineral salts of iodides can act as in-vivo exogenic blockers to the thyroid, blocking everything, including freely available clean bio-iodide complexes. On the other hand, as previously stated, systemically available freely available clean bio-iodide complexes, as derived from intake of stabilized transformative mono-element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine, that is in turn converted in-vivo into body-wise bio-iodides, appears to do double duty by additionally contributing to T3/T4 hormones endogenic blocking of heavy metals and radio isotopes into the thyroid due to proper, efficient, timely and safe tissue saturation of iodine throughout the body, and most importantly, within the thyroid, while allowing freely available clean bio-iodide complexes to pass into and hence, support, sustain and maintain healthy intrinsic thyroid function, immunity, proper metabolism, cardiovascular health, endocrine functions, etc.

 Also, If the body should be subjected to an incursion of radio isotopes/radio-bound iodine and intrinsic iodine tissue saturation is already present in and throughout the tissues of the body, especially the thyroid, the combination of the pre-saturation of iodine (‘Iodine Loading’), adequate presences of T3 and T4 in the blood stream and fluids of the body, and the cells own intrinsic biological processes are able to more efficiently block radiation and accompanying radio-bound iodine from entering the tissues, thus allowing the body to keep said toxic molecules in a free unbound state and eliminate them from the body via its eliminative systems. Definitely much better than drastic emergency iodine loading with an in-vitro chemically manufactured mineral salt of iodide, and it’s also much more ‘natural’ in its effects and easier on the body as well.
  
Third – as previously stated, if the body has high intrinsic tissue levels of iodine to the point of tissue and fluid systems saturation, continued daily intake of a stabilized transformative mono-element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine will result in continued production of essential body-wise bio-iodides that will in turn act as a sort of ‘chelator’ wherein the non-tissue-bound body-wise bio-iodide will reconvert and bind with radio isotopes and in turn carry the radiation out of the body via its elimination systems, but only if the body’s tissues have previously been fully iodine saturated. This phenomenon of the a free available body-wise bio-iodide letting go of a mineral carrier it is bound to in favor of bonding to the radio isotope is due to the stronger attraction the iodine has for a radio isotope (remember, most radio isotopes are very heavy and of concentrated mass, like iodine is) as opposed to the former lesser attraction the iodine, as a body-wise bio-iodide, had for the mineral (e.g. potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, etc). It’s one of the interesting two-edged aspects of iodine’s intrinsic properties within biological systems and in nature at large.

To clarify again, ‘body-wise’ bio-iodides are in-vivo synthesized in the liver from freely available clean iodine (as derived from intake of transformative mono-element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine for example) and possess different biological qualities that are compatable with and within the body as opposed to in-vitro chemical manufactured mineral salts of iodides that are less compatable with the body in their ‘manufactured’ form (some being highly cytotoxic and stressing to the body’s buffering systems). Intrinsic body-wise bio-iodides include intrinsic calcium iodide (affinity for bones and hard tissues), intrinsic magnesium iodide (affinity for muscle and soft tissues), intrinsic potassium iodide (affinity for endocrine/gland and cardio-vascular tissues) and intrinsic sodium iodide (affinity for nerve and mucosal tissues) and others.

This is not to say that free radio-bound iodine (and free radio isotopes) circulating throughout the body will not have some effect on tissues they come into contact with, but if the tissues of the body are pre-saturated with tissue-bound iodine and high levels of T3 and T4 are in circulation throughout the body, the free radio isotope and/or radio-bound iodine is blocked from entering ‘into’ the cellular matrix of the tissues, especially the thyroid, with the eliminative systems of the body then expelling radio isotopes and radio-bound iodine from the body and the effects of these radio isotope complexes having less effect than otherwise. This is why pre-saturation of the body’s tissues (via iodine loading with a transformative mono-element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine), especially the thyroid, are essential to dealing with and eliminating radio isotope and heavy metals incursions from the body. Amazingly, this basic, intrinsic and well-defined biological process regarding iodine is lost on medical and CAM specialists providing chelation therapies to their patients/patrons for heavy metal detoxification.
  
Fact is, our environment has much higher levels of radio isotopes and radiation particulates (commonly referred to as ‘background radiation’) than prior to the advent of the ‘Atomic Age.’ In fact, the height of the ‘Industrial Age’ (early 1900′s), accompanied by its discharges into the environment, was the beginning of radiation residue and its compounding effects making its way into the atmosphere, water shed and ground water supplies. The problem is not sudden but has been building for generations as a result of the compounding effects of BOTH environmental phenomena (volcanic eruptions being one) and industrial disasters–pollution waste/after effects, coupled with the disastrous skyrocketing use of goitrogen agents (chlorine, fluorine (as fluoride) and bromine) in foods, beverages and medicines that block thyroid activity and iodine uptake/utilization. 

