Dr. Eric Berg Featuring: Iodine and Your Immune System

Iodine has some pretty amazing and unique effects on the immune system. Here’s what you need to know.

Today we’re going to talk about iodine and immune system health. I’ve talked a lot about important nutrients like zinc, vitamin D, and vitamin C in relation to the immune system. But I haven’t talked about iodine. Iodine has a unique influence on the immune system.  You need about 150mcg of iodine per day. Many people, around 2 billion, are deficient in iodine. Sea kelp seems to be the best source of iodine, but there are other great iodine sources as well. 

 The best iodine-rich foods are: 
• Sea kelp 
• Shellfish 
• Fish  
• Eggs 
 • Dairy  

 Iodine is needed for the thyroid. The thyroid is the gland that stores iodine and helps make thyroid hormones. If you’re deficient in iodine, your thyroid stimulating hormone can go up. Thyroid stimulating hormone has a few different functions. One would be that it causes the thyroid to get bigger. Another function is that it increases the release of the thyroid hormone T4, which can then be converted to T3.  Something else that messes with the thyroid is estrogen. It just so happens that iodine is a great mineral to help lower high levels of estrogen. 

 Iodine and all of the trace minerals are very important for pregnant women. If a pregnant woman is deficient in iodine, there could be massive problems for the child, including: 
• Intellectual disabilities  
• Deafness  
• Stunted growth  

 Iodine and the immune system: 
1. Enhances dendritic cells  
2. Supports B-cell development  
3. Helps stimulate phagocytes  
4. Enhances natural killer cells  
5. Enhances cytokines  
6. Good for memory cells  

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