Iodine Deficiency Linked to Greater Risk of Breast, Prostate Cancer

Correcting Iodine Deficiency in Cancer

Having correct iodine levels is essential to human health and a shortage can lead to fatigue, disrupted thyroid function, chronic fatigue syndrome, weight gain, and fibromyalgia. The history of iodine has influenced current understanding of this critical nutrient.

Low plasma iodine levels are linked to a greater risk of cancer. Iodine is crucial in oxygen delivery to cells, helps keep cellular oxygen levels up, and reduces levels of free radicals and toxins in the cell. (PubMed source)

In one research study, 88% of cancer patients were found to have “a severe deficiency of plasma iodine”. (PubMed source) 

Iodine is an antioxidant and immunomodulator. It inhibits pathways that cause inflammation. Iodine reduces cancer stem cell markers and causes cancer cell apoptosis.  It reduces chemoresistance (source) and even kills viruses, bacteria and yeasts on contact.

“Iodine deficiency is associated with increased risk of some cancers which have thyroid hormone receptors, such as breast, thyroid, and stomach.” “In addition, treatment of the prostate cancer with iodine is associated with shrinkage of the size of the prostate.” (PubMed source)

Brilliant Drs. Brownstein and Berry discuss this topic with urgency as many continue to suffer. At 35:16: dosage and how much is enough or too much. Dr. Brownstein’s patients “average 25mg/d and anyone with glandular disease or cancer get more..” At 40:00: iodized salt and the U.S. RDA – and why it IS NOT ENOUGH. 49:00: nebulizing iodine.

Fantastic, clear information with no gobbledygook. 65  minutes.

How Iodine Addresses Cancer

Perhaps the most notable benefit of iodine in cancer treatment is it’s ability to up-regulate p53. p53 is a protein called the ‘Guardian of the genome’, and the ‘Guardian of the mitochondrial genome’. It has become deficient in at least 90% of cancers. p53 is the tumor suppressor gene, and because it has gone missing, tumors flourish. We have a major review on p53, and a review on compounds can reawaken it.

Iodine can induce apoptosis by upregulating p53. (source) The fact that iodine promotes the correct functioning of p53 was shown by researchers at Baylor School of Medicine in 2007 (source).

Importantly, iodine deficiency is known to cause pre-cancerous fibrocystic disease, which can lead to breast cancer. Iodine supplementation can maintain breast health.

Attention, Men: The Prostate as an Iodine-Concentrating Gland

Chronic iodine deficiency is strongly correlated with increased prostate volume and the development of BPH. The prostate is not merely a passive recipient of nutrients but an active metabolic site for iodine. Similar to the thyroid gland, the prostate expresses the NIS expression protein, which acts as a molecular pump to pull iodine from the bloodstream into the prostate glandular tissue. This biological mechanism suggests that the prostate requires significant concentrations of iodine to function correctly. (source)

Without the inhibitory effects of iodine, the prostate gradually expands, eventually leading to the urinary symptoms commonly associated with an enlarged gland.

• Glandular hypertrophy markers: Increased PSA levels and epithelial cell density.
• Proliferative signaling: Elevation of insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1) in the absence of iodine.
• Tissue Remodeling: Transformation of smooth muscle into fibrotic tissue.

Animal studies using iodine supplementation reduced symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It was also noted that 5 mg per day of Lugol’s solution improved urine flow and reduced prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values over an eight-month period (14).

Make note that Japanese men have much lower rates of prostate cancer than men in the U.S. The Japanese diet is notably high in iodine with an estimated consumption over 20 times that of people in the U.S.

Iodine Depletion & Deficiency

This is an important issue. The following may deplete your iodine levels:

Bromine: Most common sources are pesticides and fumigants, plastic packaging, pharma drugs, and soft drinks and baked products. Bromides are now added to flour; whereas iodine was added to bread prior to the 1980s.

Fluoridation and chlorine: Both displace iodine in the body – so water supplies can deplete iodine levels as can a variety of in-home compounds from plastic packaging to toothpaste, mouthwash and flame retardants and perchlorates.

Soil depletion: Iodine is a trace mineral. Soil depletion reduces its already low volumes.

Declining consumption of iodine-rich foods like oysters, prawns, sea fish, eggs and iodized salt.

Also:

• People who live in landlocked areas, tend to have lower plasma iodine areas, and iodine-rich foods are not consumed in volume anymore by the majority of people.

• Iodine is not found in our store-bought bread any longer. Instead, bromide is used – and bromide blocks iodine absorption and displaces it from the thyroid.

• Finally, iodized table salt is not widely used anymore.

If you think you are allergic to iodine, watch this 1 minute ‘short’ by Dr. Ken Berry.

Iodine and Your Body

Think of iodine and most people think of the thyroid gland, and little else. Iodine is essential for the proper function of this gland. Your thyroid reduces iodine into iodide, which is used to build two hormones – thyroxine or tetraiodothyronine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). If the thyroid doesn’t receive enough iodine, it can’t make enough of these hormones, and the result is Hypothyroidism – result: fatigue, lowered metabolism, headaches, increased weight etc. If this is the case, the doctor MUST do a test to determine iodine levels before recommending treatment. Sadly, many doctors put the patient straight on to synthetic thyroxine supplementation. This is neglect.

