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The Iodine Group | |
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David Derry, MD, PhD
Breast Cancer: The Iodine and Thyroid ConnectionDerry D
"Fibrocystic disease of the breast consists of small or large, sometimes painful lumps in women’s breasts. It varies in the way it shows—not only in different women, but also because it changes from month to month in the same women. Medical doctors generally believe that fibrocystic disease results from the excess number of cells that grow in the breast during the menstrual cycle from the hormonal stimulation.
"Since the number of cells increases in the breast during the cycle, some of the cells have to be removed to restore the normal state each month. Iodine is the trigger mechanism that causes excess cells to disappear to complete this normal process of cell death. Without enough iodine, the extra cells that develop during the menstrual cycle due to the hormonal stimulation do not resolve back to the normal breast architecture. These leftover cells build up over repeated cycles and cause the lumps, soreness, and larger lesions of fibrocystic disease.
"However, while about 90 percent of North American women have fibrocystic disease, about 40 percent of these women experience no symptoms. Their breasts may be normal to examination, but the disease may be only microscopically detectable with a biopsy.
"Enough iodine enables the excess cells to be cleared out, and the breast can return to its normal resting state as the fibrocystic disease slowly disappears from the breast.
"Fibrocystic disease over decades of hormonal stimulation eventually tends to cause some cells to change to cancer cells. Lack of iodine causes fibrocystic disease, so women who have fibrocystic disease are susceptible to breast cancer. Although breast scars from fluid leakage out of the cysts are often permanent, iodine given therapeutically in the correct doses gradually gets rid of all fibrocystic disease except for the scars.
"How much iodine is enough? It has been shown that daily doses of iodine above two to three milligrams per day (about half a drop from a standard eyedropper) saturate the thyroid within a couple of weeks. At this point, the thyroid gland stops taking up iodine. This means that at a dietary intake above two to three milligrams, all of the iodine goes to all its other functions in the body, such as killing off abnormal cells."
"Iodine remains the perfect antiseptic with the least side effects of all time. As a perfect antiseptic killing all single-celled organisms, there has to be a common mechanism of a single element like iodine. In fact, the reaction of iodine with tyrosine destroys the protein and consequently the cell itself. If, in vertebrates and multicellular organisms, the tyrosine molecule is hidden from the surface when it is normally functioning, the iodine will not trigger any apoptosis. However, during abnormal development, it could be that tyrosine or histidine molecules are slowly exposed to the surface. Extracellular iodine bathing the cells could then trigger the apoptotic mechanisms.
"The second phase of cancer spread involves thyroid hormone indirectly. The connective tissue barrier and function is controlled and strengthened by adequate levels of connective tissue thyroid hormone. Thus thyroid hormone controls the connective tissue barrier, and prevents the spread of cancer cells.
"Iodine in adequate doses prevents the development of cancer cells, and adequate thyroid hormone in the connective tissue prevents the spread."
Breast Cancer and Iodine: How to Prevent and How to Survive Breast Cancer (Book)David M. Derry, MD Trafford Publishing, Victoria, Canada, 2001.
"Iodine is the trigger mechanism for apoptosis (that natural death of cells) and the main surveillance mechanism for abnormal cells in the body. Iodine triggers the death of cells which are abnormal or which have normal programmed death as part of their life cycle.
"This is part of a general thesis that iodine and thyroid hormone act as a team to provide a constant surveillance against abnormal cell development, chemicals that are carcinogenic and the spread of cancer cells within the body.
"Iodine appears to have several more roles in the body. Iodine protects against abnormal growth of bacteria in the stomach (helicobacter pylori is the most clinically significant.) Iodine can coat incoming allergic proteins to make them non-allergic, which likely also applies to the internal equivalent called autoimmune disease. Iodine binds softly to the double and triple bond of lipids to protect these bonds while they are being transported to synaptic sites in the brain and blood vessels of the body. As well iodine in the stomach deactivates all biological and most chemical poisons.
"All of these new proposed testable functions of iodine are discussed. There is a discussion of the possible role of iodine in evolution in relation to development of multi-cellularity and maturation of vertebrates.
"The general thesis of this took is that there is a specific dose of iodine intake above which it prevents several disease processes including those related to fibrocystic disease and breast cancer."
