Wheat brain

30. March 2011 William Davis (52)
Among the most common effects of wheat are those on the brain.

Consume wheat and susceptible individuals will experience a subtle euphoria. Others experience mental cloudiness or sleepiness. (This is what I personally get.)

It gets worse. Children with ADHD and autism have difficulty concentrating on a task and have behavioral outbursts after a cookie. Schizophrenics experience paranoid delusions, auditory hallucinations, and worsening of social detachment. People with bipolar disorder can have the manic phase triggered by a breadcrumb. All these effects are blocked by administering drugs that block the brain's opiate receptors. (This is why, by the way, a drug company is planning to release an oral agent, naltrexone, formerly administered to heroin addicts to help control addiction, for weight loss: block the euphoric effect, take away the temptation, lose weight.)

Here is Heart Scan Blog reader, Nicole's, mental fog story:

I have been grain-free (no gluten free grains either) for quite a long time (about a year and a half). Earlier this week, I decided to try white bread and pasta. The experiment only lasted two days. I had horrible terminal insomnia both nights, causing me on the second night to wake up at 2:30 am unable to get back to sleep at all. I felt drugged and in a mind-fog all the next day and even dozed off a few times! Luckily I had the day off work.

I had very bad forgetfulness also. I forgot that I left my bag and groceries at work, so I had to go back for them. Then I had to use my husband's keys to get in because I thought my keys were in my bag, but it turns out they were in my pocket. Then I got my bag, set the alarm, locked the door and then realized I forgot my groceries. So I had to re-open the door, unset the alarm, and go back for the groceries. Then I locked the door, forgetting to set the alarm, so I had to unlock it, open up and set the alarm. It was just ridiculous, I am NEVER like that!

In addition to the insomnia and forgetfulness, I also had horrible anxiety and paranoia, almost to the point of panic. Which I NEVER have, I am usually very easy-going, even-tempered, and worry-free. But this was horrible, I really was quite paranoid and anxious about everything. Weird!

And the worst, was that in just two days of eating wheat, I gained 4 lbs and 2% bodyfat!! It's two days wheat-free now, and it's finally going back down, but wow. Just two days of wheat-eating caused that much weight and fat gain!

Anyway, I've learned my lesson and will continue to avoid grains (including gluten free grains) entirely.

Eat more "healthy whole grains"? Modern dwarf Triticum aestivum, perverted even further by agricultural geneticists and modern agribusiness, subsidized by the U.S. government to permit $5 pizza, is better than any terrorist plot to discombobulate the health and performance of the American people.

The Westman Diet

27. March 2011 William Davis (71)
Dr. Eric Westman has been a vocal proponent of carbohydrate restriction to gain control over diabetes, as have Drs. Richard Bernstein, Mary Vernon, Richard Feinman, and Jeff Volek.

Several studies over the years have demonstrated that reductions in carbohydrate content of the diet yield reductions in weight and HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin, a reflection of average blood glucose over the preceding 60-90 days).

Among the more important recent clinical studies is a small experience from Duke University's Dr. Eric Westman. In this study, obese type 2 diabetics reduced carbohydrate intake to 20 grams per day or less: no wheat, oats, cornstarch, or sugars. Participants ate nuts, cheese, meats, eggs, and non-starchy vegetables.

After 6 months, average weight loss was 24.4 lbs, BMI was reduced from 37.8 to 34.4. At the end of the study, 95% of participants on this severe carbohydrate restriction reduced or eliminated their diabetes medications.

That was only after 6 months. Note that the ending BMI was still quite well into the obese range. Imagine what another 6-12 months would do, or achieving BMI somewhere closer to ideal.

Curiously, this idea of severe low-carbohydrate restriction to cure or minimize diabetes is not new. Sir William Osler, one of the founders of Johns Hopkins Hospital and author of the longstanding authoritative text, Principles and Practice of Medicine, advocated an diet identical to Dr. Westman's diet. So did Dr. Frederick Banting, discoverer of the pancreatic extract, insulin, to treat childhood diabetics. Before insulin, Banting and his colleagues at the University of Toronto used carbohydrate elimination (less than 10 g per day) to prolong the lives of children with diabetes.

This lesson was also learned many times during war time, when staples like bread were unavailable. The Siege of Paris in 1870 yielded cures for diabetes in many (or at least they stopped passing urine that tasted--yes, tasted--sweet and attracted flies), only to have it recur after the siege was over.

