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Special Topics
Iodine Tests & Measurements
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Derry
Interview 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.
"However Nyiri and Jannitti's findings that “The percentage of
iodine penetration through the skin is the same, irrespective of
whether the cells have a high or low vitality, or are dead, and
irrespective of the direction of penetration" have important
implications for iodine functions in the body, skin, pregnancy
and fetus and also for the therapeutic use of topical and oral
iodine. Iodine would be the only compound of significance during
early pregnancy which can pass rapidly through all tissues of the
fetus without the aid of any blood vessel or lymphatic transport.
It could be that not only does iodine control natural cell death
(apoptosis) (5) in the fetus but may also influences stem cell
development.
"Nyiri and Jannetti also mentioned iodine applied on the skin can
be used to shrink swelling of the thyroid gland (goiters). So
even small amounts of iodine absorbed through the skin can have
good effects on body organs. From my own clinical experience,
repeated application of iodine (Lugol’s) to the skin appears to
cause regeneration of the skin from the bottom up (Quiescent,
stable or stem cell) (3) eventually sloughing the old version of
the skin off like a snake molting. If there was a pre-cancerous
lesion on the old skin, it is replaced with new skin minus the
lesion. There does not seem to be any skin lesions which are not
helped or cured by this procedure. In some cases I found
clinically obvious low thyroid conditions also needed to be
treated to be more effective. Minor lacerations and healing of
surgical wounds respond well. If skin regeneration is from the
bottom, then there is little or no scar formation.
"My parents’ generation tended to put tincture of iodine onto a
fresh wound to prevent infection. This turns out to be helpful
but not the best way to use it. Besides it stung badly when
applied. It is much more effective (and doesn't hurt) to apply
iodine repeatedly after a scab has been formed. The iodine put
onto the scab helps to organize total repair of the tissue. It is
implied a similar approach could be taken to burns of all depths
but at the same time the physiology of burns suggest there is an
acute lack of thyroid hormone. (3)
"All pre-malignant lesions and many other oddities of the skin
appear to respond to this regeneration process triggered by
topical iodine. I have mentioned previously a patient with a
biopsy-proven breast cancer lesion (she refused surgery because
of previous cancer treatment) that was strongly fixed to the skin
responding well to topical iodine and ended up being a dimple on
the breast three year later. (6)
"It is my belief a water solution of iodine (like Lugol's) is an
important therapeutic agent for skin. Because of its
effectiveness and the results, perhaps many skin diseases are
related to local tissue areas of relative iodine deficiency.
Perhaps the most graphic lesions are the "keloid" (worm) incision
scars formed after surgical procedures. If the iodine intake and
tissue levels are adequate, such as in Japan, keloid formation
doesn't happen (7). In addition, iodine's ability to trigger
natural cell death (apoptosis) (5) makes it effective against all
pre-cancerous skin lesions and likely many cancerous lesions. The
local site is replaced with normal skin. However, even lesser
doses of topical iodine seem to reverse the ominous appearance of
skin lesions. Because my older brother died of metastatic
melanoma, my chances of getting a malignant melanoma are
increased by 400 times. (8-9) Having grown up in Venezuela near
the equator my sun exposure at a young age was far above normal.
So all suspicious lesions I notice are returned to normal with
topical Lugol's...."
"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.
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