Iodine

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http://thyroid.about.com/library/derry/bl2a.htm

 

 

Topic: Disappearing Iodine Test

 

A Reader Writes:

 

A friend of mine was just diagnosed with a possible thyroid disorder

(her test was in the form of a drop of iodine on her arm and watching

how fast it disappeared). Her chiropractor suggested she start off by

taking something called Thyroid Helper which can be found at .....

Have you ever heard of this and do you know how effective it might be?

 

David Derry Responds:

 

The " test " of putting iodine on the skin to watch how fast it

disappears is not an indicator of anything. The iodine disappearance

rate is unrelated to thyroid disease or even iodine content of the

body.(1-2) Meticulous research by Nyiri and Jannitti in 1932 showed

clearly when iodine is applied to the skin in almost any form, 50%

evaporates into the air within 2 hours and between 75 and 80 percent

evaporates into the air within 24 hours. (1) A total of 88 percent

evaporates within 3 days and it is at this point that the evaporation

stops. The remaining 12 percent that is absorbed into the skin has

several fates. Only 1-4% of the total iodine applied to the skin is

absorbed into the blood stream within the first few hours. The rest of

the iodine within the skin (8-11%) is slowly released from the skin

into the blood stream.

 

However Nyiri and Jannitti's findings that " The percentage of iodine

penetration through the skin is the same, irrespective of whether the

cells have a high or low vitality, or are dead, and irrespective of

the direction of penetration " have important implications for iodine

functions in the body, skin, pregnancy and fetus and also for the

therapeutic use of topical and oral iodine. Iodine would be the only

compound of significance during early pregnancy which can pass rapidly

through all tissues of the fetus without the aid of any blood vessel

or lymphatic transport. It could be that not only does iodine control

natural cell death (apoptosis) (5) in the fetus but may also

influences stem cell development.

 

Nyiri and Jannetti also mentioned iodine applied on the skin can be

used to shrink swelling of the thyroid gland (goiters). So even small

amounts of iodine absorbed through the skin can have good effects on

body organs. From my own clinical experience, repeated application of

iodine (Lugol's) to the skin appears to cause regeneration of the skin

from the bottom up (Quiescent, stable or stem cell) (3) eventually

sloughing the old version of the skin off like a snake molting. If

there was a pre-cancerous lesion on the old skin, it is replaced with

new skin minus the lesion. There does not seem to be any skin lesions

which are not helped or cured by this procedure. In some cases I found

clinically obvious low thyroid conditions also needed to be treated to

be more effective. Minor lacerations and healing of surgical wounds

respond well. If skin regeneration is from the bottom, then there is

little or no scar formation.

 

My parents' generation tended to put tincture of iodine onto a fresh

wound to prevent infection. This turns out to be helpful but not the

best way to use it. Besides it stung badly when applied. It is much

more effective (and doesn't hurt) to apply iodine repeatedly after a

scab has been formed. The iodine put onto the scab helps to organize

total repair of the tissue. It is implied a similar approach could be

taken to burns of all depths but at the same time the physiology of

burns suggest there is an acute lack of thyroid hormone. (3)

 

All pre-malignant lesions and many other oddities of the skin appear

to respond to this regeneration process triggered by topical iodine. I

have mentioned previously a patient with a biopsy-proven breast cancer

lesion (she refused surgery because of previous cancer treatment) that

was strongly fixed to the skin responding well to topical iodine and

ended up being a dimple on the breast three year later. (6)

 

It is my belief a water solution of iodine (like Lugol's) is an

important therapeutic agent for skin. Because of its effectiveness and

the results, perhaps many skin diseases are related to local tissue

areas of relative iodine deficiency. Perhaps the most graphic lesions

are the " keloid " (worm) incision scars formed after surgical

procedures. If the iodine intake and tissue levels are adequate, such

as in Japan, keloid formation doesn't happen (7). In addition,

iodine's ability to trigger natural cell death (apoptosis) (5) makes

it effective against all pre-cancerous skin lesions and likely many

cancerous lesions. The local site is replaced with normal skin.

