Risky hype: A supposedly particularly healthy iodine preparation is currently being advertised on social media and forums – the Lugol solution. But anyone who takes this iodine-potassium iodide solution is endangering their thyroid and health, authorities and consumer advocates are now warning. The Lugol solution is a disinfectant and is only intended for external use. The iodine content of just one drop of this solution exceeds the maximum dose that can still be tolerated by health by ten times.
Iodine is a vital trace element and essential for our body. It is needed for the production of thyroid hormones and influences central functions of our metabolism, circulation, digestion and also the brain. If we consume too little iodine, exhaustion, obesity and an enlarged thyroid can result. If, on the other hand, we take in too much iodine, it disrupts the body’s own production of thyroid hormones and can promote diseases of this organ.
Toxic instead of healthy
All the more worrying is a current internet trend in which a special iodine solution is advertised as a supposedly healthy dietary supplement. This Lugol solution is said to strengthen the immune system, help against iodine deficiency and be good for the thyroid. But the opposite is the case, as the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and consumer centers explain: “Lugol’s solution is not intended for human consumption,” warns the BfR. “Ingestion of the solution can lead to iodine poisoning and associated serious adverse effects on thyroid function.”
Therefore, Lugol’s solution is not intended for oral consumption and is neither approved as a medicine nor as a dietary supplement, as the consumer advice center explains. If the solution is sold, it must bear instructions that it is not suitable for consumption or internal use. Lugol’s solution was originally used as a disinfectant, but today it is used in laboratories as a means of detecting starch and certain bacteria.
Why is Lugol’s solution harmful?
The problem with Lugol’s solution is the amount and type of iodine it contains. In addition to water, it consists of five percent elemental iodine and ten percent potassium iodide. This makes it extremely high in dosage: even a small drop of the five percent solution contains more than 6,000 micrograms of iodine – far too much, as experts explain. The recommended daily dose for adults is only 150 micrograms. One drop of Lugol’s solution already exceeds this amount by a factor of 40.
Even worse, however: even the maximum dose that is still considered tolerable for health is exceeded by one drop of Lugol’s solution – by ten times. “Oral ingestion of Lugol’s solution or other iodine tinctures is dangerous and a highly worrying trend,” warns Roland Gärtner, endocrinologist at the University of Munich and chairman of the Iodine Deficiency Working Group
In addition, the thyroid and other organs can only absorb and break down iodine in the form of negative ions. However, Lugol’s solution also contains elemental iodine, which is harmful. “Elemental iodine is a very potent oxidizing agent that binds to all kinds of fats as well as proteins and carbohydrates. These iodinated organic compounds can then trigger allergic reactions,” explains Gärtner. Anyone who takes this solution to help combat iodine deficiency is risking their health in several ways.
Warning also about iodine saturation tests according to Brownstein and Abraham
Experts also warn against a test that is intended to detect iodine deficiency and also uses Lugol’s solution. For this iodine saturation test according to Brownstein and Abraham, patients should ingest 50 milligrams of iodine and then collect their urine over 24 hours. The iodine it contains should then reveal whether the body is sufficiently supplied with iodine.
“This test has never been scientifically validated and is not meaningful at all,” says Gärtner. In addition to a false assumption about the target value of iodine in the body, the test assumes that excess iodine is excreted via the kidneys without any consequences. “However, this only applies to negatively charged iodide, such as that found in food,” explains the endocrinologist. However, the elemental iodine contained in Lugol’s solution binds to organic molecules and is then extremely reactive.
What really helps against iodine deficiency
Both the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment as well as doctors and consumer centers warn against treating a supposed or actual iodine deficiency with Lugol’s solution. Anyone who regularly eats foods containing iodine, such as fish and dairy products, and uses iodized salt at home usually has enough iodine anyway – additional iodine preparations are unnecessary. This can be different for vegans as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Anyone suffering from a doctor-diagnosed iodine deficiency can take additional iodine through dietary supplements. However, these should not contain more than 100 micrograms of iodine per daily dose, as the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommends. You should also make sure that these products only contain the approved iodine compounds sodium iodide, sodium iodate, potassium iodide and potassium iodate that are usable by the body. However, elemental iodine must not be taken.
Source: Federal Office for Risk Assessment, Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL), Consumer Center, Iodine Deficiency Working Group