Breast - Iodine - Thyroid EffectivenessMcLean C
"Dr. Derry's radical new thesis suggests a specific dose of the old- fashioned antiseptic, iodine, prevents many diseases, including breast, prostate, ovarian and colon cancer.
""I propose that...iodine and thyroid hormone act as a team to provide a constant surveillance against abnormal cell development, chemicals that are carcinogenic, and the spread of cancer cells within the body," writes Dr. Derry, who, in addition to holding an M.D., has a PhD in neurochemistry and is a former University of Toronto Medical Research Council Scholar. "Cancer grows so slowly when using iodine and thyroid hormone therapy that the cancer will not affect the lives of the patients who have it. The treatment is non-invasive, inexpensive and safe."
"Dr. Derry also credits iodine with several other roles in the body: It protects against abnormal growth of bacteria in the stomach. It detoxifies chemicals, food poisoning, snake venom, etc. It coats incoming allergic proteins to make them non-allergic, and probably defuses autoimmune disease mechanisms in the same way.
"The problem, according to Dr. Derry, is the low dietary intake of iodine in the Canadian diet, particularly with iodized salt intake being generally reduced since the 1950s, depriving people of "the most important element in the human diet." What little iodine is consumed, is captured first by the "master gland," the thyroid, to produce thyroid hormone, leaving little or none for other functions such as fighting cancer.
""I believe that if the iodine intake of the nations were raised to levels above the saturation point of the thyroid," Dr. Derry writes, "there would be a precipitous drop in the cancer rate of the nation to levels similar to those of Japan. There, rates of breast, prostate and thyroid cancer are among the lowest in the world, and iodine intake is the highest due to consumption of seaweed."
""These levels of five to 10 mg. of iodine daily can be easily reached with Lugol's [iodine] solution," he explains, "one drop per day." Dr. Derry recommends the drop of iodine each day be taken in a glass of juice to cover the mild taste."
Breast Cancer, Tamoxifen, Thyroid & Weight LossInterview by Mary Shomon
"I would like to tell you my thoughts on breast cancer and thyroid disease in an abbreviated form. Breast cancer takes around 20-30 years to develop. The discovered lump represents the end stage of slow cancer progression over decades. The longest period is the first phase of cancer development. This phase which is often called pre-cancerous happens as as a normal cell is gradually turned into a cancer cell. These pre-cancerous lesions are known as fibrocystic disease (lumpy, tender breasts) of the breast. (2-3,13-14) Most fibrocystic disease is benign, harmless and has no consequences.
"On the other hand, some more advanced forms of fibrocystic disease have clearly defined tendencies towards breast cancer. So there are grades of fibrocystic disease with some of the cells looking more abnormal than in the benign forms. The greater the difference in the cells from normal (abnormal) the greater chance of these cells converting to a cancer cell over 10-20 years. So if you have fibrocystic disease still at the age of 45-55, you likely have had this for many years. There maybe then a significant chance the cells may change into a cancer cell. The good news is that it can be cleared up completely with a daily intake of iodine.(9)"
"If it is true there has
been a general decrease in salt intake and thus iodine intake since
the 1950s, there should have been a general increase in the number of
women with fibrocystic (lumpy) disease of the breast. But if as well
even lower iodine intake was occurring in the female population, worse
forms of fibrocystic disease would occur which are statistically
directly related to breast cancer. The chances of getting breast
cancer then go up considerably. Now if we put this together with the
incidence of breast cancer going from 1 in 23 in the mid 1960s to 1 in
8 currently then it seems to fit together. Over the last 80 years
hundreds of publications have confirmed statistical correlations
between the worse forms of fibrocystic disease of the breast and
subsequent breast cancer. Unfortunately if you have fibrocystic
disease you really don't know what type you have without a biopsy. On
the other hand if you take iodine in adequate amounts daily all of the
fibrocystic disease disappears so that you are essentially preventing
breast cancer from occurring. If a cancer has already started it is
unlikely it will be stopped with the iodine at that dose.
"An adequate dose of
iodine can be defined as more than 4 mg per day. Lugol's solution is
an iodine-in-water solution used by the medical profession for 200
years. One drop (6.5 mg per drop) of Lugol's daily in water, orange
juice or milk will gradually eliminate the first phase of the cancer
development namely fibrocystic disease of the breast so no new cancers
can start. It also will kill abnormal cells floating around in the
body at remote sites from the original cancer. Of course this approach
appears to work for prostate cancer as prostate cancer is similar to
breast cancer in many respects. Indeed, it likely will help with most
cancers. Also higher doses of iodine are required for inflammatory
breast cancer. As well we know that large doses of intravenous iodine
are harmless which makes one wonder what effect this would have on
cancer growth."
