Originally published November 19
2009
Iodine prevents breast
cancer
by Mike Adams, the
Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
(NaturalNews) Breast cancer seems to
be on everyone's mind these days: How do you detect it? Prevent it? Reverse
it?
Fortunately, preventing breast cancer is easy, and
iodine is one of the key nutritional strategies for accomplishing
precisely that.
Here, we bring you an extremely informative collection of
information about how iodine helps prevent breast cancer. You'll learn how it
works, which different sources of iodine are available today, and which books to
read to learn more.
Personally, I strongly recommend the books and
website of Dr. David Brownstein (http://www.drbrownstein.com/)
Big Pharma has no financial interest in looking at any natural
product, including iodine.
Q: Does iodine supplementation cause goiter? A: No. Iodine
deficiency causes goiter, not iodine supplementation. Medical research has shown
this for over 100 years. Q: Does iodine deficiency
cause breast cancer? A: Breast cancer is a multi-factorial
illness. However, the evidence linking iodine deficiency to breast cancer is
overwhelming. Iodine deficiency may not be the sole cause of the epidemic of
breast cancer that is plaguing us today, but, it plays a very large role in this
illness.
- Iodine: Why
You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It by David Brownstein,
M.D.
The thyroid gland needs
approximately 6mg/day of iodine for sufficiency. The breasts need at least 5mg
of iodine; that leaves 2mg (13mg-llmg) of iodine for the rest of the body. This
2mg is still well above the RDA (14x the RDA) of 150mcg/day of iodine. Either
way, this would explain why the RDA for iodine is inadequate and why it is
necessary not only to get your iodine levels evaluated but, more importantly, to
supplement with the correct amount and form of iodine. FINAL THOUGHTS The
connection between iodine deficiency and breast cancer as well as fibrocystic
breast disease is strong.
- Iodine: Why
You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It by David Brownstein,
M.D.
Donnie Yance, a health care provider who works
with many women diagnosed with breast cancer, believes that a genetic
predisposition to a weak immune system is a very strong risk factor for breast cancer.
Iodine and thyroid hormones (both natural and
synthetic) generally reduce risk of breast cancer. Max Gerson, M.D., an
acclaimed (and controversial) cancer specialist, believed that iodine was
critical to the process of countering cancer. Some researchers speculate that
the low rate of breast cancer in Japan is due to the iodine-rich
diet.
- Breast
Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way by Susun S. Weed
At
iodine sufficiency, the largest amounts of iodine are found in fat tissue and
muscle (striated) tissue. If obesity is present, the body's need for iodine
increases as the fat cells of the body would require more iodine. As previously
mentioned, women's breasts are major sites for iodine storage. Maintaining
adequate iodine levels is necessary to ensure an adequately functioning thyroid gland and normal
breast architecture. I believe it will also lower the incidence of breast cancer
and help women overcome breast cancer.
- Iodine: Why
You Need It, Why You Can't Live Without It by David Brownstein,
M.D.
Breast milk contains more iodine than formula milk and premature
babies who are formula-fed may be at risk of deficiency. Iodine deficiency may
play a role in fibrocystic breast disease. Hypothyroidism and
iodine deficiency may also increase the risk of breast cancer, as a higher
incidence of disease has been found in iodine-deficient areas. Good sources of
iodine include vegetables grown in
iodine-rich soil, kelp,
onions, milk, milk products, salt water fish and seafood.
- The
New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements and Herbs by Nicola
Reavley
Other than the thyroid, the highest concentration of iodine
is found in women's breast tissue. When the
level of iodine is low, the risk of acquiring breast cancer is greater, and as
we're aware, the fluoride found in Prozac disrupts the iodine, reducing the
iodine level. Also, women who acquire breast cancer normally have elevated estrogen and a low level of
progesterone in their breast tissue as well. The natural progesterone keeps the
estrogen levels in check, basically preventing the problem. And if you really
want to prevent the problem, you should definitely avoid Paxil?
- Antidepressants,
Antipsychotics, And Stimulants - Dangerous Drugs on Trial by Dr David W
Tanton, Ph.D.
Excess iodine is excreted in the urine or the sweat,
tears, and bile. There have been no reported cases of iodine toxicity from
naturally occurring sources in food or water. The RDA of iodine
is 150 mcg for an adult male. Iodine deficiency has been known to cause hypothyroidism. It has
been associated with increased cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis, fibrocystic
breast disease, and breast cancer. Iodine deficiency can also be devastating to
the developing brain, causing a mental retardation known as cretinism. Most
developed countries, therefore, screen for hypothyroidism at birth.