We are discovering that synthetic thyroxine (as Levothyroxine) can be linked to increased risk of breast cancer.  But women who haven’t been tested for iodine deficiency run the risk of a double whammy – having low iodine AND taking a synthetic hormone that on its own can cause breast cancer risk! Read more here.

The highest concentrations of iodine have been found in the ovary, uterus, pancreas and prostate, but it’s also in the salivary glands, stomach lining, tear ducts, eye, brain, spinal fluid and skin. Most interestingly, it’s well-concentrated in the placenta and the lactating mammary gland (both to feed baby). Iodine on its own, is crucial to oxygen delivery and metabolism.

Cognitive Support: In the brain, thyroid hormones regulate neurotransmitters. Lack of iodine this causes poor communication between cells in the brain. Low iodine results in low serotonin levels and low dopamine levels in the brain.

Iodine Deficiency in Breast Cancer & Estrogen-dependent Breast Cancer

In early demographic studies, it was noted that in regions of low iodine consumption, women had higher rates of  breast cancer, and conversely, in regions of higher iodine consumption, women had lower rates of breast cancer. In early lab tests, iodine was shown to kill cancer cells and to enhance the immune system in its search for rogue and pre-cancer cells. Indeed, iodine deficiency is known to cause pre-cancerous fibrocystic disease, which can lead to breast cancer. (source)

Dr. B.A. Eskin published more than 80 papers over a 30 year period showing that iodine deficiency was linked with an increased risk of both breast and thyroid cancer (source). In rats, the group allowed free access to iodine had 37.5% less breast cancers than the group without such access. (source)

We’ve known since 2008 that in breast cancer, Lugol’s iodine is able “to inhibit cancer promotion through modulation of the estrogen pathway” “while decreasing the levels of the estrogen responsive genes..” (PubMed source)

This information is extremely important and useful or estrogen-dependent breast cancers.

For way more detail on iodine for cancers, go here.

Iodine deficiency symptoms

In adults, these include fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, lowered mental capacity, brain fog, dry mouth, dry skin, brittle nails, weight gain, constipation, infertility, cold intolerance, loss of eyebrows and hair, muscle pain, lumpy and painful breast nodules, cysts, fibroids and fibromyalgia. (source)

One related ‘illness’ – Hashimoto’s thyroiditis – is very complex, and I would discourage self-help with iodine treatment. Recent studies have shown it to be linked to Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth or SIBO. But then 50% of people with poor thyroid function (Hypothyroidism) were shown in 2007 research to have SIBO. Levothyroxine seems to make matters worse according to a 2017 study. Iodine may make matters better or worse. Probiotics can also make SIBO worse. Please find an iodine-literate doctor like Dr David Brownstein if you find yourself in this situation. Go to: Understanding the real issues in Hashimoto’s

Natural Sources of Iodine

Natural sources include sea vegetables (like kelp, arame, wakame, hiziki and kombu), oysters, prawns, crab, mussels, sea fish, organic strawberries, cranberries, eggs, cheese and potatoes (especially in the skin). It is always best to steam your shellfish to avoid parasitic infections. Kelp provides by far the highest source of iodine – one serving can provide up to four times the RDA.

So how much is enough?

The answer to that is ’it depends who you listen to’.

Okinawans consume 80-200 micrograms a day and have adequate plasma levels. The USRDA is a very lowly figure – and measured in micrograms.  The WHO recommend 100 micrograms per day. A number of health experts believe it to be totally inadequate. But there are potentially risks if you take too much.

In some countries the RDA is 150 micrograms for adults, increasing to 220mcg for pregnant women and 290mcg for lactating women. (Pregnant women who are deficient in iodine may produce babies whose metabolism or mental health is impaired.)

To put this in context, research from Japan suggests their average dietary intake is ~15 mg (that is milligrams, not micrograms) per day! About 100 times higher! Could this be one reason we have far higher cancer rates than the Japanese?

You can be tested by your doctor for iodine deficiency. Dr. Brownstein recommends the 24 Hour Urine Iodine Loading Test.

Conclusions – Iodine and Cancer

It is well worth having your iodine and selenium levels checked if you have cancer.

After reading Dr. David Brownstein’s book on Iodine, my husband and I are now up to 12 drops per day of Lugol’s 2% equaling 30 mg daily and finally experiencing much more clarity and energy.

And for a great starter book about iodine, written clearly for laymen and proactive breast cancer and thyroid patients (including personal stories and protocols), I recommend researcher Lynne Farrow’s wonderful book, The Iodine Crisis, What You Don’t Know About Iodine Can Wreck Your Life. It will likely change your health and life for the better.

For the fascinating history of iodine: Iodine: The Most Misunderstood Nutrient 

“Certain substances, like magnesium, sodium bicarbonate, iodine and selenium are mineral medicines we all should be taking for life.” ~Mark Sircus, MD

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