Iodine poisoning tends to affect people who take iodine supplements or have a thyroid condition. Mild cases of iodine poisoning usually don’t cause any lasting problems, especially if you seek medical treatment as soon as possible. However, more severe cases can have lasting effects, such as narrowing of your windpipe.

Can iodine be harmful?

Daily supplements containing more than 500 micrograms of iodine should be avoided, the association recommended. Many iodine, potassium iodide and kelp supplements contain iodine amounts that are up to several thousand times higher than the daily tolerable upper limit of 1,100 micrograms per day, they noted.

Ingestion of greater than 1,100 mcg of iodine per day (Tolerable Upper Limits for iodine) (1) is not recommended and may cause thyroid dysfunction. During pregnancy and lactation, the recommendations for the upper limit vary and range from 500-1,100 mcg of iodine daily (2).

Symptoms of iodine poisoning include:

• Abdominal pain.
• Coughing.
• Delirium.
• Diarrhea, sometimes bloody.
• Fever.
• Gum and tooth soreness.
• Loss of appetite.
• Metallic taste in mouth.

Iodine is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in high doses. Do not take more than 1100 mcg of iodine per day if you are over 18 years old; do not take more than 900 mcg of iodine per day if you are 14 to 18 years old. Higher intake has been shown to cause thyroid problems in the newborn in some cases.

Iodine is needed by your thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. However, exposure to unnecessarily high levels of nonradioactive and radioactive iodine can damage the thyroid. Damage to the thyroid gland can result in effects in other parts of your body, such as your skin, lung, and reproductive organs.

Potassium iodide. Radioactive iodine used for certain medical tests or the treatment of thyroid disease. Tincture of iodine.

You can take iodine supplements as well to help with weight loss over a period of a few weeks. Potassium iodide is the natural form of iodine found in kelp, which is becoming increasingly important in shedding pounds and staying lean.

Adults, teenagers, and children—3 to 5 drops (approximately 0.1 to 0.3 mL) three times a day for ten days before surgery.

Thus, one 200 mg tablet of amiodarone contains 75 mg iodine, which is several hundred-fold higher than the recommended daily intake of 150 μg in adults. The drug has a long half-life of ~100 days, is very lipophilic and accumulates in various tissues, including adipose tissue, liver and the lungs.

How do you test for iodine deficiency?

1. Urine test: This is the simplest and fastest test.
2. Blood test: This is a simple and accurate test for iodine levels in the body.
3. Iodine patch test: The iodine patch test is a test where doctors paint a patch of iodine on your skin and check how it looks 24 hours later.

The iodine-replete healthy adult has about 15–20 mg of iodine, 70%–80% of which is contained in the thyroid [6]. Median urinary iodine concentrations of 100–199 mcg/L in children and adults, 150–249 mcg/L in pregnant women and >100 mcg/L in lactating women indicate iodine intakes are adequate [3].

After three months, if you feel much better you can stay on the supplement. Or you can stop it and see if your problems worsen, a sign that you still need it. (You may find that one bottle is enough to “fill your tank” and correct your deficiency.)

One of the most common results of low iodine is that your thyroid can’t make enough thyroid hormone, a condition called hypothyroidism. This might inflame the gland and cause a goiter, but not always. It could also thin your hair, dry your skin, and make you feel cold, tired, constipated, and depressed.