These are lessons we will have to relearn. As long as the American Diabetes Association and most physicians continue to advocate a diet of reduced fat, increased carbohydrate that includes plenty of "healthy whole grains," diabetics will continue to be diabetics, taking their insulin and multiple medications while developing neuropathy (nervous system degeneration), nephropathy (kidney disease and failure), atherosclerosis and heart attack, cataracts, and die 8 to 10 years earlier than non-diabetics.

All the while, we've had the combined wisdom from antiquity onwards: Carbohydrates cause diabetes; elimination of carbohydrates cures diabetes.

(This applies, of course, only to adult overweight type 2 diabetics, not type 1 or some of the other variants.)

Handy dandy carb index

25. March 2011 William Davis (21)
There are a number of ways to gauge your dietary carbohydrate exposure and its physiologic consequences.

One of my favorite ways is to do fingerstick blood sugars for a one-hour postprandial glucose. I like this because it provides real-time feedback on the glucose consequences of your last meal. This can pinpoint problem areas in your diet.

Another way is to measure small LDL particles. Because small LDL particles are created through a cascade that begins with carbohydrate consumption, measuring them provides an index of both carbohydrate exposure and sensitivity. Drawback: Getting access to the test.

For many people, the most practical and widely available gauge of carbohydrate intake and sensitivity is your hemoglobin A1c, or HbA1c.

HbA1c reflects the previous 60 to 90 days blood sugar fluctuations, since hemoglobin is irreversibly glycated by blood glucose. (Glycation is also the phenomenon responsible for formation of cataracts from glycation of lens proteins, kidney disease, arthritis from glycation of cartilage proteins, atherosclerosis from LDL glycation and components of the arterial wall, and many other conditions.)

HbA1c of a primitive hunter-gatherer foraging for leaves, roots, berries, and hunting for elk, ibex, wild boar, reptiles, and fish: 4.5% or less.

HbA1c of an average American: 5.2% (In the population I see, however, it is typically 5.6%, with many 6.0% and higher.)

HbA1c of diabetics: 6.5% or greater.

Don't be falsely reassured by not having a HbA1c that meets "official" criteria for diabetes. A HbA1c of 5.8%, for example, means that many of the complications suffered by diabetics--kidney disease, heightened risk for atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, cataracts--are experienced at nearly the same rate as diabetics.

With our wheat-free, cornstarch-free, sugar-free diet, we have been aiming to reduce HbA1c to 4.8% or less, much as if you spent your days tracking wild boar.

Battery acid and oatmeal

23. March 2011 William Davis (38)
Ever notice the warnings on your car's battery? "Danger: Sulfuric acid. Protective eyewear advised. Serious injury possible."

Sulfuric acid is among the most powerful and potentially harmful acids known. Get even a dilute quantity in your eyes and you will suffer serious burns and possibly loss of eyesight. Ingest it and you can sustain fatal injury to the mouth and esophagus. Sulfuric acid's potent tendency to react with other compounds is one of the reasons that it is used in industrial processes like petroleum refining. Sulfuric acid is also a component of the harsh atmosphere of Venus.

Know what food is the most potent source of sulfuric acid in the body? Oats.

Yes: Oatmeal, oat bran, and foods made from oats (you know what breakfast cereal I'm talking about) are the most potent sources of sulfuric acid in the human diet.

Why is this important? In the transition made by humans from net-alkaline hunter-gatherer diet to net-acid modern overloaded-with-grains diet, oats tip the scales heavily towards a drop in pH, i.e., more acidic.

The more acidic your diet, the more likely it is you develop osteoporosis and other bone diseases, oxalate kidney stones, and possibly other diseases.

Here's one reference for this effect.

What'll it be: Olive oil or bread?

21. March 2011 William Davis (0)
We frequently discuss the advisability of consuming fats, carbohydrates, and various types within each category.

But what's the worst of all? Combining fats with carbohydrates.

Putting aside the wheat-is-worst form of carbohydrate issue and treating bread as a prototypical carbohydrate, let's play out a typical scenario, a make-believe feeding study in which a theoretical person is fed specific foods.

John is our test person, a 40-year old, 5 ft 10 inch, 210 lb, BMI 27.7 (roughly the mean for the U.S.) He starts with an average American diet of approximately 55% carbohydrates and 30% fat. Starting lipoproteins (NMR):

LDL particle number 1800 nmol/L
Small LDL 923 nmol/L


(The LDL particle number of 1800 nmol/L translates to measured LDL cholesterol of 180 mg/dl, i.e., drop last digit or divide by 10.)

Also, calculated LDL cholesterol is 167 mg/dl (yes, underestimating "true" measured LDL), HDL 42 mg/dl, triglycerides 170 mg/dl.