- Fundamentals
of Naturopathic Endocrinology by Michael Friedman, ND
But to
get back to the topic of seaweed and breast cancer,
there is more in seaweed than just iodine. Seaweed as a popular dietary
component in Japan is a rich source of both iodine and selenium. Selenium acts
synergistically with iodine. Selenium status may affect both thyroid hormone
regulation and iodine availability.
- You
Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore by Bill Sardi
Women
are particularly at risk due to environmental agents depleting iodine reserves
and other agents exposing them to radioactive 1-131. After the thyroid gland,
the distal portions of the human mammary glands are the heaviest
users/concentrators of iodine in tissue. Iodine is readily incorporated into the
tissues surrounding the mammary nipples and is essential for the maintenance of
healthy functioning breast tissue. The radioactive decay of 1-131 in breast
tissue may be a significant factor in the initiation and progression of both
breast cancer and some types of breast nodules.
- Fundamentals
of Naturopathic Endocrinology by Michael Friedman, ND
"There
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," he says. Miller points out that Japanese consumption of iodine through
seaweed is many, many times that of the United States, and that
the health comparisons between the two countries are disturbing. He suggests
that iodine consumption may be one of the many reasons why the incidence of
breast cancer is so high in the United States and so low in Japan.
- The
Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What
Treatments Work and Why by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
The foods richest in iodine are
dulse and kelp. All sea
vegetables basically contain all of the minerals of the sea,
bringing us a good source of trace minerals in
general. Iodine seems to work as a monitor, or controller, for calcium metabolism. It's one of
the key minerals. Iodine has the highest frequency of all of Nature's essential
minerals. It supports enzyme systems that help the functioning of certain
thyroid hormones and assists in regulating cellular metabolic rates. It may be
helpful in protecting against breast cancer.
- Spiritual
Nutrition: Six Foundations for Spiritual Life and the Awakening of Kundalini
by Gabriel Cousens, M.D.
Certain parts of the country have little
or no iodine in the soil and isolated agrarian cultural groups who refrained
from using iodized salt and
cattle feed were subject to this disorder. Iodine deficiency in children may
result in mental retardation. In addition, iodine deficiency has been linked to
breast cancer and is associated with fatigue, neonatal hypothyroidism, and
weight gain.
- Prescription
for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free
Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements by
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
Women in Japan commonly consume seaweed, known
for its iodine content. Seaweed is reported to reduce the risk for breast
cancer. [Japanese Journal Cancer Research 92: 483-87, 2001] In one study,
thyroid disease incidence was higher in breast cancer patients than in healthy
women (58% versus 18%). But other studies do not confirm that abnormal thyroid
hormone levels are associated with breast cancer. [Nutrition Cancer 27: 48-52,
1997] It may be that an increased ratio of thyroid hormone over estrogen sets up
a growth-promoting effect on breast tumors.
- You
Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore by Bill
Sardi
Thyroid and iodine Hypothyroidism and /or iodine deficiency are
associated with a higher incidence of breast cancer. Experimental iodine
deficiency in rats results in a mammary dysplasia histologically similar to
human FBD. Thyroid hormone replacement therapy in hypothyroid, and some
euthyroid, patients may result in clinical improvement. Research has shown that
thyroid supplementation (0.1 mg/day Synthroid) decreases mastodynia, serum
prolactin levels, and breast nodules in, supposedly, euthyroid patients.
- Textbook
of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 2 by Michael T. Murray,
ND
There have been attempts to link two other dietary factors to
breast cancer because Oriental women, so resistant to the disease, have better
dietary supplies of selenium and iodine than do American women. These
relationships may prove more tenable, for highly complex reasons. Selenium is
related to the metabolism of Vitamin E, which I have already described as an
anticancer factor, and iodine is related, of course, to thyroid function, which,
as a member of the community of glands, is interrelated with the metabolism of
estrogen.
- Breast
Cancer: A Nutritional Approach by Carlton Fredericks
Breast
cancer has been linked to iodine deficiency, and the soil in both Japan and
Iceland is rich in both iodine and selenium. Japanese people also consume large
amounts of fish, vegetables, and green tea, which may be a factor. The Cancer
Control Convention in Japan has reported that germanium may be important in the
prevention and cure of cancer. A daily dose of seven to ten servings of fruits
and vegetables can reduce cancer risk by about 30 percent.
