Unraveling the Thyroid-Iodine Connection: Insights from Dr. David Brownstein

In our previous article, we explored the epidemic of iodine deficiency and its relationship to thyroid health, on a broad scale. Now in this piece, we’ll take a deeper dive into the intricate thyroid-iodine connection. Through an interview with holistic doctor David Brownstein, we’ll uncover insights on thyroid function, common disorders, limitations of conventional diagnosis, integrative treatment approaches, optimal daily iodine intake, overcoming resistance to iodine therapy, and more. Join us as we illuminate optimizing thyroid health through an iodine-focused lens.

Iodine: Essential for Thyroid Hormone Production

The thyroid gland is situated at the base of the neck, weighing just 1-1.5 ounces (~28-43 g). Despite its petite size, it manufactures a teaspoon of thyroid hormone annually – a small but mighty dose that governs metabolic rate in every cell.

For this intricate process, the thyroid concentrates more iodine than any tissue. Iodine is essential to synthesize the main thyroid hormones T3 and T4.

The intricate process begins in the hypothalamus, which secretes thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) that signals the pituitary gland to release Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). This TSH then tells the thyroid gland to produce and release hormones.

Thyroxine (T4), containing four iodine atoms, is mainly produced along with smaller amounts of triiodothyronine (T3). These thyroid hormones enter the bloodstream. As T4 and T3 reach cells throughout the body, T4 converts into the active T3 hormone that binds receptors and stimulates effects like regulating metabolic rate.

Once sufficient T3 and T4 are circulating, they provide negative feedback to both the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. This negative feedback loop signals the hypothalamus to decrease TRH production and the pituitary to lower TSH secretion, completing the self-regulation cycle.

A key effect is stimulating metabolic rate and body heat generation. Those with low thyroid function often feel cold due to insufficient T3 and slowed metabolism.

Adequate iodine intake is crucial for thyroid hormone synthesis. Even minor shortfalls can disrupt the delicate orchestration of metabolic processes.

Demystifying Thyroid Disorders and Illuminating the Iodine Connection

The Spectrum of Thyroid Disorders

As we mentioned previously, the thyroid gland regulates metabolism in every cell of the body. When it dysfunctions, a cascade of effects can occur.

• Hypothyroidism, characterized by an underactive thyroid, is the most common thyroid disorder. Symptoms include unexplained weight gain, constant fatigue, hair loss, feeling cold, and fluid retention.

• Hyperthyroidism involves an overactive thyroid. Symptoms are opposite of hypothyroidism, including anxiety, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, tremors, and weight loss that patients often find distressing.

• Autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease often lead to alternating episodes of hypo and hyperthyroidism. In Hashimoto’s, inflammation from autoantibodies can cause either hyper or hypothyroidism. With Graves’, the antibodies stimulate excessive thyroid hormone release, causing hyper symptoms like anxiety, rapid heartbeat, and tremors. This occurs through inflaming or deteriorating the thyroid gland itself.

According to Dr. Brownstein, the underlying cause of both Hashimoto’s and Graves’ appears to be iodine deficiency, not excess iodine as some have claimed. This insight indicates that iodine deficiency could be a key trigger for these autoimmune conditions – In Chapter 7 of his book ‘Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It’, Dr. Brownstein expands on the subject and states that from his clinical experience, optimizing iodine uptake along with supplementation of vitamins B2 and B3, among other components, has led to positive outcomes for the treatment of Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease.

The Conventional Fix That Often Fails for Hypothyroidism

The standard treatment for hypothyroidism only starts once TSH rises above the reference range. At that point, doctors typically prescribe synthetic T4 thyroid hormones like Synthroid or Levothyroid to bring TSH back down into the “normal” range. However, this T4-only medication often fails to resolve ongoing symptoms.

As Dr. Brownstein explained, the body must convert inert T4 into active T3 thyroid hormone to properly stimulate thyroid receptors and cellular metabolism. Many patients have trouble with this T4 to T3 conversion. While their TSH may normalize with T4 medication, they continue experiencing low thyroid symptoms.

Natural desiccated thyroid medications like Armour Thyroid contain both T4 and T3 hormones. Research shows that adding T3 to the medication regimen, or using desiccated thyroid medications, can improve outcomes compared to T4-only prescriptions.

However, most conventional doctors are only trained to prescribe synthetic T4 replacements alone. They are not educated on more effective combination approaches. Working with a knowledgeable holistic practitioner can provide access to improved thyroid treatment options.

Radioactive Iodine for Hyperthyroidism: Effective But Not Benign

For hyperthyroidism, the standard treatment is radioactive iodine ablation to destroy parts of the overactive thyroid gland. However, while the thyroid concentrates much of the iodine in the body, other glandular tissues like the breasts, reproductive organs, and pancreas also utilize iodine and can absorb radioactive iodine. Therefore, radioactive iodine not only destroys thyroid cells, but also indiscriminately damages other tissues where the radioactivity concentrates, potentially increasing future cancer risks.

