I just received the following email today:
We have a 14 yr old daughter that has developed cysts on her breast and the radiologist turned us onto you. We have view viewed some of your videos on youtube. We live in Minnesota and would like to know how we can get in touch with a practitioner in our area that does the comprehensive analysis and testing like you. We don’t want to just start her on iodine treatments or thyrostim from Biotics Research. Help!!
My Comments
The most common cause of cysts on the breasts or fibrocystic breast disease is iodine deficiency. The link between iodine deficiency and cystic breasts has been written about for over 70 years. Whenever I see anyone with cysts on their glandular tissue, including the thyroid, ovaries, uterus, breasts, and prostate, I begin an investigation to look at their iodine status. My experience has shown that cystic breast disease is usually not that difficult to treat once iodine levels are optimized for the patient.
Iodine concentrates in all the glandular tissue, including the tissues I mentioned above. Iodine’s main job is to maintain the normal architecture of the glandular tissue. The first sign of iodine deficiency is cystic formation in the glandular tissue. If iodine deficiency continues, the cysts become hard and nodular. Over time, the glandular tissue undergoes hyperplasia. This leads to the last step, which is cancer formation. That is the bad news.
The good news is that iodine supplementation has been shown to halt this progression and, in many patients, reverse it. I have rarely seen iodine therapy fail to effectively treat fibrocystic breast disease.
In this case, since the girl is so young, she has a good chance of overcoming this. I would suggest finding an iodine-knowledgeable health care practitioner who can help guide you. This may mean seeking out a naturopathic doctor or a chiropractor.
More information about iodine can be found in my book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It. NOTE: I have a NEW, 5th Edition of this book at the printer right now. The book has been updated and expanded. And, I have a new edition of my book, Overcoming Thyroid Disorders. The NEW 3rd Edition of this book is available now. That book has also been expanded and updated. I will post more about my new books after the website is updated.
DrB
I was diagnosed with several typical breast cysts and one complex cyst one year ago. After reading your book and taking a conservative dose of Iadorol iodine for six months (12.5 mg – I am hypothyroid and feared thyroid side-effects), my typical cysts disappeared. The complex breast cyst did not. I live in a large city and am no doubt being bombarded by halides in my environment. Would increasing my iodine dosage give me a shot at resolving the complex cyst as well?
Ann,
So glad to hear you had a good response to low-dose iodine. Yes, my experience has been that higher doses can help more complex cysts.
DrB
Dear Dr B,
Can I apply iodine topically on my breast for fibrocystic breast?
Nal,
Yes. I recommend topical iodine for breast masses.
DrB
Thank you so much! My doctors in Sweden can’t help me at all, they say that I just have to get used to the fibroadenomas but I don’t buy that… 🙂
I must also add that my ME/CFS is less severe since I started Iodoral. Sleep, energy level, recovery time and cognition are improving, which I read about in your book but had no idea that the effect would be so apparent. I’ve had ME for 14 yrs and have been in to functional medicine for 6 yrs but Iodoral is the first thing that has made such a positive effect on my health.
Do fibroadenomas heal as well as cysts? I’ve been taking Iodoral for a couple of months now (started slowly, it took me months to get to 50 mg). The pain is almost gone but my breasts are still a bit lumpy. I’ve had 3 fibroadenomas and was desperat when I found your book. Now I’m finally hopeful. Thank you!
Dear Katarina,
In my experience they do disappear in the majority of patients.
It may take a few years for them to go away.
DrB
How much iodine would you recommend for a person who is pregnant, hypothyroid and fibrocystic breasts? Would it be safe to take over 13 grams of iodine combined with selenium, zinc and magnesium?
Fadya,
I cannot recommend specific doses for non patients. However, I can say that I have had many pregnant women take iodine throughout their pregnancies. My usual doses of iodine are from 12-50 mg/day. Please read my book, Iodine Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It. Before taking iodine, particularly a pregnant patient, I would suggest working with an iodine-knowledgeable health care practitioner.
DrB
I enjoy reading your column very much , my question is , is there any association or relationship between iodine and diabetes? Thank you for taking the time to answer .
Dear J,
Yes. the insulin receptors can be iodinated if there is enough iodine present. There is not too much written about that, but, my experience has clearly shown that diabetes improves when iodine deficiency is rectified.
DrB
Any connection to an ovarian cyst? I am working with a nutritionist to help with a cyst, and though things have remained stable for almost 2 years, I have not heard anything about iodine. Would this be something to consider?
Thanks so much for your work!
Mary,
You should consider it. I have seen ovarian cysts shrink/disappear with iodine.
DrB
I have read a lot about iodine and helping with thyroid production and ovarian cysts. I have a 2cm cyst on my left ovary. I started taking 12.5mg idoroal and will get an update in dec if it has shrunk any. Hoping it has and I will continue my once a day 12.5mg. My question is, I had lab work done and my iodine level was 520mmol and the doctors range is something like 40-90mmol is normal. So they flagged as high and asked me to stop taking my iodine. I don’t want to stop if it will help my cysts.