We feed him a diet increased in carbohydrates and reduced in fat, especially saturated fat, with more breakfast cereals, breads and other wheat products, pasta, fruit juices and fruit, and potatoes. After four weeks:

LDL particle number 2200 nmol/L
Small LDL 1378 nmol/L

Note that LDL particle number has increased by 400 nmol/L due entirely to the increase in small LDL particles triggered by carbohydrate consumption. Lipids show calculated LDL cholesterol 159 mg/dl--yes, a decrease, HDL 40 mg/dl, triglycerides 189 mg/dl. (At this point, if John's primary care doctor saw these numbers, he would congratulate John on reducing his LDL cholesterol and/or suggest a fibrate drug to reduce triglycerides.)

John takes a rest for four weeks during which his lipoproteins revert back to their starting values. We then repeat the process, this time replacing most carbohydrate calories with fats, weighed heavily in favor of saturated fats like fatty red meats, butter and other full-fat dairy products. After four weeks:

LDL particle number 2400 nmol/L


Let's

Chocolate peanut butter cup smoothie

19. March 2011 William Davis (18)
Here's a simple recipe for chocolate peanut butter cup smoothie.

The coconut milk, nut butter, and flaxseed make this smoothie exceptionally filling. If you are a fan of cocoa flavonoids for reducing blood pressure, then this provides a wallop. Approximately 10% of cocoa by weight consists of the various cocoa flavonoids, like procyanidins (polymers of catechin and epicatechin) and quercetin, the components like responsible for many of the health benefits of cocoa.


Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (without alkali)
2 tablespoons shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 tablespoons natural peanut, almond, or sunflower seed butter
Non-nutritive sweetener to taste (stevia, Truvia, sucralose, xylitol, erythritol)
4 ice cubes

Combine ingredients in blender. Blend and serve.

If you plan to set any of the smoothie aside, then leave out the flaxseed, as it absorbs water and will expand and solidify if left to stand.

For an easy variation, try adding vanilla extract or 1/4 cup of sugar-free (sucralose) vanilla or coconut syrup from Torani or DaVinci and leave out the added sweetener.

The compromise I draw here is the use of non-nutritive sweeteners. Beware that they can increase appetite, since they likely trigger insulin release. However, this smoothie is so filling that I don't believe you will experience this effect with this recipe.

Letter from the insurance company

18. March 2011 William Davis (24)
Claudia got this letter from her health insurance company:

Dear Ms. ------,

Based on a recent review of your cholesterol panel of January 12, 2011, we feel that you should strongly consider speaking to your doctor about cholesterol treatment.

Reducing cholesterol values to healthy levels has been shown to reduce heart attack risk . . .

Okay. So the health insurer wants Claudia to take a cholesterol drug in the hopes that it will reduce their exposure to the costs for her future heart catheterization, angioplasty and stent, or bypass surgery. This is understandable, given the extraordinary costs of such hospital services, typically running from $40,000 for a several hour-long outpatient catheterization procedure, to as much as $200,000 for a several day long stay for coronary bypass surgery.

So what's the problem?

Here are Claudia's most recent lipid values:

LDL cholesterol 196 mg/dl
HDL 88 mg/dl
Triglycerides 37 mg/dl
Total cholesterol 291 mg/dl

By the criteria followed by her health insurer, both total and LDL cholesterol are much too high. Note, of course, that LDL cholesterol was a calculated value, not measured.

Here are Claudia's lipoproteins, drawn simultaneously with her lipids:

LDL particle number 898 nmol/L
Small LDL particle number less than 90 nmol/L (Values less than 90 are not reported by Liposcience)

LDL particle number is, by far and away, the best measure of LDL particles, an actual count of particles, rather than a guesstimate of LDL particles gauged by measuring cholesterol in the low-density fraction of lipoproteins (i.e., LDL cholesterol). It is also measured and is highly reproducible.

To convert LDL particle number in nmol/L to an LDL cholesterol-like value in mg/dl, divide by ten (or just drop the last digit).

Claudia's measured LDL is therefore 89 mg/dl--54% lower than the crude calculated LDL suggests.

This is because virtually all of Claudia's LDL particles are large, with little or no small. This situation throws off the crude assumptions built into the LDL calculation, making it appear that she has very high LDL cholesterol.

Do you think that Big Pharma advertises this phenomenon?

Healthy smoothies

15. March 2011 William Davis (51)
I've now seen several people who have either caused themselves to be diabetic or to have other phenomena associated with excessive consumption of carbohydrates, all by innocently indulging in a carbohydrate-packed smoothie every morning.

