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THE IMPORTANCE OF IODINE FOR GOOD HEALTH THE IMPORTANCE IODINE Goopb HEALTH FOR Iodine, taken in doses substantially greater than the recommended dietary allowance, has been shown to reverse fibrocystic disease of the breast and prevent breast cancer. here is growing evidence that Americans would have better health and a lower incidence of cancer and fibrocystic disease of the breast if they consumed more iodine. A decrease in iodine intake, coupled with an increased consumption of competing halogens, fluoride and bromide, has created an epidemic of iodine deficiency in America. People in the USA consume an average of 240 micrograms (wg) of iodine a day. In contrast, people in Japan consume more than 12 milligrams (mg) (12,000 wg) of iodine a day, a 50-fold greater amount. They eat seaweed, which includes brown algae (kelp), red algae (nori sheets, with sushi) and green algae (chlorella). Compared to terrestrial plants, which contain only trace amounts of iodine (0.001 mg/g), these marine plants have high concentrations of this nutrient (0.5—8.0 mg/g). When studied in 1964, Japanese seaweed consumption was found to be 4.5 grams (g) a day, with a measured iodine concentration of 3.1 mg/g of seaweed (= 13.8 mg of iodine). According to public health officials, mainland Japanese now consume 14.5 g of seaweed a day (= 45 mg of iodine, if its iodine content, not measured, remains unchanged).' Researchers have determined that residents on the coast of Hokkaido eat a quantity of seaweed sufficient to provide a daily iodine intake of 200 mg a day. Saltwater fish and shellfish contain iodine, but one would have to eat 15-25 pounds of fish to get 12 mg of iodine. Health comparisons between the two countries are disturbing. The incidence of breast cancer in the US is the highest in the world, and in Japan, until recently, is the lowest. Japanese women who emigrate from Japan or adopt a Western-style diet have a higher rate of breast cancer compared with those that consume seaweed. Life expectancy in the US is 77.85 years, 48th in 226 countries surveyed.’ It is 81.25 years in Japan, the highest of all industrialised countries and only slightly behind the five leaders—Andorra, Macau, San Marino, Singapore and Hong Kong. The infant mortality rate in Japan is the lowest in the world,with 3.5 deaths under age one per 1,000 live births—half the infant mortality rate in the United States. Today, one in seven American women (almost 15 per cent) will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Thirty years ago, when iodine consumption was twice as high as it is now (480 yg a day), one in 20 women developed breast cancer. Iodine was used as a dough conditioner in making bread, and each slice of bread contained 0.14 mg of iodine. In 1980, breadmakers started to use bromide as a conditioner instead, which competes with iodine for absorption into the thyroid gland and other tissues in the body. Iodine was also more widely used in the dairy industry 30 years ago than it is now. Now, iodised table salt is the chief source of iodine in a Western diet. But 45 per cent of American households buy salt without iodine, which grocery stores also sell. And over the last three decades, people who do use iodised table salt have decreased their consumption of it by 65 per cent. Furthermore, the much higher concentrations of chloride in salt (NaCl) inhibits absorption of its sister halogen iodine (the intestines absorb only 10 per cent of the iodine present in iodised table salt). As a result, 15 per cent of the US adult female population suffers from moderate to severe iodine deficiency, which health authorities define as a urinary iodine concentration less than 50 g/L.’ Women with goitres (a visible, noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland) owing to iodine deficiency have been found to have a three times greater incidence of breast cancer. A high intake of iodine is associated with a low incidence in breast cancer, and a low intake with a high incidence of breast cancer. Animal studies show that iodine prevents breast cancer, arguing for a causal association in by Donald W. Miller, Jr, MD © 2006-2007, LewRockwell.com Professor of Surgery University of Washington Seattle, Washington, USA Email: dwm@u.washington.edu Websites: http://www.donaldmiller.com http://www.LewRockwell.com by Donald W. Miller, Jr, MD © 2006-2007, LewRockwell.com Professor of Surgery University of Washington Seattle, Washington, USA Email: dwm@u.washington.edu Websites: http://www.donaldmiller.com http://www.LewRockwell.com NEXUS + 27 DECEMBER 2007 — JANUARY 2008 www.nexusmagazine.com