In 25 years of practice, holistic practitioner Dr. David Brownstein has rarely needed to use radioactive iodine on hyperthyroid patients. As he shares, “I have sent some people for thyroidectomies, about a patient every two or three years who have Graves’ disease we can’t control. Those people are rare. I would rather they have surgery than radioactive iodine.” He considers radioactive iodine a last resort given the potential dangers and prefers surgical removal for those few hyperthyroidism cases unresponsive to other therapies.

The Thyroid Testing Hall of Mirrors: Flaws in the System Leading to Misdiagnosis

Incomplete Standard Testing Causes Millions of Missed Diagnoses

Doctors typically only check TSH and sometimes T4 levels to assess thyroid function. But TSH and T4 are just part of the puzzle. For accurate diagnoses, Dr. Brownstein insists on comprehensive thyroid testing mainly including, and not limited to:

• Iodine levels (hopefully obvious at this point)
• Free and total T3
• Reverse T3
• Thyroid antibodies
• Thyroid binding globulin

As Dr. Brownstein states, “So, if you do not check the T3 levels, if you don’t check the reverse T3 levels, there are other thyroid levels too, if you do not check the thyroid antibodies, which is how I complete holistic look at thyroid function should be done, you’re going to miss this stuff.”

He admits missing diagnoses early in his career when following conventional protocols. But now he insists proper, comprehensive thyroid testing is essential to avoid misdiagnosis, as he has written about extensively – ‘Overcoming Thyroid Disorders’.

The Decline of Thyroid Physical Exam Skills

Dr. Brownstein notes that many doctors have lost proper thyroid palpation skills, only relying on labs versus hands-on examination. Although some dismiss iodine deficiency as rare, he diagnoses goiter in many patients.

One reason goiter goes undiagnosed is physicians rarely palpate the thyroid. As Dr. Brownstein shares, “I taught myself my own technique of doing it. When medical students and residents train with me, I teach them how to properly feel a thyroid.”

Through self-study and practice, Dr. Brownstein can now adeptly feel thyroid abnormalities down to 0.3 mm that would be missed by standard medical school palpation training. He aims to pass these examination skills on to the next generation of physicians.

Patient Testimonial: Mismanaged Hypothyroidism

Tracy developed severe hypothyroidism after giving birth, when testing revealed her TSH was sky-high. She rapidly gained 30 pounds, struggled with brain fog that affected her work and parenting, and felt drained of energy.

Her physician prescribed the standard Synthroid (synthetic T4) to bring her TSH down into the laboratory reference range. Though now deemed “normal,” she still felt terrible. When Tracy reported no improvement, her doctor insisted she had no remaining thyroid problems since her TSH was normal.

He concluded she must instead have depression, and pushed antidepressants to treat her lingering symptoms. But Tracy knew something still wasn’t right. She refused the depression diagnosis and medications, and instead reached out to Dr. Brownstein.

Having read some of his books, Tracy knew Dr. Brownstein took a more thorough approach. First he checked her iodine levels, which were dangerously low. He immediately supplemented iodine along with natural thyroid hormone.

Within weeks, Tracy’s puffiness disappeared, mental clarity returned, and she finally felt like herself again. Proper testing uncovered the real issue her previous doctor had missed. Tracy regained her health through holistic treatment, rather than being incorrectly labeled with depression and medicated.

Thyroid Problems in Children: Overlooked and Undertreated

Thyroid disorders don’t just affect adults – children can also suffer from underactive thyroid. The causes are often the same: iodine deficiency or lack of other nutrients. If a mother has hypothyroidism during pregnancy, there is a high likelihood her child will face thyroid problems later in life.

Dr. Brownstein shares the example of his young patient Dawson. Dawson’s mother had multiple treatments of radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer prior to her pregnancy. She was not properly treated with thyroid medication during gestation. In utero, Dawson did not receive adequate thyroid hormones at key developmental stages. This predisposed him to struggle with thyroid problems after birth.

As a child, Dawson exhibited hyperactive, erratic behavior that led to complaints from school and pressure to medicate with Ritalin or ADHD drugs. But his mother knew something else was going on. Testing showed Dawson’s thyroid hormone levels were borderline low. Given the family history, Dr. Brownstein made a clinical diagnosis of hypothyroidism. He prescribed a small dose of natural thyroid hormone.

Immediately Dawson’s symptoms improved. However, during a growth spurt a year later, Dawson began struggling again. His dosage was increased to match his body’s needs during this high metabolism phase, and he quickly rebalanced.

Without proper thyroid treatment, Dawson would have continued to suffer. Like millions of children, his disorder was overlooked and his symptoms misinterpreted. Proper testing and natural thyroid therapy made all the difference.

Supplementing with Iodine: A Holistic Perspective

In our previous article about iodine, we briefly mentioned iodine supplementation and the importance of working with an iodine-literate holistic doctor. We also brought up Lugol’s solution as one example. Now in this article, we will delve a bit more into the topic of iodine supplementation, so keep reading!

Combination Supplements Appear Most Effective

Integrative physician Dr. David Brownstein recommends combining both iodine and iodide in supplements, based on his clinical experience that “the combination works better.” But what is the difference between these two iodine forms?