Kay, for instance, has a smoothie of a half-pint blueberries, a banana, a scoop of whey, low-fat yogurt, a cup of milk every morning. The rest of her diet was fairly healthy: salads with oil-based dressing for lunch, salmon and asparagus for dinner, only an occasional carbohydrate indulgence outside of her morning smoothie ritual. Yet she had a HbA1c (a reflection of prior 60 to 90 days average blood sugar) at the near-diabetic range of 5.9%.

The mistake most people make when making smoothies is relying too heavily on carbohydrates like fruit. A smoothie like the one made by Kay can easily top 50, 60, or 70 grams carbohydrates per serving, more than sufficient to send blood sugars up to 150 mg/dl or more.

So what can you put in your smoothie and not send you over the edge to diabetes, small LDL, and all the other undesirable phenomena of excessive carbohydrates? Here's a list:

--coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk. Less desirable: milk, full-fat soymilk
--ground flaxseed
--oils: flaxseed oil, coconut oil (melted), extra-light olive oil, walnut oil
--dried coconut
--extracts: vanilla, almond, coconut, cherry, hazelnut
--spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
--herbs: mint leaves, cilantro
--cocoa powder (unsweetened)
--nut or seed butters (peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter)
--tofu
--exotic ingredients (ingredients you wouldn't expect in a smoothie): spinach, kale, cucumber

How do you sweeten a smoothie? This is what trips up most people. If you resort to fruit like bananas, pineapple, or apple, you will readily send your blood sugar skyward. Honey, agave syrup, and sugar, of course, all increase blood sugar and/or have the adverse effects of fructose. Be careful of yogurt, also, for similar reasons.

Therefore, to sweeten your smoothie, consider:

--Small servings of berries, e.g., 8-10 blueberries, 2 strawberries, a few wedges of apple, half a kiwi
--Non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia, Truvia, sucralose, xylitol, erythritol. Also, sugar-free (sucralose-based) syrups like those from DaVinci and Torani are useful. (Just be aware that non-nutritive sweeteners can increase appetite--use sparingly.)

Also, note that, if you have divorced yourself from wheat, cornstarch, and sugars, your desire for sweet should be much reduced. Foods other people find just right will taste sickeningly sweet to you. You might therefore find that foods like peanut butter or coconut milk have a mild natural sweetness; added sweetness is only minimally necessary.

Coming next: I'll share a smoothie recipe or two of mine. Anyone want to share a recipe?

Insulin secretagogue

14. March 2011 William Davis (34)
Dairy products have the peculiar property of triggering pancreatic release of insulin. The research group at Lund University in Sweden have contributed the most to documenting this phenomenon:




Mean (±SEM) incremental changes (?) in serum insulin in response to equal amounts of carbohydrate from a white-wheat-bread reference meal (x) and test meals of whey (?), milk (?), cheese (?), cod (?), gluten-low (?), and gluten-high (?) meals. From Nilsson 2004.

Note that it is the area under the curve (AUC), not the peak value, that assumes greatest importance.

Dairy products, especially milk, whey, and yogurt, are insulin secretagogues: they stimulate pancreatic release of insulin. The effect is likely due to amino acids and/or polypeptides in dairy products. (The effect is less prominent with cheese. Also see this study.)

By conventional wisdom, this may be a good thing, since the excess insulin will blunt the glucose rise after consumption. However, in my book, this is not such a good thing, since most of us have tired, beaten, overworked pancreatic beta cells from our decades of carbohydrate overconsumption. I fear that the effect of dairy products just take us a bit closer to beta cell failure: diabetes.

Good news: The effect is least with cheese.

Be gluten-free without "gluten-free"

9. March 2011 William Davis (23)
While I've discussed this before, it is such a confusing issue that I'd like to discuss it again.

I advocate wheat elimination because consumption of products made from modern dwarf Triticum aestivum:

--Triggers formation of extravagant quantities of small LDL and LDL particle number (or apoprotein B)
--Triggers inflammatory phenomena like c-reactive protein, increases leptin resistance, and reduction of the protective adipocytokine, adiponectin.
--Encourages accumulation of deep visceral fat ("wheat belly") that is inflammatory and causes resistance to insulin
--Increases blood sugar more than nearly all other foods--higher than a Milky Way bar, higher than a Snickers bar, higher than table sugar.
--Is being linked to a growing number of immune-mediated diseases, including celiac disease (quadrupled over past 50 years), type 1 diabetes in children, and cerebellar ataxia and peripheral neuropathies.