However, even lesser doses of topical iodine seem to reverse the

ominous appearance of skin lesions. Because my older brother died of

metastatic melanoma, my chances of getting a malignant melanoma are

increased by 400 times. (8-9) Having grown up in Venezuela near the

equator my sun exposure at a young age was far above normal. So all

suspicious lesions I notice are returned to normal with topical Lugol's.

 

One of the most famous of documentations of iodine skin therapy to a

famous person occurred in the American Civil War.

 

" On September 29, 1862, Colonel John B. Gordon held the center of

General Lee's army at the battle of Antietam, or Sharpsburg. The first

volley from the northern lines sent a ball through the calf of

Gordon's right leg; soon after, another went through the muscles of

his thigh; a third pierced his left arm, tearing asunder the tendons

and mangling the flesh; a forth ripped through his shoulder leaving a

wad of clothing embedded in its track. Still, no bones were broken;

but, while Gordon lingered in the firing line, " with " , as he says

himself, " but little of my usual strength " , a fifth ball struck him

squarely in the face.

 

Dr. Weatherly of the 6th Alabama Regiment, in charge of medical

arrangements, had the Colonel removed to a base hospital, and

prescribed tincture of iodine to be painted on the wounds three or

four times a day. The case was unpromising. Gordon's eyelids were

greatly swollen; one eye was completely closed, the other almost so;

his jaw was immovably clenched, and, to make matters worse, erysipelas

(staphylococcus infection of skin) had set in on the left arm.

 

Mrs. Gordon, his wife, who nursed him - her name was Fanny, and she

was then a beautiful girl of 25 - put a liberal interpretation on her

instructions and painted the wounds, not three or four times a day,

but, as Gordon himself says: " I think three to four hundred time a

day. " Fanny's diligence and devotion were rewarded. Her husband

survived, outlived the war, became the Governor of Georgia, a General,

and Commander-in-Chief of the United Confederate Veterans. He died in

1904. " (10)

 

I think Fanny knew iodine applied often was a more effective way to

deliver iodine to the body especially applied on multiple sites.

Likely Gordon's iodine blood levels and tissue levels rose throughout

his body. As iodine is by far the best antibiotic, antiviral and

antiseptic of all time, the colonel's body defenses were able to gain

control of the infections. At the same time local repeated application

to the wound sites caused the skin to grow up from its bottom where

all the cells (Stem cells) that make normal skin are residing. Likely

this minimized or eliminated scar formation. Thus Nyiri's and

Jannetti's studies confirm why Fanny's method of treatment worked so

brilliantly. Some of our recent serious skin diseases such a

" flesh-eating disease " should respond quickly to topical iodine

treatment practiced by Fanny. Or, for another example, iodine put onto

a mosquito bite would kill all bacteria and viruses at the site of the

bite within 10-30 seconds making it impossible for any virus or

bacteria to multiply and get started --such as in West Nile Fever.

Naturally, this applies to tic bites (Lyme's disease) as well. For

many decades in the 1800s people carried around little bottles of

iodine around their necks to use on all occasions. People in mosquito

and tic infested areas should think of doing this again. (8) In

addition, it has been forgotten vaporized iodine rapidly kills air

borne viruses such as polio and SARS viruses.. Used extensively in the

forties and fifties it may be of use to explore this approach again.

 

There has been no significant clinical research on iodine therapy or

use for 40 years. (11-15) I feel it is important for research to be

directed at this potentially significant area of medical treatment. It

is worth noting the greatest part of significant research with iodine

was done before the Medline search facilities were available. Of

course, since large doses of iodine are tolerated intravenously

without side effects, it has yet to be explored what help this may

have for many cancer patients or even other diseases.

 

I hope these concepts help.

 

David

 

References

 

1. Nyiri,W., Jannitti,M.. About the fate of free iodine upon

application to the unbroken animal skin. J Pharmacol Exp Ther

45:85-107, 1932.

