This month’s Cellulite BOTM is Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It by Dr. David Brownstein. Unlike most of our other cellulite BOTM selections, this book doesn’t have an overt cellulite connection. It was selected on an investigative hunch, based on the evidence we’ve collected so far.
We know lymphatic congestion leads to the formation of cellulite. My personal experience with fluoroderma made it very clear that fluoride can cause lymphatic congestion. We also know fluoride builds in the body and inhibits the absorption of iodine, while iodine supplements displace the accumulated fluoride. But do iodine supplements help heal cellulite? Even though it’s not about cellulite, maybe Dr. Brownstein’s book will provide some clues.
Iodine and Cellulite, Possible Connection #1
The first clue I picked up from Dr. Brownstein’s book involves bromine, another toxic halogen that competes with iodine for receptors. We are exposed to dangerous levels of bromine from various sources (including soft drinks and baked goods).
As Dr. Brownstein explains, bromine is stored in fat tissue. The body releases bromine when we consume adequate amounts of iodine. It’s not just the thyroid gland that releases bromine when iodine is consumed. According to research conducted by Dr. Brownstein and Dr. Abraham, iodine will detox bromine from throughout the body, including the fat cells.
Iodine and Cellulite, Possible Connection #2
Dr. Brownstein recommends iodine supplements one hundred times greater than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). (I have yet to decide how I feel about such a high dosage, but that is a topic for a separate post.)
When iodine is taken at the RDA, it binds with thyroxine molecules to become thyroid hormone. As Dr. Brownstein explains, when iodine is taken at one hundred times this amount, it binds with other molecules, including lipids. When it combines with a lipid called lactone, it creates a substance called iodolactone.
I know we’re using some unfamiliar words here, but the names don’t matter. What’s important is that this substance, created from iodine binding with a lipid, is a key regulator in apoptosis, or Programmed Cell Death (PCD). Programmed Cell Death might sound like a bad thing, but it’s not. The average adult loses 50-70 billion cells each day from apoptosis.1 Too little of it results in uncontrolled cell proliferation.
Could there be a cellulite connection here? The investigation continues…
*This post is part of Fight Back Friday hosted at FoodRenegade.
Are you battling the blight solo? Cellulite investigating is much more fun (and effective) when you're not going at it alone. Come join the conversation in our discussion forum.
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What an interesting theory. I’d like to hear more.
Thanks for sharing!
~KristenM
I want to know more about this theory, too! I feel like we’re close to a breakthrough, but cellulite is still a mystery in many respects.
Thanks for your comment, Kristen!
Hi Melissa – this is a very interesting topic, and I’m glad you are covering it. I have been living with fibrocystic breast disease for over 6 years, and have been doing various things, including eating a whole foods, traditional diet and various types of supplementation and detoxing for almost 5 to try and remedy this problem. So far, the cyst is still there. From what I’ve read, I believe cysts and tumors are stored in the body as a similar reaction to an overabundance of fluoride and bromine in the body, and is definitely connected to thyroid issues. I also think fibrocystic breast disease is connected to cellulite as it is a lymphatic congestion issue.
For the last year I’ve been taking either Iodoral or Thyactin. My doctor who is an MD with an alternative viewpoint about treatment (she uses natural treatments whenever possible) did a blood test last September revealing that my thyroid was low. She then recommended that I take Iodoral, but said just to take one daily (12.5 mg). I thought that wasn’t enough so I took more than that, 2 o 3 daily bringing my dosage up to 25 or 37 mg. I did this for 10 months and still no change. It is also important to note that I got a water filter for my shower in May of this year to remove chlorine, don’t drink tap water, and avoid many chemicals and processed foods that might have bromine/fluoride/chlorine it them. Almost two months ago I was reading about Thyactin on the Weston A. Price Foundation page (a doctor who wrote an article about thyroid health mentions it), and so I ordered a bottle and started taking it. I don’t think I’ve been taking it enough, but I’ve increased my dosage recently. The bottle says to take one drop under the tongue 3X daily.
Recently I’ve been seeing an acupuncturist/chiropractor/energy work practitioner and she said I have a midline emotional block that, among other things, is preventing my body from letting go of the cyst. She muscle-tested me for iodine, and she said my body didn’t know what to do with it, so she cleared that blockage and said after the day she did it, my body should accept iodine (that was on Tuesday of this week). I have also been painting the surface of the skin above the cyst with iodine directly, as I have read from various medical doctors who are on the same wavelength and research as Dr. Brownstein is about health that directly painting the skin over an affected area is a great way to absorb iodine.
I am wondering if my body has stored so much fluoride and bromine over my lifetime from exposure to processed foods and chemicals – tap water, swimming pools, etc. that I simply have a tremendous build up in my body that is going to need a great deal more iodine than I have been taking. Prior to the one I’m seeing now, I’ve been to 5 different practitioners and none of them seem to know what to do. So I’m taking charge of this situation by simply deciding that it’s far past time for my body to release this substance – I know emotional blockages can do great harm to our bodies, even if we are doing everything else right with regard to diet and supplementation. I’m going to continue painting iodine on and taking my Thyactin. I think Thyactin may be a superior supplement to Iodoral, as it is in liquid form.
Thanks, Melissa, for these important articles, they are helping me to make connections to things I suspected might be going on, and I hope they are useful to others with similar health issues as well. Great work and love your web site!
It sounds like we’ve come across much of the same info in our research, Raine. Have you read Dr. Brownstein’s book? He says 12mg might be sufficient for thyroid and breast health but some people will need a higher dose to restore a healthy level of iodine to other tissues. He recommends anywhere from 6 to 50 mg of iodine/iodide per day, depending on the patient. I thought that was a typo the first time I read it. How can there be such a variance in the recommended dosage? But it makes sense when you consider we can each have drastically different histories of fluoride/bromine exposure and varying amounts of iodine in the diet.
You might be particularly interested in Chapter 8 of Dr. Brownstein’s book, “The Oxidation and Organification of Iodine.” He explains the process of how iodine is absorbed into the cell using certain key nutrients, particularly Vitamins B2 and B3. It’s one of the more scientific-y chapters in the book, but could be relevant in your situation.
You are fortunate to have a doctor who will work with you on iodine supplementation. It’s definitely a tricky one to figure out.
Thanks for your comment, Raine! Please keep us updated on your experience with iodine –it’s always lovely to hear from you.
Thanks Melissa, yes, this book is on my to-read list, and I’m glad you reminded me about it again. As always, great work and great discussions!
Thanks, Raine. I’m excited about some interesting opportunities coming up regarding iodine, so stay posted!
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