This last group of wheat-related phenomena are primarily due to gluten, the collection of 50+ proteins found in each wheat plant. For this reason, people diagnosed with celiac disease are advised to eliminate gluten from wheat and other sources (barley, rye, triticale, bulgur) and to eat gluten-free foods.

Gluten-free has therefore come to be viewed as wheat-free and problem-free. It ain't so.

Among the few foods that increase blood glucose higher than wheat: cornstarch, rice starch, potato starch, and tapioca starch--Yup: the ingredients commonly used to replace wheat in gluten-free foods. They are also flagrant triggers of the small LDL pattern, along with increased triglycerides, reduced HDL, increased visceral fat, increased blood pressure. In short, gluten-free foods lack the immune and brain effects of wheat gluten, but still make you fat, hypertensive, and diabetic.

I tell patients to view gluten-free foods like jelly beans: Gluten-free pancakes, muffins, breads, etc. are indulgences, not healthy replacements for wheat. It's okay to have a few jelly beans now and then. But they should not be part of a frequent or daily routine. Same with gluten-free foods.
"Healthy" people are the most iodine deficient

"Healthy" people are the most iodine deficient

5. June 2009 William Davis (27)
Ironically, the healthiest people are the most likely to be deficient in iodine.

Why?

Healthy people tend to:

--Avoid iodized salt because of public health advice to limit sodium
--Use sea salt to obtain minerals like magnesium--but sea salt contains little iodine
--Limit meat--Carnivores obtain more iodine than vegetarians or vegans. In one study, up to 80% of vegans were iodine-deficient (Krajcovicova-Kudlackova M et al 2003).
--Exercise--Substantial amounts of iodine are lost through sweating. In a study of high school soccer players, 38.5% were severely iodine deficient, compared to 2% of sedentary students (Mao IF et al 2001).


That is indeed what I am seeing in my office, as well: The healthiest, most attentive to healthy eating, and most physically active are the ones showing up with small goiters (enlarged thyroid glands) and increased TSH and low free T4 levels.

Why am I checking thyroid and talking about iodine? Because even the smallest degree of thyroid dysfunction can double, triple, or quadruple your risk for cardiovascular events. See the posts Is normal TSH too high? and Thyroid perspective update.
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Comments (27) -

  • thequickbrownfox

    6/6/2009 9:07:44 AM |

    Interesting. Your posts are very informative but could I suggest that you consolidate them all into one document per topic (e.g. iodine). I realise it might be too early to do this in some cases if you are on a journey of discovery yourself but I think it would be very valuable to have all of your thoughts on a subject cohesively presented in one chunk. As it stands, you have to be following this blog to get the full picture of what you're talking about, unless you are willing to trawl through previous posts.

    Perhaps you could do it in the form of an editable wiki-like page which shows past changes, or just a post that keeps getting edited with a "last updated" note. Or failing all of that you could just tag all your iodine-related posts with "iodine".

    I think you have something valuable to say but if you want it to be accessible to wandering internet users you should think about the presentation more.

    Thanks and keep up the good work!

  • steve K

    6/6/2009 12:42:03 PM |

    you seem to be basing your views on thyroid and heart disease on the HUNT study, and the more recent one you cite, however, the results seem to indicate low thyroid and cardiac events more associated with woman then men.  There did not appear to be a relationship with low thyroid and coronary events in men.  If so, why the across the board reoommendation for iodine for both me and women in light of data not crystal clear for men?

  • TedHutchinson

    6/6/2009 1:21:26 PM |

    I find using the search facility brings up all the blogs on Iodine
    However perhaps you are right as there are now sufficient blogs about IODINE for them to be given their own label.

  • Keenan

    6/6/2009 4:00:35 PM |

    Do healthy people limit meat? Or do you mean people that are attentive to their health, even if they're following not-so-great advice?

  • Allison

    6/6/2009 4:12:12 PM |

    I disagree with thequickbrownfox.  Repetition is good.  After the first two iodine posts I made a mental note to get some iodine or kelp and promptly forgot.  It was after the third iodine post that I finally acted: I bought iodine and started taking it.  

    I also appreciate that the posts are brief; I have bookmarked dozens of long posts in Dr. Eades' blog that are always too long to read right now.  

    Don't change anything.  I love this blog the way it is.  Thank you for taking the time to pass along your knowledge. Smile

  • kris

    6/6/2009 6:14:20 PM |

    i think the search option on the upper left corner works just fine if some one searches it for example. iodine, thyroid, vitamin d3 etc.