Julie,
The 24 hour loading test is the only appropriate test once you are on iodine. The spot test is useless at that point. I wrote more about that in my book.
DrB
Dr. Brownstein,
I so appreciate your work, have your books and newsletters. I asked a question the other day about the Nascent iodine but it appears you do not want to answer that question on the blog as my question was removed. I personally have always used the Iodoral 50 mg and it has saved my life. I had terrible CF and skin problems, losing my hair, and more. As a nutritionist, I was just wondering as I have no doubt you have looked into the Iodoral compared to the Nascent iodine. Do you feel the Nascent has any health benefits over the Iodoral or vice-a-versa PLEASE.
I so respect your thoughts on this.
Thank you,
Lucretia
Hi Lucretia,
Nascent iodine, like other iodine products, has health benefits for those deficient in iodine. Nascent iodine is a much lower-dosed product as compared to the iodine products I am currently using–Lugol’s iodine, Iodorol or Iodozyme HP. My research has shown that the lower-dosed iodine products, such as Nascent iodine, are not sufficient to competitively inhibit the toxic halides such as bromine and fluoride. Nor are the low-dosed products, like Nascent iodine, effective at providing for whole-body iodine sufficiency. Finally, low-dosed iodine products do not provide enough iodine to achieve a serum iodine level that is necessary for cancer protection.
Having said that, I do recommend low-dosed iodine products for sensitive patients who cannot tolerate the large iodine doses. I have found that very few patients (less than 1%) have side effects with the higher-dosed iodine products when they are used correctly.
I hope this helps,
DrB
Dear Dr. B
I am a functional Nutritionist and have heard from Dr Datis Kharrazian who wrote a book on the Thyroid that Iodine can be a trigger for auto-Immune Thyroid disease (Hashimoto), for people who have a pre-disposition to this common auto-immune condition.
Many of my clients have Hashimoto and I was told that Iodine is a big No, No, that it is like adding gasoline to a fire.
I rencently saw someone who had been told to take Iodine and when I tested him he had positive antibodies for auto-immune Thyroid.
I would like to know what your experience and opinion are on the subject of Iodine being a trigger for Hashimoto.
I appreciate all the good work you are doing and look forward to your feedback.
Solange Pieri PhD
Dr. Pieri,
I cover this topic in-depth in my books. Ask the iodophobic experts this question: How, over the last 40 years, has Hashimoto’s disease increased at epidemic rates while at the same time that iodine levels have fallen over 50%? Please, let me know their answer.
If you want more information, I am referring you to my books. BTW: I address this topic in more detail in my new iodine book–it will be out in about two weeks.
DrB
I have been on Iodine supplement for ten years. I had severe fibrocystic disease. I had amazing results within just a few weeks of taking Iodine. My mammograms changed dramatically! I now get thermoscans and they have been normal also. Thanks to my wonderful doctor — Dr. Brownstein!!! I only wish more doctors and patients would be more receptive to this type of therapy. Iodine is so incredible.
Marian
In addition to the glandular tissue, is it possible to write a blog on how iodine assists the rest of the body? Thank you.
Emma,
I did not say that ALL fibrocystic breast disease progress to breast cancer. But, research has shown a relationship between fibrocystic breast disease and breast cancer. And, research has shown that having fibrocystic breast disease increases one’s risk for getting breast cancer.
DrB
Hello! It was searching for ways to cure my extremely painful fibrocystic breasts that lead me to your wonderful work. I was absolutely desperate. After beginning iodine it took just 3 weeks for the pain and lumps to disappear. Absolutely amazing especially when my GP and specialists had been able to offer nothing that worked. I was left with one very large lump (size of a golf ball) and over the last 12 months of continuing iodine at 75mg that also disappeared. There were many other benefits I gained from iodine, too numerous to mention as my health was going downhill fast before I found iodine and associated supplements. . I would like to say that with the large lump, a magnesium oil spray seemed to speed things up considerably in reducing its size. Thank you Dr Brownstein, you gave me my life back!
I wish I’d known about the iodine connection with fibrocystic breasts back in the 1970s. I had been drinking Sanka, which was the only decaffeinated coffee I knew of at the time. When I stopped drinking it the cysts resolved. However, in 2010 I was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer. It makes me wonder if checking the need for iodine and taking it would have prevented the cancer 40 years later.
I can attest to this personally. I am 52 years old and have been told since my early 20’s that I had cystic breasts and had many mammograms that where questionable that required further work-ups to rule out cancer. I have been taking iodine for 1 year and after 6 months I had my first mammogram that was negative. I have also experienced abnormal PAPS and they are now normal. Thank you Dr. Brownstein.
Thank you, Kelly. I hope your story helps others,
DrB
I had cystic breasts i my 20’s and probably much longer. No physician I ever saw mentioned iodine.
Medical schools seem to be rather lax unless something comes from big pharma these days.