The High-Dose Iodine Protocol

Iodine, Thyroid Function, and Health

Iodine is incredible. The average American might get 100 mcg per day, if they’re lucky. Smart Americans who eat seafood might get a few hundred micrograms.

In our modern world, we need more than this. Why? Iodine is in a family of elements on the period table known as halides. Because they are similar to one another, they compete for one another within the body. The halides are fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine. Fluorine, chlorine, and bromine are present in high concentrations in our environment, from our food to our water to our air. Iodine has been depleted from our environment and our food supply. The result is that we need more iodine now to maintain optimal levels. There is reason to believe that high-dose iodine may promote longevity and vitality. Based on this and our clinical experience, we routinely use high-dose iodine indefinitely, as I will explain shortly.

The Japanese consume milligrams of iodine each day and their risks of cancer, heart disease, and thyroid disorders are extremely low. One milligram is one thousand times one microgram. They consume ten, a hundred, or a thousand times as much iodine as Americans are, and they have lower risks of many types of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and thyroid disorders.

As our intake of iodine has dropped, America’s health has deteriorated. This partly explains the significant gap in health between Japan and America. The Japanese consume significantly more seafood and specifically seaweed than Americans do.

This is why I cook with seaweed.

Cooking with seaweed is a good start to optimizing your iodine levels, but you cannot achieve the same doses we achieve with supplements.

Years ago, I read Dr. David Brownstein’s book on iodine and started to recommend high doses in our practice. Our patients loved high-dose iodine and we have been recommending it ever since.

Irene’s Story: Her Experience with High-Dose Iodine

[Individual results. Not typical. Not medical advice. Iodine is not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease.]

Irene is a pharmacist who came to see me regarding an autoimmune skin condition (Granuloma annulare), weight gain, and fatigue. At our first appointment, I recommended our High-Dose Iodine Protocol to her. Two months later at a follow up appointment, she told me about how much high-dose iodine had helped her.

“Iodine therapy is awesome,” she said. “Why am I even taking this thyroid medication? By day three [of iodine] I could already feel it. I felt more energy and had better sleep. I thought, ‘this is placebo.’ Then I got up to 12.5 mg, and then 50 mg. I am so happy now. I don’t need an afternoon nap. I’m not dragging after dinner. I don’t think my thyroid medication was helping me at all. Now I want to taper off of it.”

Lab Results

Her labs changed as follows:

• TSH went from 8.300 to 17.400 uIU/ml

• Reverse T3 went from 9.5 to 9.6 ng/dL

• T4 went from 5.1 to 4.9 ug/dL

• Free T4 went from 0.82 to 0.84 ng/dL

• T3 went from 73 to 139 ng/dL

• Free T3 went from 2.1 to 3.7 pg/ml

Six months elapsed between these two sets of labs. I just spoke to her shortly before posting this. Working with her prescribing physician, she tapered off of her thyroid hormone medication. Her energy levels remain excellent. She continues to use high-dose iodine.

Important - changes in medication should only be made under medical supervision. Irene’s results are individual to her and should not be expected by others. Many factors contributed to her experience.

Dr. Brownstein has reported that it is normal for TSH to rise on high-dose iodine. This is to be expected. The body may increase TSH to improve iodine transport.

What stands out in Irene’s case is that her free and total T3 both nearly doubled, even as she tapered her thyroid medication. In my clinical observation, adequate iodine intake appears to support the body’s natural thyroid hormone production.

We recommend high-dose iodine protocols in our practice based on clinical experience and patient feedback. This is not medical treatment for thyroid disease or any other condition.

The Repair Deficit Connection

Iodine is best known for its role in thyroid hormone production. Iodine also binds to elements within cells. In my view, adequate iodine may help support cellular resilience. Low thyroid hormone levels are associated with various health challenges. We need nutrients to create adequate thyroid hormone, and iodine is essential for this process.

When iodine levels are adequate for thyroid function, excess iodine may accumulate in other tissues. Based on my framework of “repair deficit,” I believe adequate iodine intake supports the body’s natural repair processes through its role in thyroid hormone production and cellular function.

Important: Iodine supplementation is not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This represents my clinical framework and observations, not established medical treatment.

High-Dose Iodine: Important Safety Information

High doses of iodine can cause thyroid dysfunction in some individuals. While Dr. Brownstein and I have used these protocols in clinical practice, individual responses vary significantly.

You must consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before taking high-dose iodine. There are medical conditions that can worsen with iodine supplementation, including certain thyroid disorders.