Topic: Disappearing Iodine TestInterview of Dr David Derry by Mary Shomon
"The "test" of putting iodine on the skin to watch how fast it
disappears is not an indicator of anything. The iodine
disappearance rate is unrelated to thyroid disease or even iodine
content of the body.(1-2) Meticulous research by Nyiri and
Jannitti in 1932 showed clearly when iodine is applied to the
skin in almost any form, 50% evaporates into the air within 2
hours and between 75 and 80 percent evaporates into the air
within 24 hours. (1) A total of 88 percent evaporates within 3
days and it is at this point that the evaporation stops. The
remaining 12 percent that is absorbed into the skin has several
fates. Only 1-4% of the total iodine applied to the skin is
absorbed into the blood stream within the first few hours. The
rest of the iodine within the skin (8-11%) is slowly released
from the skin into the blood stream. "Some of our recent serious skin diseases such a "flesh-eating disease" should respond quickly to topical iodine treatment practiced by Fanny. Or, for another example, iodine put onto a mosquito bite would kill all bacteria and viruses at the site of the bite within 10-30 seconds making it impossible for any virus or bacteria to multiply and get started --such as in West Nile Fever. Naturally, this applies to tic bites (Lyme's disease) as well. For many decades in the 1800s people carried around little bottles of iodine around their necks to use on all occasions. People in mosquito and tic infested areas should think of doing this again. (8) In addition, it has been forgotten vaporized iodine rapidly kills air borne viruses such as polio and SARS viruses.. Used extensively in the forties and fifties it may be of use to explore this approach again....
"Of course, since large doses of iodine are tolerated intravenously without side effects, it has yet to be explored what help this may have for many cancer patients or even other diseases.
Green Tea and FluorideDerry D (Interview with Mary Shomon)
"Although, we do have fluoride in our bodies there is no normal physiological function for it. In higher amounts it is toxic. Iodine is the most important element in our bodies by far. But what is important is fluoride is in the same chemical family as iodine and can replace iodine in the body if the iodine is deficient. But ideally one never wants to do that as fluoride is a toxin and should not be used to replace normal iodine functions."
"Some countries are fluoridating their water supply for the theoretical benefits of fluoride helping to prevent cavities. What is happening is the ingested fluoride takes the place of iodine that should be there in the teeth, especially growing teeth. Iodine and thyroid for example have complete control of tooth growth along with some help from growth hormone. (6-8) It is only because our iodine intake has been decreasing over the years that fluoride has been mistakenly added to our water with the idea of helping children's teeth. It would have made more scientific sense to have added more iodine."
"Fluoride has also been used against osteoporosis with beneficial results. This again is just replacing what iodine should be doing. The minor problems of osteopenia (minor loss of calcium) seen in some patients put on thyroid is related to the fact that the same patients are low in iodine. The low iodine causes the hypothyroidism and also the inappropriate short term bone response. If iodine is given with the thyroid hormone this abnormal response can be avoided. So persons taking adequate daily iodine will unlikely to ever develop osteoporosis."
"Radioactive iodine injected into patients shows a full outline of the bones on a total body scan. This means one of the places iodine goes to immediately is bones. Thyroid hormone makes bones grow, mature and remodel, when necessary. Together thyroid hormone, iodine and growth hormone maintain a healthy bone structure. As vertebrates (animals with backbones) are the only animals with thyroid glands it makes sense that iodine and thyroid control bone structure and function."
"Green tea is supposed to help prevent stomach cancer in China. But in
fact the way to prevent stomach cancer is to take more iodine. (9)
Thus the benefits of the Green tea may be related to the fluoride in
the tea substituting for iodine. Iodine therapy would be more
effective."
Dr. David Derry Answers Reader QuestionsInterviews by Mary Shomon
"Retired practitioner Dr. David Derry, a beloved thyroid expert in Canada for years, responds to questions regarding thyroid disease from readers."
Biographical Information and Chronological Curriculum Vitae
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