2. Biskind,M.S. Penetration through tissue of iodine in different

solvents. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 30:35-37, 1932.

3. Robbins pathologic basis of disease. Eds Cotran,R.S., Kumar,V.,

Collins,T. Sixth Edition W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia. 1999.

Page 91. and page 434.

4. Gershenfeld,L. Iodine Editor Reddish.G.F. Antiseptics,

disinfectants fungicides and chemical and physical sterilization,

Philadelphia:Lea & FebigerHa, 1957. pages 223 277.

5. Derry,D.M. One hour lecture: Iodine, thyroid hormone and breast

cancer. How to prevent and survive breast cancer. World Breast Cancer

Conference, Victoria BC June 4-6, 2002..

6. Derry, DM. Breast cancer and iodine How to prevent and survive it.

Trafford Publishing Victoria, Canada. 2001 page 89.

7. Updegraff,H.L. Reconstructive surgery and old facial burns. JAMA

101:1138-1140, 1933. page 1139

8. Clark WH. The nature of cancer: morphogenesis and progressive (self

) disorganization in neoplastic development and progression. Acta

Oncol 1995; 34:3-21.

9. Clark WH. Tumour progression and the nature of cancer. J Cancer

1991; 64:631-644. 10. Kelly,F.C.. Iodine in medicine and pharmacy

since its discovery--1811-1961. Proc R Soc Med 54:831-836, 1961.

11. Wayne,E.J,. Koutras,D.A.. Alexander,W.D.. Clinical aspects of

iodine metabolism, Philadelphia:F.A. Davis Company, 1964.

12. Braverman,L.E.. Iodine and the thyroid: 33 years of study. Thyroid

4 (3):351-356, 1994.

13. Vagenakis,A.G.. Effects of iodides: clinical studies. Thyroid 1

(1):59-63, 1990.

14. Paul,T., Meyers,B., Witorsch,R.J., Pino,S., Chipkin,S.,

Ingbar,S.H. Braverman,L.E.. The effect of small increases in dietary

iodine on thyroid function in euthyroid subjects. Metabolism.

37:121-124, 1988.

15. Zaichick,V. Zaichick.S.. Normal human intrathyroidal iodine.

Science of the Total Environment 206 (1):39-56, 1997.

 

 

 

About Dr. Derry:

 

Dr. Derry is no longer practicing medicine.

 

These answers are personal opinions. Please discuss any ideas you get

with your physician.

 

Born in 1937, I am at the cutting edge of the war baby boom. With one

exception the baby boomers tend to do what I do in large numbers about

ten years later. The exception was that after finishing my internship

at the Toronto General Hospital in 1963, as I had planned, I started a

PhD in biochemistry at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill

University in Montreal. After completing my PhD, I was hired by the

Department of Pharmacology at the University of Toronto to teach and

do research. Within a short time I became a Medical Research Council

Scholar, which meant the Medical Research Council of Canada paid my

salary to do research. Domestic rearrangements suddenly placed five

children between the ages of 5 and 9 under my care. I abandoned my

research career and took all five children, a new wife and dog out

west to Victoria British Columbia.

 

My aim in 30 years of General Practice (an honor and a privilege) was

to learn carefully and persistently how to listen to the patient. This

is the one area of medical research that has gone almost totally

un-examined. Sir William Osler, who I feel was the greatest physician

of all time, said: if you listen to the patient they will usually give

you the diagnosis and if you listen even more carefully they will

likely indicate the best treatment for them. Gradually with the help

of multiple self-development courses over the years I learned to

listen by just getting my ego out of the way. From my patients I

learned everything. Because of the arrival of effective treatments

with potential side-effects, in 1945 the out-dated Hippocratic oath of

" do no harm " was replaced with a new principle of ethical patient care

namely " Consider first the well-being of the patient. " Combining

extensive medical-literature reading with what I learned daily from

patients clarified which approaches and treatments assured the

" well-being of the patient. "

 

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