The world is witness to a steady increase in environmental radiation levels, both environmental and man-made, for well over a century now, that went exponential during the 1950′s and 1960′s due to surface (both land and oceans) and underground nuclear explosions and high atmosphere detonated atomic weapons testing (which ironically was done solely by the United States) that ripped and thinned the ionosphere that has in turn allowed for spewing solar and cosmic radio isotopes onto the high altitude jet streams, all while world-wide human tissue iodine levels have concurrently experienced a steady and precipitous decline. This is why a catastrophic radiation spillage/bloom/ejecta is considered a tipping point of consternation for a major health crisis (that is also a national security issue) for people in the path of the after effects of a catastrophic radiation event. It’s a sort of tipping point adding insult to an already festering injury.

The question is asked, can governments realistically be expected to quell and even prevent the problem on their own initiative? The answer, that is already historically ascertained, is a resounding no! Not because government can’t, but because there are so many considerations and convoluting political and economic agendas that mix into the problem that its a mulligan stew of gargantuan prorportions. Political, corporate, rent-seeking profiteering agendas, out of control consumerism, ecology ruining considerations, fractured science & medicine held hostage to private and special interests, etc., etc., are all part of this stew mix, along with numerous other considerations too numerous to cite. In short, an extremely messy situation that sees no viable population-wide or planetary-based solution in the near or potentially far future.

Reality is, short of a world-wide mega catastrophic event, governments, especially of the liberal democratic type (which America and the majority of the Western industrialized nations are), are not really able to effictively deal with these problems in simplistic terms without causing a concurrent mega socio-political-economic disaster of its own right, due in large part to population masses being angry with having been deceived and put at unnecessary risk. In the final analysis it is the attitude and actions of individuals on a personal level that are most capable of dealing, one way or another, with these problems. Remember, the simpler the solution the more probable that even complex problems can be solved on a personal level (simple solutions typically don’t work for highly complicated ‘messy’ systems and their problems), however, individual initiative on a personal level is the key to any meaningful change, and always has been where personal/family health and well-being are concerned. So it is with individuals taking responsibility and action to alleviate, mitigate and prevent further iodine deficiency problems for themselves and their families under their care by pursuing safe, rational and effective iodine loading protocols for iodine tissue saturation of their own body and the bodies of their family members.
  
I believe this is why populations who suspect they are in the path of a catastrophic radiation event or will be affected by such an event intrinsically, on a deep gut level, know the need to not wait for an arrival of radiation before they do something, but take immediate action to procure a source of iodine supplementation, such as a mono-element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine for example, to immediately begin the process of iodine loading their bodies with a safe and effective form of iodine – NOW!

Sadly, governments, by their own ‘intrinsic’ nature to sustain the status quo and establishment agendas, do tend to minimalize such impending crisis, typically in the name of ‘national security,’  so as to not panic the population at large, and as such a critical timeline passes for effective, appreciable and sustainable iodine loading of the affected population to take place, which leaves the population at large, as individuals, in the necessary position of  taking the preventative initiative themselves to self-pursue viable iodine loading of themselves and their families for effectively facing an impending radiation crisis, which are increasing with shorter time spans between each crisis.’
 
Fourth – the final analysis, evidenced by world-wide studies and statistical reviews, shows that humanity, on a world-wide basis, is woefully deficient in tissue iodine levels to one degree or another, with most of the population at precariously low levels. Sadly, attention and public demand for iodine supplementation seems to spike only when a catastrophic radiation event is imminent or worse yet, has happened. Nuclear weapon stockpiles and their potential consequences aside, in a world with levels of  background radiation now starting to skyrocket and with an appreciable percentage of electrical power being generated with out-in-the-open nuclear power facilities, with such facilities dotted around the globe, usually within a short distance of high urban population locations, such radiation spills/blooms/ejecta crisis will undoubtedly come and go. That’s the nature of the technology as no technology is 100% safe or insular from disaster in any sense of the meaning, including the nuclear waste stock piles dilemma, especially when environmental events, such as earthquakes or deep seismic events (resulting in tsunamis), are factored in. Add to this the added conundrum of radiation levels increasing year upon year, in a compounding fashion, in foods, water supplies and the soils that grow the foods. Fact is, modern technology has been a double edged sword, having resulted in some magnificent benefits to humanity, but on the other edge has made the world more dangerous to ALL living species, and, we as individuals, especially in the industrialized world, have driven this trend beyond sanity and so must take the lead in working our way out of this conundrum, if that’s even possible now.
 
Added to these and other terra firma problems is the growing concern regarding increased solar and cosmic radiation getting past the ionosphere (that America single handedly ripped apart and thinned from high atmosphere nuclear detonations) down into the lower atmosphere. Along with the consequences of direct over exposure of solar and cosmic radiation, combine these rogue radiations with already present suspended gases and heavy metals particulates in the atmosphere and the resulting free-radicals that result in novel forms of atmospheric radio-bound heavy metals free-floating in the air, especially in heavily industrialized areas of the world, that are generating centers for these novel atmospheric toxins that make their way up into the jet streams where they are carried around the world and settle across the sea and landscape.  All of this underscores the need for effective iodine loading of the body’s tissues and adequate daily iodine supplementation thereafter being more apparent and essential than ever.

