# does the Iodine in the multivitamins worsen the Hashimoto?



## aleks80 (Aug 31, 2011)

Hello,
I noticed that in my multivitamins there is 150mcg Iodine from kelp. Does the Iodine harm me when I have Hashimoto? Do you avoid any amounts of Iodine?


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## shellebean (Oct 12, 2011)

Humm. Interesting question. I to have Hashi's and take lots of vitamins, including a multivitamin.
Curious what others take is on this...


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## jackie (Mar 12, 2012)

The website www.thyroidbook.com covers a doctor and book in which he advises against taking iodine if you have Hashimoto's. This post suggests that it's OK if your selenium status is good: http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=3621. This page lists three studies showing that selenium will quash thyroid antibodies in some people. I began taking 200 mcg/day in the fall sometime. In early December I decided to try iodine (not knowing that it could exacerbate Hashimoto's) for SIBO, another problem I have. Within a few hours I was in the midst of a severe bromide reaction, which I was able to quash by taking sea salt. Although I only took two drops of iodine the first day and one the second to see if reducing the dose would eliminate the reaction (it didn't), I continued to feel foggy and loggy for most of December. In January a thyroid peroxidase test indicated that my antibodies were within the normal range. At that point I wondered if they were still up enough in early December to have caused the bromide reaction (you can google it to find the symptoms). The studies don't say whether you should keep taking the selenium once your levels come down. But knowing that I was going to be finding a new doctor, I decided to quit taking it so I could see what happened. I just got the results--my peroxidase levels are up again. Meanwhile, I am having trouble with brain fog, which through experimentation I determined is being caused by my compounded T3/T4. I feel better when I quit it for a few days. But then other symptoms convince me to go back on at which point I have a bad reaction where I can't sleep, get very cold, anxious with tightness my upper body, and stronger than usual heart palpitations leaving me spent the next day. I don't know if I can credit all this to those few drops of iodine or if something else is going on. If anyone has any explanations, I'd love to hear them. But meanwhile I would caution anyone with Hashimoto's from taking iodine. There are other citations about this on the internet if you are interested in searching.


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