How to Know If Iodoral Supplement Is Working?
Iodoral is an over-the-counter nutritional supplement that comes in tablets containing either 12.5 or 50 mg of iodine and potassium iodide per tablet. Tablets are scored, so you can divide them in half if you prefer to take dosages other than full tablets. People take Iodoral to boost the body’s iodine levels. After you begin taking Iodoral, there are numerous ways to know whether the supplement is working. Find and work with a health practitioner who can order iodine tests and manage your Iodoral usage. Possible practitioners include a naturopathic or holistic doctor, as these types of practitioners tend to be more familiar with iodine usage and testing.
Begin a symptom and temperature log. Before starting to take Iodoral, write down your symptoms, such as fatigue, energy level, depression, brain fog and sense of feeling cold. Also take and write down your body temperature. You will use this log after you begin taking Iodoral, to observe whether temperatures and symptoms have changed.
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Ask your doctor to run iodine and thyroid hormone tests before you begin taking Iodoral. Taking iodine supplement can affect your body’s thyroid hormone levels, because your thyroid gland requires enough iodine to make adequate thyroid hormones.
Take Iodoral supplement. You may want to start with ½ of a 12.5-mg tablet and gradually increase the dosage, based on how well your symptoms resolve. Your health practitioner can guide you on your starting and continuing Iodoral dosage.
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Ask your health practitioner to run an iodine test after you have been taking Iodoral for a period of time. You and your practitioner can compare the results to the iodine test that you had before you starting taking Iodoral. If your body’s iodine level has improved, that could indicate that Iodoral supplement is working.
Continue to keep a daily written log of your symptoms, such as energy level, fatigue, depression, brain fog and sense of feeling hot or cold. Also continue to take and write down your temperature daily. If your symptoms improve and your body temperature increases as you have been taking Iodoral, this could indicate that Iodoral is working.
Ask your doctor to run thyroid hormone tests, because taking Iodoral may provide your body with enough iodine to affect your body’s thyroid hormone levels. Signs that Iodoral is working include a lower TSH, higher free T3 and higher free T4.
Tips
You may notice that Iodoral is beginning to work fairly soon after you start taking it. It may also take weeks or longer for you to notice that it is working to improve your symptoms and iodine levels. You may need to take a dosage higher than a 12.5 mg tablet to notice significant improvement in your symptoms.
Warnings
If you are taking thyroid hormone medication, closely monitor your iodine usage, thyroid hormone levels and thyroid medication dosage while taking Iodoral. Otherwise, your body and thyroid could become overstimulated on thyroid hormones as a result of taking Iodoral. You may need to decrease your thyroid hormone medication dosage as a result of taking Iodoral, but do so only under your prescribing doctor’s guidance.
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References
- “Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It"; David Brownstein, M.D.; 2009
- Iodine4Health: Orthoiodosupplementation -- Flechas
- Iodine4Health: Basic Protocol
- Optimox: Iodoral
- “Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; James F. Balch, M.D., and Phyllis A Balch, C.N.C.; 1997
Resources
- “Living Well With Hypothyroidism”; Mary J. Shomon; 2000
Writer Bio
Judy Wilson has writing and editing expertise in health, technology, pets, business and travel. She has contributed to USAToday.com, SFGate.com and numerous other publications. Wilson earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she completed Mini Medical School.