And finally – all said, it seems logical that since tissue iodine levels of people are woefully deficient in the first place, the need to simply supplement one’s iodine needs on a daily level (first iodine loading the body’s tissues, then falling back to a decreased adequate daily maintenance level of iodine supplementation) would be akin to hitting two birds in the bush with one stone – taking care of a daily need while at the same time preparing the body for that possible catastrophic radiation event, or effects from heavy metal poisoning of the atmosphere, oceans, land and ground water (with concurrent incursion through food, water, growing soils or the environment we exist in), as well as solar/cosmic radiation events, since immediately available supplies of supplemental iodine at large may not be adequate enough or of the type to meet a large populations emergency need for immediate iodine loading for saturating the body’s tissues in the event of a crisis.

Again, it’s easy to focus on the problems, but it is the solutions, that believe it or not are currently readily available, that really count.

Such a crisis and concurrent shortages of iodine in the industry took place due to the March 2011 Japan earthquake/tsunami that caused the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant meltdown/explosions, when world-wide supplies of raw iodine were in short supply within 1 day of the event and many iodine supplement manufacturers were not able to meet impending demand, or worse yet, manipulated prices upwards for supplies they had on hand, some in an insidious goes-to-highest-bidder sort of fashion.

Here the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure,” aptly applies in the case of one taking care of their tissue levels of iodine on a daily iodine supplemental basis well before they are confronted with a crisis.

In the final analysis, speaking as a clinical & formulary herbalist and nutritionist, who has for years studied scientific and evidentiary/anecdotal writings concerning health and wellbeing along with the plethora of studies and commentaries concerning degenerative conditions and their causes (both established and purported), as well as my own years long experiences and observations based work as a clinician and owner of a botanicals and transformative mono-element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine supplement manufacturing company, I have a unique and very relevant perspective on the issues.

I’ve seen a trend emerge in all of this that has been both profound and dumfounding at the same time. While great emphasis through the decades has been placed on finding and establishing those components (aka ‘nutraceuticals’ and ‘actives’) derived from foods, water and supplementation as  ‘essential’ to health, I’ve been shocked that of the gamut of  ‘essential’ nutrients, meaning nutrients the body cannot make for itself that are considered necessary for health and well-being, such as vitamins, minerals, etc., iodine is the one that I’ve observed to be most marginalized and even avoided for serious discussion, even though it is as ‘essential’ to health and wellbeing as any of the other essential components, in many instances more so. This is an interesting perspective coming from a decades long studied and experienced clinical & formulary herbalist with a substantial background in nutritional science, as those decades of studies have led me to conclude that while good, safe and nutritious foods and herbal supplementation are very well and good, my studies and experiences have taught me that tissue iodine loading and adequate daily iodine intake factor is an essential anchor upon which all the nutrition and herbal uses espoused, even by me, may best get anticipated results of building health and well-being both in the short term and preventative long term.

As my studies concerning iodine for health and well-being have continued I am coming more to the conclusion, as Dr. Broda O. Barnes and others since, that iodine supplementation may be the most important single daily supplementation protocol to be considered before all others, especially since the largest growing area of health challenges and incursions to human health and well-being are those that iodine supplementation is clearly the most qualified to deal with, both on a crisis and preventative daily need. That said, it appears the need for immediate initial iodine loading of the body’s tissues and thereafter daily maintenance levels of a transformed mono-element nano-colloidal triiodide iodine supplement may be as essential as clean water and air are to continued health and wellbeing, leastwise, that’s what the past decade of sharing and applying this ‘essentiality of iodine’ principle have shown both in my own clinical-based work and that of others who share the same perspective as well as those who utilize the mono-element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine my company makes for consumer use.

Concerning this subject, I’m the first to admit I’ve made some very bold assertions. But then again… we live in times that require bolder action for countering the compounding effects of establishment driven status quo non-action regarding this issue.

(L. Carl Robinson, M.H.,T.T.,C.C.Ht., is a Clinical & Formulary Herbalist and Nutritionist, and has been a clinician and industry insider to the dietary supplements and herbal products industry for over 30 years. He is the lead developer of the Pureodine™ process for manufacturing the alcohol-free glycerite of stabilized transformative mono-element pico-colloidal triiodide of iodine. Mr. Robinson is the co-author of  numerous IH (Integrative  Health) practitioner courses taught and practiced throughout the world, and is the author of books, white papers and technical discourses. His studies and developments in herbalism, nutrition and the nutritional applications of nano and pico-otech-driven colloidal chemistry extend back over 40 years and continue to this day.)

Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The statements and product are not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat or cure any disease condition.