- Prescription
for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free
Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements by
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
"We think it's very important for the breast,"
Cann says about iodine. This mineral, he believes, may prevent and even shrink
breast tumors by combining
with certain fatty acids and stopping cancerous cells from multiplying. And
without the selenium, iodine doesn't do its job properly. You can see the power
of this dynamic duo in Japan, where people eat about 5 grams of sea vegetables
virtually every day. Cann points out the Japanese have one of the highest life
expectancies and a very low rate of breast cancer.
- Eat and Heal (Foods
That Can Prevent or Cure Many Common Ailments) by the Editors of FC&A
Medical Publishing
An association has been made between low thyroid
function and breast cancer; as a source of iodine and other trace minerals, sea
vegetables provide optimal nutrition for the thyroid
gland. The high content of potassium in seaweed is
good for the heart and kidneys. The iodine in seaweed aids in weight loss also.
Seaweed nourishes membranes, making it good for nervous disorders, skin
conditions, colds, and constipation. It is high in chromium, which helps to
control blood sugar levels.
- Prescription
for Dietary Wellness: Using Foods to Heal by Phyllis A. Balch,
CNC
It may not be chance correlation, then, that geographic
differences in the incidence of these diseases are associated with differences
in the selenium and iodine values in foods. Selenium is an antioxidant in the
body, protecting the chromosomes from damage which can lead to cancer. Iodine,
as you probably know, is essential to thyroid function, but it may also play a
role, directly or through its function in thyroid hormone, in susceptibility to
breast cancer.
- Breast
Cancer: A Nutritional Approach by Carlton Fredericks,
Ph.D.
Seaweed is nature's richest, most bioavailable source of
organic iodine, a substance lacking in the average American diet and directly
related to the high incidence of thyroid disorders. Many of my patients with
ovarian or breast cancer are deficient in iodine and show signs of low thyroid
function. Seaweeds are also an excellent source of calcium and potassium and are
rich in all minerals. They help in the removal of radioactive and toxic heavy
minerals. I am thankful to herbalist Ryan Drum for teaching me the importance of
this neglected food.
- Herbal
Medicine, Healing and Cancer: A Comprehensive Program for Prevention and
Treatment by Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene
Valentine
Iodine - Available in seafood, sea vegetables such
as kelp and dulse, and iodized salt, iodine protects against breast cancer and
is needed for proper energy metabolism as well as the growth and repair of all
tissues.
- Alternative
Medicine the Definitive Guide, Second Edition by Larry Trivieri,
Jr.
Spencer of Frenahay Hospital in Bristol found that the so-called
"goiter belts" (regions where goiter is extremely prevalent, due to low levels
of iodine in the water and diet) had higher than average cancer rates, a finding
that extended over 15 nations on four continents. According to Dr. Bernard
Eskin, director of endocrinology at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
at the Medical College of Philadelphia, iodine deficiencies are associated with
breast cancer in both rats and humans.
- Stopping the
Clock: Longevity for the New Millenium by Ronald Klatz and Robert
Goldman
A large fraction of absorbed iodine is taken up by the
thyroid gland via the sodium/iodide symporter. In addition to the thyroid gland,
active iodide occurs in the salivary glands, the gastric mucosa and in the
lactating mammary gland. The nonlactating mammary gland does not accumulate
iodide. Recently, it has been reported that accumulation of iodide via a
sodium/iodide symporter appears to occur in human breast cancer tissue. The
major route of excretion of excess iodine is by the kidneys.
- PDR for
Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David
Rorvik
Turning from excessive intake of a dietary factor to
deficiency, the association of inadequate diet with decreased resistance to
malignancies is well documented. Iodine deficiency may lead to an underactive
thyroid and ultimately to a goiter, and goiters have been clearly associated
with an increased risk of breast cancer. Similarly, recognizable thyroid
underactivity has been demonstrated in 10 percent of the women with another type
of cancer (endometrial).
- Breast
Cancer: A Nutritional Approach by Carlton Fredericks,
Ph.D.
Both our mammary glands (breasts) and our thyroid glands have
been linked from the time we were embryos and both have a special ability to
store iodine. This function is vital during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
Because bromide has been replacing iodide in our bread and in our breasts for
the past fifty years, it is feared that this has led to an increase in both
breast cancer and fibrocystic breast disease (both of which have increased
dramatically over this time period).
- The
Natural Hormone Makeover: 10 Steps to Rejuvenate Your Health and Rediscover Your
Inner Glow by Phuli Cohan
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