Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Hi Terry, “I have heard a lot about iodine for hypothyroid and for breast issues, and I think I want to start taking it for prevention reasons. I recently heard that iodine is for the brain too. Would it help improve my “brain fog?” And how much do I take?” —Shakeena C., Valdosta, GA A. Dear Shakeena, You certainly keep up with news on how very necessary iodine is for health! I believe iodine will ABSOLUTLEY help or eliminate your brain fog. Try 50 mg per day of a blend of potassium iodide, sodium iodide and molecular iodine for 2 to 3 months, and then drop down to half that dose. Iodine impacts the brain in a number of ways. It is absolutely critical for brain development, both before and after we are born. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD) and the World Health Organization (WHO): “On a worldwide basis, iodine deficiency is the single most important preventable cause of brain damage.” This statement is from the 2007 publication “Assessment of Iodine Deficiency Disorders and Monitoring their Elimination,” available online at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2007/9789241595827_eng.pdf. These organizations go on to state in their report: “Iodine deficiency affects one in three people worldwide; with two billion people having inadequate iodine intakes. Iodine deficiency affects brain development and brain function. People living in areas affected by severe iodine deficiency may have an intelligence quotient (IQ) of up to 13.5 points below that of those from comparable communities in areas where there is no iodine deficiency.” Shocking, isn’t it, that a single essential mineral could have such dramatic impact—individually and world-wide? As medical science wakes up to the importance of iodine, more and more studies are being published. A recently-published study showed that giving even small amounts of iodine to mildly iodine-deficient children measurably improves thinking skills. The authors conclude, “Iodine supplementation improved perceptual reasoning in mildly iodine-deficient children and suggests that mild iodine deficiency could prevent children from attaining their full intellectual potential.” I hope you will contact me again after you use iodine for a month or two. You won’t believe the difference it can make. Good luck! Terry