Iodoral is Back!
By Allergy Research Group

Iodine is an essential element that is crucial for thyroid and adrenal health and proper function. It also helps to boost your immunity and create a healthy metabolism balance. Although its main function is to aid in the production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland, other organs in the body have a need for iodine in order to function normally too.

Several studies have demonstrated the body's need for iodine intake. The original study on adolescent girls was completed 80-years-ago and used 9 mg of iodine daily. The minimum amount of iodine determined in these studies is equivalent to 0.1 mg per 1 kg of body weight per day. For example for a 50 kg woman, the daily amount of iodine would be 5 mg.

During the early 1900's, the iodine/ iodide solution called Lugol solution was used extensively, effectively, and safely in medical practice—for both low activity and above normal activity of the thyroid gland. The recommended daily intake for iodine supplementation was 2 to 6 drops of Lugol solution, which provided 12.5 mg to 37.5 mg total iodide. That amount was mentioned as recently as 1995 in a book on Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Several investigators have shown convincing evidence for the need for adequate iodine intake. Japanese women living in Japan consumed a daily average of 13.8 mg total elemental iodine and some research suggests this is an important factor for their relative health. In the 1960s, one slice of bread in the USA contained the full Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.15 mg iodine. Over the last 2 decades, iodine was replaced by bromine in the bread making process. Bromine may block thyroid function and can also interfere with iodine in the body.

The RDA limits for vitamins and minerals were established after World War II. One of the last essential elements included in the RDA system was iodine, established in 1980 and confirmed in 1989. The RDA for iodine was based on the amount of iodine/ iodide needed to prevent goiter and hypothyroidism. The optimal requirement of the whole human body for iodine has never been studied. Therefore, the optimal amount of this element for physical and mental well-being is unknown. Based on demographic studies, the mainland Japanese people consumed an average of 13.8 mg daily and they are one of the healthiest people on planet earth. Lugol solution is a time-tested preparation with a proven track record for over 150 years. Two drops contain 12.5 mg iodine/iodide, an amount very close to the 13.8 mg average intake of the mainland Japanese people.

Iodoral® is a tablet form of Lugol solution. A one 12.5 mg tablet of Iodoral® supplies an amount of total elemental iodine comparable to the average daily intake of this essential element by the mainland Japanese people.

Administration of iodine/iodide in a liquid solution is not very accurate, may stain clothing, has an unpleasant taste, and can cause gastric irritation. Iodoral® is a precisely quantified tablet form containing 5 mg iodine and 7.5 mg iodide as the potassium salt. To prevent gastric irritation, the iodine/iodide preparation is absorbed into a colloidal silica excipient and to eliminate the unpleasant taste of iodine, the tablets are coated with a thin film of pharmaceutical glaze. Iodoral® can help promote healthy thyroid function, support your weight management efforts, balance your metabolism, increase energy and reduce fatigue, boost your immunity, and increase your overall health.

References:
1. Ghent, W., et al, Can. J. Surg., 36:453-460, 1993.
2. Eskin, B., et al, Biological Trace Element Research, 49:9-19, 1995.
3. Marine, D., Atl. Med. J., 26:437-442, 1923.
4. Abraham,G.E., The Original Internist, 11:17-36, 2004.
5. Gennaro A.R., Remington: 19th Edition, 1995, Mack Publishing Co, 1267.
6. Abraham, G.E., Flechas, J.D., Hakala, J.C., The Original Internist, 9:30-41, 2002.
7. Epstein, S.S., et al, Prevention Program Macmillan, NY, 1998, pg5.
8. Abraham, G.E., The Original Internist, 11: (2) 29-38, 2004.
9. Abraham, G.E. Townsend Letter, 245:100- 101, 2003.
10. Abraham, G.E., Flechas, J.D., Hakala, J.C., The Original Internist, 9:5-20, 2002.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.