Iodine is in an oxidized state lacking an electron, while iodide is the reduced form with the extra electron. This impacts their effects. Iodine has potent antimicrobial properties as an infection-fighter against pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi. This makes it an effective antiseptic for uses like surgical prep. Iodide, on the other hand, gets readily absorbed by the thyroid, breasts, stomach and other organs needing iodine nutrition. Iodide binds well to provide these benefits.

In summary, iodine acts as an antiseptic while iodide provides targeted nutritional support. Together, they synergistically cover all the body’s iodine needs in a manner that neither achieves alone. This is why Dr. Brownstein recommends combining both forms for optimal supplementation.

Optimal Iodine Dosage – Rethinking the Recommendations

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for iodine is just 150 micrograms per day, based on a 1923 study looking at the minimum intake needed to prevent goiter in livestock. After this, iodized salt was introduced which was thought to solve iodine deficiency (we briefly touched upon this in the previous iodine article).

However, integrative physician Dr. David Brownstein has found that, especially in today’s world of myriad toxins, this low RDA is likely not sufficient. Let’s remember he already stated in our previous iodine article that that the ubiquitous exposure to thyroid-disrupting chemicals like bromide and fluoride means higher iodine levels are required.

So, let’s look at some numbers. In his clinical experience, most patients need between 12-25 milligrams of iodine per day to help safely displace these toxins from the body. This is 100-400 times higher than the dated RDA established almost a century ago. Those with severe conditions like cancer may temporarily require even higher doses under supervision.

Once again, before initiating any supplementation regimen, remember to conduct thorough research and seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Overcoming Resistance to Iodine Therapy

Some conventional doctors and even holistic practitioners still express hesitance about iodine supplementation. This persists despite strong evidence that iodine deficiency correlates with rising thyroid disorders, while proper iodine therapy helps resolve them.

Where does this resistance originate? Dr. Brownstein believes it comes down to lack of training: “Conventional doctors do not know about it.” Well-meaning holistic providers have also been misled by myths, like iodine worsening Hashimoto’s or Graves’, even as data refutes this. As he stated, “I can’t explain it to you how when you are presented with the data, that you can’t see the light there.”

Finding a Practitioner Open to Iodine

For patients seeking an iodine-friendly holistic practitioner, Dr. Brownstein recommends:

1. Searching online directories and reviews.
2. Asking compounding pharmacists who they work with.
3. Checking integrative medical societies like ICIMED.org.

He acknowledges it takes effort to find an ideal partner focused on nutrition-based therapies. But the investment is worth it for those serious about holistic thyroid treatment.

Final Thoughts of Dr. Brownstein on Iodine’s Future Role in Health

Dr. Brownstein believes iodine’s role will expand in the future, driven by public interest and raised awareness, rather than changes in the medical mainstream. He sees the potential for a grassroots movement to pressure rethinking of iodine, igniting change in how thyroid disorders are approached.

He stresses that iodine should be viewed as part of a comprehensive holistic protocol, not a standalone therapy. By addressing the body as a whole through hormone balancing, nutrient optimization, correcting deficiencies, detoxification and more, individuals can find optimal wellbeing.

Dr. Brownstein’s message is one of empowerment – “Don’t suffer needlessly – if unhappy with medical care or feel drugs aren’t helping, there are holistic alternatives. You have the power to take control of your health journey. Learn from the many resources out there and find a path that resonates. Your health is in your hands—make decisions to find the wellbeing you deserve.”

Wrapping Up: Key Insights on the Thyroid-Iodine Connection

In this second part of our series exploring iodine and thyroid health, we’ve covered a lot of ground. Let’s recap some of the key points:

• Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production. The thyroid concentrates more iodine than any other tissue to make T3 and T4.
• Iodine deficiency can contribute to hypothyroidism, goiter, and other thyroid disorders. Adequate iodine is crucial for proper thyroid function.
• There is controversy around iodine’s role in autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s and Graves’. More research is needed, but clinical experience indicates optimized iodine intake may help some patients.
• Conventional thyroid treatment often focuses just on TSH/T4 testing and medication. But for optimal outcomes, Dr. Brownstein uses more thorough testing and natural desiccated thyroid medications containing T3.
• While radioactive iodine ablation is the standard hyperthyroidism treatment, risks make it a last resort option. Less invasive alternatives may be available.
• Finding a practitioner knowledgeable about iodine is key. Grassroots interest is growing, which may pressure rethinking of iodine’s role in mainstream medicine.

Personally, I don’t have expertise in this complex topic. But I find it fascinating to learn how iodine and thyroid health may be more interconnected than conventional medicine recognizes. While research continues evolving, being informed is empowering.

For those concerned about possible thyroid dysfunction, it may be worthwhile to explore your iodine levels, consult an iodine-knowledgeable practitioner, and check additional nutrient and mineral markers. Tune into your body’s innate wisdom – we each have inner guidance that directs us on the path toward greater wellness.

I hope you enjoyed this series and found it insightful. Please share your experiences and knowledge below to further the discussion on this important topic. Wishing you excellent health on your journey ahead.