I am not your doctor. This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

In my practice, I may discuss iodine supplementation with patients experiencing:

• Fatigue

• Excessive appetite

• Constipation

• Depression

• Lack of focus or mental clarity

• Hair loss

• Dry skin

• High blood pressure

• Weight gain or inability to lose weight

• Feeling run down

• Joint pain and swelling

Important: Iodine supplementation is not medical treatment for these symptoms or any underlying condition. Many factors can cause these symptoms, and proper medical evaluation is essential. We work within the scope of nutritional support, not disease treatment.

The Protocol

Disclaimer: The following represents how I approach iodine supplementation in my practice. This is educational information only. Do not begin high-dose iodine without medical supervision. Individual needs vary significantly.

The high-dose iodine protocol starts with adequate salt intake. Iodine transport requires sodium. I prefer sea salt and typically recommend at least 2.4 grams of salt daily for patients considering iodine supplementation. Individual salt needs vary based on medical history and current health status.

Dosing approach in my practice:

In my practice, I typically start patients at 6.25 mg of iodine (using 12.5 mg tablets broken in half). The dose is increased gradually over several weeks:

• Days 1-3, 6.25 mg (half-tablet)

• Days 4-6, 12.5 mg (one tablet)

• Days 7-9, 18.75 mg (1.5 tablets)

• Days 10-12, 25 mg (2 tablets)

• Days 13-15, 31.25 mg (2.5 tablets)

• Days 16-19, 37.5 mg (3 tablets)

• Days 20-22, 43.75 mg (3.5 tablets)

• Day 23, 50 mg (4 tablets)

Important considerations:

• Do not take vitamin C or other antioxidants with iodine (wait at least one hour)

• If adverse symptoms develop (fatigue, irritability, brain fog, confusion, chest pain, palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, acne), stop iodine for three days and resume at half the previous dose

• Stop immediately if symptoms of hyperthyroidism develop

• Work with your healthcare provider throughout this process

After reaching 50 mg daily for six weeks, I typically recommend reducing to a maintenance dose of 25-50 mg daily. Individual needs vary.

This protocol requires medical supervision. These doses are significantly higher than standard recommendations and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Why Some People Feel Worse on Iodine

Why do some people feel worse on iodine? We believe that they may be detoxing toxic halogens (bromine and fluoride). The solution is to increase salt and potassium intake, and hydration.

Testing for Iodine

Why don’t we test for iodine?

The gold standard test for iodine status is a 24-hour urinary collection study.

Do you really want to collect your urine for 24 hours?

Unless you eat enormous quantities of seafood and specifically seaweed, you are deficient in iodine by our standards.

Rather than test, we give iodine empirically.

Duration of Therapy

How long should someone continue iodine supplementation? In my practice, I often suggest considering a maintenance dose of 25-50 mg daily for ongoing support, as environmental halides continuously compete with iodine in the body.

However, individual needs vary significantly. Some patients continue indefinitely, others cycle on and off, and some eventually discontinue due to pill fatigue or changing health needs.

If symptoms that had improved with iodine return during tapering, maintaining or increasing the dose may be appropriate under medical supervision.

Many patients stop iodine eventually due to pill fatigue.

Either way, we use iodine when we suspect an iodine deficiency, as outlined above.

All of that being said, consult a qualified practitioner before trying high-dose iodine. This is education only, not medical advice.

Financial Disclosure

I earn a commission on products sold through links in this article. This helps support my writing and research. I only recommend products I personally use and recommend in my clinical practice.

You can purchase the iodine we use in our practice in our online supplement store.

Remember, this is the same product I use personally and recommend to patients in my practice, but individual needs vary. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new supplement protocol, especially at high doses.

Iodine Testimonials?

Do you have a testimonial about iodine? It is one of the supplements I use most frequently in my practice. Would you share your experience with us? Thank you for taking the time. Your testimonials help us to refine our practice and help more people.

Share your testimonial here.

This is the third protocol we typically share with patients. Check out our High-Dose Vitamin C Protocol, which is the first one we share with patients.

How We Use High-Dose Vitamin C

Until next time, be well,
Dr. Stillman

References

• Brownstein D. Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Cannot Live Without It.

• Abraham GE. The safe and effective implementation of orthoiodosupplementation.

• Zimmermann MB. Iodine deficiency and thyroid disorders. Endocr Rev.

• Venturi S. Is there a role for iodine in breast diseases. Breast J.

• Teng W. Iodine intake and thyroid disorders in populations. Thyroid.

• Combet E, Bouga M, Pan B, et al. Environmental iodine availability, as a determinant of iodine status in populations. Environ Geochem Health. 2020;42(1):111-124. doi:10.1007/s10653-019-00389-9

• Riis J, Pedersen KM, Danielsen MB, et al. Long-term iodine nutrition is associated with longevity in older adults: a 20 years’ follow-up of the Randers–Skagen study. Br J Nutr. 2021;125(2):260-265. doi:10.1017/S0007114520001592