  • Nameless

    6/6/2009 11:02:16 PM |

    Although I think Dr. Davis is right about many things, I'm not so sure he's so right about iodine. Why not recommend iodine testing first? Supplementing with no idea if the person is deficient or not doesn't make sense to me.

    If thyroid function is low, what if it's due to Hashimoto's and increased iodine worsens the condition?

    I would have a concern about the person who glances over these blogs, feels their suspected sluggish thyroid needs some iodine help, then worsens their health due to Hashi's.

  • Kismet

    6/7/2009 1:32:00 PM |

    steve K, you're right. The data in men is not convincing re. iodine or thyroid; difficult to say why exactly. However, I've read some convincing mechanistical evidence suggesting that low T3/T4 levels likely promote CVD. It's quite a believable hypothesis.

    However, I'm somewhat worried about 'messing' with such an important hormone, even though we don't understand all the details and don't have a clue what the 'default setting' of our body is and whether the default values would be any good re. long term health (not just CVD).

    IIRC Hypothyroid snell dwarf mice exhibit an increased life span and no clear benefits of T3/T4 supplementation have been demonstrated in the elderly/very old.

    Hi Nameless! Even though Dr. Davis has presented some interesting evidence showing that healthy people may be more prone to deficiency, I second what you say:
    Get a doctor's opinion before treating yourself, check thyroid levels and also try to get baseline iodine levels (urinary excretion).

    Even though iodine (and vitamin D) are free of side-effects in most people, there are diseases which can precule supplemenation (w/o medical supervision at least).

  • Anonymous

    6/7/2009 9:38:14 PM |

    Iodine does not worsen Hashi's. It's used to cure Hashi's.

  • kris

    6/8/2009 2:23:25 AM |

    the study:
    "IIRC Hypothyroid snell dwarf mice exhibit an increased life span and no clear benefits of T3/T4 supplementation have been demonstrated in the elderly/very old".
    However, few things these studies are not able to demonstrate that how do these mice feel and they don't have to live and perform in a society like us humans?
    people with hypothyroid may look normal, are able to complete day to day tasks like a normal person(specially high will power individuals, athletes etc.). But yet these individuals feel terrible from inside.  The symptoms may includes the followings:
    Over reacting,
    Over thinking,
    Irritability,
    Low stamina even though 7 days week at the gym and eating healthy,
    See themselves as victims for no apparent reason,
    Not successful in relationships.
    Not being able to hold job.
    Split personality in seconds.

    I believe that the only doctors, who are hypo or hyper themselves and have treated their thyroid misery successfully, can then understand fully as to what this disease is all about and what was poor patient crying about?  This is not even close to one study fits all kind of disease.
    The notion "get doctor’s opinion" has gotten low marks on my list after suffering with hypo all of my life and going through bunch of most dumb doctors that I have seen and I can bet that most of those doctors themselves are suffering from either low iodine or thyroid.
    When someone gets medical college's degree and license, doesn't necessarily means that he or she is "God". My faith has completely shaken in most of these doctors who try to fit every human being in to the "normal" test numbers.
    The internet is the best thing happened to the society. Where no one needs any "degree" to give their opinion. Where no medical college can suspend any license to punish people, who don't fall in to the drug company driven education trap.  
    Even for a moment, if we believe in the notion of “get doctor’s opinion”. Then Doctor Davis is a doctor and he is giving his opinion. What is wrong with it?
    me and my family has suffered for all of our lives with simple stubbornness of the stupid doctors and i don't wish any body else to go through the same. therefore the best remedy is to educate your self. your body is the most important tool that good has given. spend some time educating your self.  
    As  Dr. Abraham, G.E   is explaining that,
    “The worst form of domestic bioterrorism is the dissemination of iodophobic misinformation in order to discourage the use of adequate amount of iodine for whole body sufficiency (orthoiodosupplementation).2-4 Today, the public relies heavily on the Internet for health information. Rarely do they search for the original publications. Whoever supplies health information on the Internet controls the health of the Internet user. Control of health information on the Internet by iodophobic bioterrorists is a real threat to a population who depends on this source of information to make health-related decisions. Such a population is vulnerable and most likely will end up adopting iodophobic decisions to their detriment. Once caught in the iodophobic Net, it becomes a vicious cycle, difficult to exit.
    Iodophobic bioterrorism can be prevented through education of health care professionals and the public at large. Remember that the easiest and most effective way to destroy a nation is the removal of iodine from the food supply. Iodophobic bioterrorism is a real threat to our nation, and the enemies within our gates masquerade as guardians of our thyroid gland”.
    Here is link to the full article.

    http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/IOD-04/IOD_04.html

  • Nameless

    6/8/2009 4:01:29 AM |

    I've read conflicting info regarding iodine and Hashimoto's. There is some data suggesting iodine can make matters worse.

