Your Thyroid and the Importance of Iodine
I clearly remember my father chastising me for saying “seaweed”.
September 10, 2021
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I clearly remember my father chastising me for saying “seaweed”.
You’ve been eating less and exercising more but the scales
Dr Daryl Turner world authority and specialist in thyroid symptoms
Dr Daryl Turner world authority and specialist in thyroid symptoms
Our thyroid could be thought of as the headquarters of
A Certified Organic blend of 20 fermented wholefoods, easily absorbed with probiotics and prebiotics designed to meet the nutritional needs of women of all ages. A carefully selected ingredient list high in iodine to support the thyroid. Organic Woman is also available in veg capsules.
Suitable for
Women of all ages, from pre-teen, to pregnancy, to menopause and beyond. The Organic Woman blend comprises chosen foods rich in nutrients to support hormone balance. Easily absorbed for daily gut support and safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Ingredients
Spirulina*, Adzuki Beans*, Chick Peas*, Mung Beans*, Lentils*, Pomegranate, Chia Seeds*, Quinoa*, Sunflower Kernels*, Dandelion Root, Goji Berries*, Queen Garnet Plum, Sweet Potato*, Cinnamon*, Beetroot*, Broccoli*, Cabbage*, Parsley*, Spinach*, Molasses*, Lactobacilli*.
*Certified organic ingredients.
Made with vegan, gluten free foods and contains no dairy, GMO, colours, flavours, preservatives or fillers.
A Certified Organic blend of 20 fermented wholefoods, easily absorbed with probiotics and prebiotics designed to meet the nutritional needs of women of all ages. A carefully selected ingredient list high in iodine to support the thyroid. Organic Woman is also available in a powdered blend.
Women of all ages, from pre-teen, to pregnancy, to menopause and beyond. The Organic Woman capsules comprises chosen foods rich in nutrients to support hormone balance. Easily absorbed for daily gut support and safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The capsules make it an ideal and convenient travel companion so you always have your probiotics on hand.
Ingredients
Spirulina*, Adzuki Beans*, Chick Peas*, Mung Beans*, Lentils*, Pomegranate, Chia Seeds*, Quinoa*, Sunflower Kernels*, Dandelion Root, Goji Berries*, Queen Garnet Plum, Sweet Potato*, Cinnamon*, Beetroot*, Broccoli*, Cabbage*, Parsley*, Spinach*, Molasses*, Lactobacilli*. (Vegetable Capsule)
*Certified organic ingredients.
Made with vegan, gluten free foods and contains no dairy, GMO, colours, flavours, preservatives or fillers.
The thyroid gland is the body’s metabolic thermostat controlling body temperature, energy use, growth rate and affecting the operation of all bodily processes and organs.
Thyroid hormone production is centrally regulated: Thyroxine (T4) from the thyroid gland is peripherally converted in the liver and kidney cells into T3 and reverse T3 (rT3). T3 is the active hormone and is five times as potent as T4, but rT3 is almost biologically inactive.
Reverse T3 (rT3) is primarily produced from monodeiodiation of thyroxine in the peripheral tissue rather than by direct secretion by the thyroid gland. Physical, mental and environmental stresses can inhibit the deiodinating enzyme, causing less T4 to be converted to T3, thus decreasing the amount of active thyroid hormone available to the cells. More T4 is then shunted towards rT3 causing an elevation in rT3. Reverse T3 has no thyroid action except it binds to T3 receptors blocking the action of active T3.
Reverse T3 has the same molecular structure as T3 however its three dimensional arrangement (stereochemistry) of atoms is a mirror image of T3 and thus fits into the receptor upside down thus preventing the active T3 binding to the receptor and activating the appropriate thyroid response. Unfortunately blood tests for T3 measure both normal T3 and reverse T3 levels as it is unable to distinguish between the two. Thus T3 levels may appear normal however a significant proportion of this may be due to the presence of the inactive reverse T3 isomer giving a false impression of true thyroid function. To overcome this diagnostic problem we can specifically measures reverse T3 alone to rule out reverse T3 dominance. In normal patients T3 dominates and reverse T3 usually makes up less than 10% of total T3 levels.
Measuring rT3 levels is useful when ‘sick euthyroid’ conditions are suspected. When a patient produces excessive levels of rT3 they will usually present with hypothyroid symptoms.
Current public health recommendations to restrict salt intake, combined with a decline in the use of iodophors by the dairy industry and in commercial bread production, has lead to the re-emergence of this mineral deficiency around the world. Since iodine is required for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, the major indication of iodine deficiency include hypothyroid symptoms. An iodine deficiency during pregnancy can result in cretism, lowered IQ, mental retardation and stunted growth. Iodine may also play a role in the maintenance of healthy breast tissue and cancer prevention. Its antioxidant, immune regulating and estrogen modulating functions may be mechanisms by which these properties can be explained.
Research has indicated that severe iodine deficiency has more than quadrupled in Australia over the last 20 years; increasing from 2.6% to 11.7%. Even more disconcerting is the observation that nearly half of the pregnant women in these areas also have this mineral deficiency.
Iodine Loading Test: Assesses iodine deficiency firstly by measuring iodine levels in a morning spot urinary specimen (random iodine test) and the loading test analyses iodine deficiency using a much more sensitive technique. For this part of the test, 50mg of an iodine/iodide mixture is given as a loading dose and the amount of iodine excreted in the urine over the next 24 hours is measured.
If the patient is iodine deficient, the body retains the iodine and only a small quantity of the mineral is excreted into the urine. If the patient has sufficient iodine levels, the body does not retain the iodine and the majority of the iodine dosage is excreted into the 24 hour urinary sample. In contrast to the random iodine test, the iodine loading test is able to detect mild and moderate as well as severe deficiencies.
Sampling Instructions for urine collection
Iodine Deficiency is the commonest worldwide cause of thyroid disorders. A low iodine diet can cause hypothyroidism, an enlarged thyroid gland (goitre) and can affect fertility, pregnancy and neuro-developmental disorders in newborns.
Research has indicated that severe iodine deficiency has more than quadrupled in Australia over the last 20 years; increasing from 2.6% to 11.7%. Even more disconcerting is the observation that nearly half of the pregnant women in these areas also have this mineral deficiency.
Random Iodine Test: The standard procedure used to detect iodine deficiencies. It measures iodine levels in a random urinary specimen. The disadvantage of this is it is not a sensitive test for detecting mild or moderate iodine deficiencies.
Sampling Instructions for urine collection