There is great interest these days in thyroid function. It has long been known that in the absence of iodine, the thyroid will begin to swell, producing what is called a goiter. At one time, iodine was literally considered a "magic medicine." Iodine was always used for infections, for pneumonia and bronchitis.
Here are some of the symptoms of low thyroid function:
Continuous feeling of fatigue
Aching muscles
Cold hands and feet
Weight gain without eating more
Coarse, dry, thinning hair
Dry skin
Heavy menstrual periods
Forgetfulness
Loss of libido
Slow heartbeat
Mental sluggishness
20 percent of all iodine in the body is stored in the skin, specifically in the sweat glands. Lack of iodine in the sweat glands manifests as dry skin with a decreased ability to sweat. Iodine also concentrates in the stomach and a lack of iodine in the stomach manifests as achlorhydria (lack of stomach acid production). Iodine is used by the stomach to concentrate chloride which is necessary to produce hydrochloric acid.
The lachrymal glands of the eye use iodine to help create tears, when iodine is in short supply, dry eyes may result. Iodine is also used by the parotid and sub-mandibular glands of the mouth, lack of iodine can result in dry mouth.
Iodine improves insulin sensitivity. Nobel Laureate Albert Szent Gyorgyi, the physician who discovered vitamin C in 1928 commented: "When I was a medical student, iodine in the form of potassium iodide was the universal medicine. Nobody knew what it did, but it did something and did something good."
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