Iodine reduces ferritin levels?

http://home.comcast.net/~jocy1/junk/The%20Guide%20to%20Supplementing%20with%20Iodine.pdf

15. My ferritin dropped while on Iodine.
This has been happening to people taking 50 mgs or more of Iodoral. It has been
rectified by adding a B6 – Complex along with an iron supplement to help restore ferritin
to normal levels. It is thought to occur due to an increase in metabolic rate that requires
more iron. Sufficient ferritin levels (60-70) are needed to create and utilize thyroid
hormones. If there is an issue with stomach upset with an iron supplement, make sure
you are taking it with food, or try Floradix Iron Plus Herbs. It may also help to use a cast
iron pan for cooking as well as getting black strap molasses in your diet.

I can't find an actual study, but googling around comes back with a few positive results. Of course with everything that gets talked about here, this would be a good thing, as it's another alternative to blood donation or phlebotomy and gives us less worry about eating too much food with high iron content.

I would gladly continue my higher dose iodine, as I prefer to keep ferritin levels lower than "normal."

http://healthyfixx.com/28/donate-blood-for-your-health

I've been studying hemochromatosis for a long-time and blood donation is basically the only treatment option to reduce the accumulated iron. However, past couple of years there might be another treatment option and that is high doses of SSKI/Iodide and small doses of the bioavailable Iodine such as magnascent or detoxified iodine or similar.

To me, this is amazing info when I first heard it.

A quote.

something very curious is up with iron and iodine. my dad has not had to have blood drawn for his hemochromatosis in almost a year since taking iodine. concurrently, a group in australia has been conducting studies on the effect of iodine with people of low iron. one of the participants posts here and she says that iodine has raised her ferritin levels. so iodine is normalizing iron in the bodies of a genetically high iron person and a person with chronic low iron.

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1732383#i

well, he is not taking it FOR his Hc but it is preventing further build up of iron in his blood. remember too that he was treated for it for years before with giving blood and that this method was keeping it under control. frankly, i wish he was still giving blood. i credit the bloodletting over the past two decades or more with his overall good health at age 76.

now, to answer your question, he is taking 4 drops of SSKI and two drops of magnascent twice a day. since starting this a year ago he has not had high iron and the doctor has not ordered any more bloodletting.

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1751555#i

For those that don't know what hemochromatosis is, here is a quote.

Hemochromatosis - A Common but Unrecognized Disease
Hemochromatosis is probably the most common disease you've never heard of, as well as the single most common genetic disorder in the American population. An estimated one in 10 Americans carry one copy of the genetic trait for hemochromatosis, and about one in 250 are considered at highest risk because they carry the genetic trait from both parents.

What are the symptoms of hemochromatosis?
Characterized by iron overload in the blood, hemochromatosis could be the culprit for such otherwise unexplained symptoms as fatigue, joint pain, and infertility issues. Over time, the toxic effects of the excess iron can lead to damaging diseases like diabetes, congestive heart failure, and endocrine system problems.http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/hemochromatosis/unrecognized.cfm

rdkml/Jdp - Nice info!

So it seems it helps normalize it depending on what the levels are at. I've suspected high iron to be an issue for me, so this is good news. I've been iodine for months, but the past two weeks I've been at ~75mg daily. Combined with curcumin, I think my iron issues will be sorted out.

is it possible too low iron can cause hair loss?

sanderson wrote:is it possible too low iron can cause hair loss?

In women, but in males low iron is very rare.

FWIW, my ferritin recently tested very low. My menses are regular but I've never had a real problem (iron would get a little low but not like the last test) until now. I've been doing high-dose iodine since December. This is pretty interesting.

whodathunkit, this is just a post copied from Heralopecia Forum. You didn't mention your ferritin level, but this is one doctor's opinion of what a hair growth level is---

"38 is low. My trichologist told me that you need it to be around 70 for healthy hair growth. (Doctors tell you your ferritin level is fine so long as it's between 15-150 but my trichologist disagreed.) "

whodathunkit wrote:FWIW, my ferritin recently tested very low. My menses are regular but I've never had a real problem (iron would get a little low but not like the last test) until now. I've been doing high-dose iodine since December. This is pretty interesting.

From research I've looked at. iodine does not negatively affect hemoglobin levels. The discover of vitamin C, Dr Albert Szent Gyorgi took a gram of Iodide a day until his death at 93.

Thanks, CS. Was not going to stop iodine, anyway, but that's comforting. :-)

Do you have an opinion on the optimal ferritin level for healthy hair growth?

I've heard 70 for optimal hair before, as mistyisland said, but I've also heard that 70 is too high in general.

A number of studies in the last few years have sought to determine what constitutes a ferritin level that places a non-menopausal women at risk for hair loss.

Of those, this one is the most comprehensive:

Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. 2009;17(4):279-84.
Iron status in diffuse telogen hair loss among women.
Moeinvaziri M, Mansoori P, Holakooee K, Safaee Naraghi Z, Abbasi A.

Department of Dermatology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran.

Using the analytical case-control methodology, we studied 30 consecutive women with documented diffuse telogen hair loss in comparison with 30 women without hair loss. Study subjects had no history of nutritional supplement intake or chronic underlying diseases, and had normal thyroid function and inflammatory profiles. Biochemical investigations were performed in all study women. The mean ferritin level and trasferrin saturation was statistically significantly lower in patients with diffuse telogen hair loss than in subjects without hair loss (16.3+/-12.6 vs. 60.3+/-50.1, ng/mL; P<0.0001 and 20.3+/-9.7 vs. 28.3+/-11.8 percent; P=0.006, respectively). Also, total iron binding capacity was significantly higher in patients than in control group (367.8+/-58.2 vs. 319.2+/-60.1 microg/dL; P=0.004). Of nine patients with iron deficiency anemia (Hb <12 g/dL), eight patients had telogen hair loss (odds ratio: 10.5, 95%CI: 1.2-90.7; P=0.013). Odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for diffuse telogen hair loss was 21.0 (4.2-105.0) at serum ferritin levels < or =30 ng/mL. Women with iron deficiency status are at a risk of telogen hair loss. The important role of serum ferritin in hair loss is becoming more evident. In women without systemic inflammation or other underlying disorders, serum ferritin levels below or equal to 30 ng/mL are strongly associated with telogen hair loss.