    And iodine doesn't 'cure' Hashimoto's (or at least I haven't found any evidence it cures it). It may improve thyroid function if hypo, but Hashimoto's is when thyroid antibodies attack the thyroid gland. Selenium + thyroid hormones can lower these antibodies, but I haven't read any data as to iodine having the same effect.

    http://thyroid-disorders.suite101.com/article.cfm/iodine_and_hashimotos_thyroiditis

  • Anonymous

    6/8/2009 4:46:37 AM |

    How much of this is localized?  Isn't Dr. Davis located in Wisconsin, which known to have low iodine in the soil?

  • Dr. William Davis

    6/8/2009 12:17:13 PM |

    Thanks for the wonderful description, Kris.

  • Dr. William Davis

    6/8/2009 12:19:41 PM |

    Iodine does indeed make Hashimoto's worse if taken during a flare-up. Iodine will make any form of hyperthyroidism worse, for that matter.

    However, it does not mean that iodine is not important for health for the other 99%+ of people, those not in the midst of a hyperthyroid flare.

    Iodine need is life-long. That's why, when people are deprived for years, iodine provided to an iodine-deficient person can encounter a thyroid unaccustomed to sufficient iodine. This can also provoke transient hyperthyroidism. I've seen this happen twice in the last several hundred people.

  • TedHutchinson

    6/8/2009 1:46:39 PM |

    There is quite a long lecture from Dr. Brownstein at this link.
    Iodine_->The_Most Misunderstood_Nutrient Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It.
    Dr. Brownstein feels iodine is the most misunderstood nutrient.
    He feels it is impossible to achieve your optimal health when there is iodine deficiency present.

  • StephenB

    6/8/2009 5:13:16 PM |

    Dr. Davis, any thoughts about why hypothyroidism and low ferritin levels seem to be associated? Does iodine deficiency adversely impact iron storage?

  • Nameless

    6/8/2009 5:57:56 PM |

    But what about Hashi people who become even more hypo with iodine treatment?  I know this sounds contradictory to what you are saying, but it's been reported on pubmed as occurring (autoimmune reaction causing more thyroid destruction perhaps?).

    Most of the articles I've read, in fact, say not to supplement iodine above RDA if you have Hashi's.

    For Doctor Davis' patients, this may be fine, since they are under a doctor's care. But I expect a decent percentage of people reading this blog who decide to take iodine won't be taking it through a doctor,  restrict only to RDA levels, get full thyroid workups or even iodine testing. I'm just saying some caution should be considered too... hence why to get tested before supplementing.

  • kris

    6/8/2009 7:07:35 PM |

    "Iodine does indeed make Hashimoto's worse if taken during a flare-up".
    Dr. Davis, while we are at this subject, here is more about hashi and iodine.

    http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-34820500_ITM
    or
    http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/IOD-22/IOD_22.htm

  • kris

    6/8/2009 11:04:16 PM |

    back in 2007 i read this. it came from another blog by Dr. Joe(don't know the last name)and it helps adding another dimension to this puzzle.
    "Graves' Disease Caused by a Tummy Ache?
    If you are like most people (and even most doctors), you may have a hard time wrapping your mind around the fact that a problem in your gut can cause a problem in your thyroid (which is way up in your neck). There is strong evidence that proves that this just might be the underlying issue in many cases of Graves' disease.
    Graves thyroiditis, also known as Graves' disease, is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the thyroid gland. While there can be acute attacks of thyroiditis, Graves' disease is usually a more slow acting autoimmune disorder.
    There is evidence that a specific strand of pathogen (though there can be many different kinds not as well documented) called Yersinia enterocolitica that has been shown to cause Graves thyroiditis.
    A common medical treatment for Graves thyroiditis is radiation or surgical removal of the thyroid gland. The thought is that if you remove the overactive thyroid gland, then you remove the problem. This line of thinking ignores the fact that there is still the underlying problem of the Yersinia enterocolitica.
    If the treatment was aimed in addressing the pathogen Yersinia enterocolitica instead of the thyroid, you may have been able to forgo the ablating of the thyroid gland.
    So how did Yersinia enterocolitica even get into the bloodstream to cause Graves' disease?
    Most likely in cases of dysbiosis (or overgrowth of unhealthy bugs within your gut lining), there is an overgrowth of Yersinia enterocolitica within the gut. When this pathogen is allowed to flourish in the gut lining, changes to the gut lining may enable Yersinia enterocolitica to pass through when it should not.

