New Roots Potassium Iodide 65mg - 60 Tabs

NEW ROOTS HERBAL POTASSIUM IODINE

Take as directed by a public official if a nuclear emergency should happen. Take just before or shortly after exposure to radioiodine.

Cautions and warnings: Consult a health-care practitioner prior to use if you are pregnant or breast-feeding; if you have Graves’ disease or autoimmune thyroiditis. Breast-fed infants should receive their dose of iodine by direct administration and should not rely on a protective effect from breast milk. This product is not intended for use as a generic antiradiation drug. It is only effective for specific use during radioiodine exposure. This product is not intended for nutritional use.

Contraindications: Do not take this drug if you are allergic to iodine, have iodine sensitivity, dermatitis herpetiformis, hypocomplementemic vasculitis, or past or present history of hyperthyroidism. Do not take this medicine more often or at higher dose than directed by a health-care practitioner or health-care authority. More potassium iodate/iodide will not help you and may increase the risk of serious side effects.

Known adverse reactions: Serious risks may be associated with the repeated use of this product. Repeated doses should be supervised by a health-care practitioner. Some people may experience sialadenitis (an inflammation of the salivary glands), gastrointestinal disturbances, or temporary rash. Consult a health-care practitioner if symptoms persist or worsen. Contact a health-care practitioner or public health authority immediately in case of an allergic reaction (swelling of arms, face, legs, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty in breathing, speaking, or swallowing; shortness of breath; appearance of a severe rash; or fever and joint pain).

IODINE

Iodine is a mineral required for proper metabolism...

Iodine is a trace mineral that is essential in the human body. It is used in a number of different processes in our bodies, the most important of which is production of thyroid hormone. Iodine has also been used throughout the past for cleaning wounds and purifying drinking water. Some more recent research has shown iodine to be beneficial in the treatment of fibrocystic breast disease as well.

Thyroid Hormone And Metabolism

The thyroid gland is located in the neck, and is the master gland controlling our metabolism and metabolic rate. One of the major building blocks of thyroid hormone is iodine.

Your thyroid gland needs this mineral to manufacture optimum levels of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothryonine (T3). These hormones, made from iodine and the amino acid tyrosine, regulate your body's overall metabolism and also play a regulating role for other hormones produced by the body.

Thyroid And Goiters – Iodine Deficiency

There are regions of North America where iodine is lacking in the soil (and thus the diet) that are referred to as the "goiter belt" because of the high incidence of goiters. Goiter is the medical term used to describe the bulge in the neck created when the thyroid enlarges from overstimulation. Iodine deficiency causes insufficient thyroid hormone, which is a condition called "hypothyroidism". This occurs when the thyroid is unable to make sufficient thyroid hormone, and the pituitary gland sends greater and greater stimulatory signals (TSH), trying to boost production. This causes the thyroid to enlarge in an attempt to meet the needs of the body. The symptoms of hypothyroidism appear as: weight gain, low energy, poor concentration (brain fog), hair loss, depression, blood sugar fluctuations and other symptoms. 

Radioactive Iodine

Following a radiological or nuclear event, radioactive iodine is released into the air, and taken up through our lungs when we breathe. It can also contaminate local food supply and water supply and be ingested. Once present in the body, the thyroid gland will begin to rapidly absorb it/take it up. Potassium iodide competes with radioactive iodine at receptor sites. It fills these sites and prevents the thyroid from taking up any of the radioactive substance. Its action at these receptor sites lasts 24 hours, meaning the thyroid is unable to take up any iodine – stable or radioactive – during that time. It is important to understand that potassium iodide does not protect the body as a whole from radioactive iodine, nor does it prevent any other body part from taking it up. Its actions are very specific to the thyroid. A one-time dose of potassium iodide is usually all that is recommended. If there is a threat that radioactive iodine will be in the environment for longer than 24 hours, public health officials may inform the public to take the supplement for a few days in a row. Please ask the advice of your local healthcare practitioner or public health agency.

Fibrocystic Breasts

Fibrocystic breast tissue is caused by hormonal changes in the body resulting in dense regions of breast tissue that change throughout the menstrual cycle. These dense pockets can often make performing self-breast-examinations more difficult, and often create false fear, where none is needed. Taking iodine has been shown in some instances to help reduce the signs and symptoms of fibrocystic breast syndrome.

Topical Use

Iodine has been used for hundreds of years to prevent and treat infections from minor scrapes and cuts in the skin. When applied to the skin, it can kill the bacteria that cause infections. Liquid iodine can be applied to wounds as needed to help keep them clean. Some research has found success in using iodine to treat diabetic foot ulcers.

Dietary Iodine

Iodine has become so difficult to get in the diet that staple foods like table salt are now enriched with iodine. In the case of iodized salt the inorganic form of iodine is added. Natural, organic sources, such as those derived from seaweeds are much more absorbable and easier for the thyroid gland to use that the inorganic (mined) sources used to enrich foods.