    Once Yersinia enterocolitica is in the bloodstream, your immune system recognizes it, tags it is a foreign invader, and then attacks it.
    It is believed that the protein makeup of Yersinia enterocolitica is similar to that of the protein structures on the thyroid. What happens is your immune system gets "tag happy" and tags your thyroid gland as well. Now your body cannot decipher a difference between Yersinia enterocolitica and your thyroid gland. You now have what is known as an autoimmune disease".

    if we read here:
    http://books.google.ca/books?id=O2R2OU62e3wC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=iodine+Yersinia+enterocolitica&source=bl&ots=wJThoF5O-V&sig=49ltwzAKE8sFbgVY7fPS1eYJjhE&hl=en&ei=a5UtSruvCaPQMoOhqM0J&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2#PPA14,M1
    about infective agents and iodine, it may shed some light on this mystery.

  • Anonymous

    6/9/2009 4:45:58 PM |

    You might want to change the title of the post from "healthy" to "health-conscious." People who limit salt, fat, and meat, and who knock themselves out with exercise are not healthy, as your examination of them attests. They care about their health, but because they have assimilated all the current but erroneous commonplaces about how to be healthy, ironically they are unhealthy.

  • mike V

    6/10/2009 3:10:08 PM |

    Hi Doc:

    The fundamental importance of thyroid and vitamin D status to heart, vascular, and general health have interested me for many years, and your willingness to provide some informal feedback from your patient base is unique.

    I have another supplement that I have studied, and used moderately for going on  20 years, and which I believe has significance in the broader context. (personally I am in excellent health in my 74th year).
    The supplement is melatonin, which has been primarily asociated with sleep, but which I believe is much more fundamental. (relevant to TYP?)
    I imagine that a high percentage of both your patients and blog followers are in their mid to later years, and may have used or considered it.

    The following LEF article sums it up pretty well. Would you please consider, and give us your assessment.

    http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/aug2008_Beyond-Sleep-New-Medical-Applications-for-Melatonin_01.htm

    Regards,

    MikeV

  • homertobias

    6/10/2009 3:10:33 PM |

    Dr Davis

    Check out Kamstrup's new article on LP(a) in the new JAMA.  Interesting stuff.  Two new THYROMIMETIC drugs in the pipeline to lower LP(a)?  I wonder just what is the relationship between thyroid function and LP(a) levels.

  • mike V

    6/10/2009 3:34:09 PM |

    Sorry,
    I missed the fact that melatonin had previously been a topic in May.
    Mike V

  • Someone

    10/1/2009 7:05:16 PM |

    I started to take some custom lugols ( 7 % , 99.9 pure , 40% grain alcohol , 1 mg free iodine with around 3 mg KI) diluted in distilled water in small quantities of 10mg 2 months ago. I take in morning with empty stomach; I eat lot of Mg in fruits etc. I also eat yogurt a lot all my life.

    First I found that my lungs were more effective and my heart was very calm even when doing exercises. (Like the right ventricular was more effective with iodine supplement)

    after around 150mg ingested, after one month I started by having a slight pinching sensation on my heart just couple millimeters far from the sternum bone, on the left.

    After taking some more up to 350 mg cumulative dose for 2 months I had many upsets especially in the evenings. It happened 7 times, but last night I panicked because my heart seems to stop working in the right ventricular for around 30 seconds, I was in sweat, shaking white and in shock. But no heart pain or chest pain at all, just a very bad discomfort, a feeling of something disturbed or that the heart pulse on the right side was very weak. The void in my chest lasted all morning, Aspirin didn’t help at all. I spent most of the day in bed because it seems to help my heart. Any effort brings back the symptoms.

    Very important is that these heart problems happen only when I take breaks from iodine; it seems to happen around 4 - 6 days after i stop taking iodine.

    I am taking an appointment with doc today.

    I really don’t feel with fever, or anything. Just this heart problem...

    I also experienced a metallic taste after 1.5 month and this is when I started to take 4 - 6 days breaks of iodine intake.

    Probably that if I am to resume iodine intake my heart will go back to normal but I won’t take it before I see a doctor.

  • Treatment for heart disease

    9/27/2010 12:46:57 PM |

    Heart  disease is one of the most  dangerous disease which takes thousands of life every years all over the world. If we know its symptoms and Treatment for heart disease. We can prevent is to large extent.

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