The Dr. Westin Childs Podcast

Thyroid Controversies: Iodine Safety, Hashimoto's & More | Dr. Alan Christianson & Dr. Childs

04.11.2022 - By Dr. Westin ChildsPlay

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Today I am joined by Dr. Alan Christianson. Dr. Alan Christianson is a Board Certified Naturopathic Endocrinologist who focuses on Thyroid care. He is a New York Times bestselling author whose recent titles include The Thyroid Reset Diet and the Metabolism Reset Diet.

You can learn more about Dr. Christianson here:

- His latest book: https://www.drchristianson.com/thyroi...

- His website: https://www.drchristianson.com/

In this podcast episode, we discuss the following topics:

- What got Dr. Christianson interested in medicine and in the thyroid

- Why so many thyroid patients are struggling to feel better despite taking thyroid medication and doing what's "right"

- The 3 main issues that keep thyroid patients from feeling better

- Why there is so much controversy surrounding iodine in the setting of thyroid disease

- The difference between the RDA requirement for iodine and iodine tolerance

- What causes the difference in tolerance of iodine between thyroid patients and what that means for iodine dosing

- What's the role that iodine plays in Hashimoto's and whether or not Hashimoto's patients should avoid iodine

- Stories about extremely high doses of iodine triggering autoimmune thyroid disease such as Hashimoto's and Graves' disease

- The role that selenium plays in Hashimoto's, thyroid antibodies, and in protecting the thyroid gland

- What causes autoimmune thyroid disease and does finding the root cause actually matter?

- Do H. pylori infections or EBV infections cause Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

- Where does iodine avoidance fit into the treatment of patients with thyroid disease

- How the body eliminates iodine and why it's easy to get more than you think on a daily basis

- How taking thyroid medication impacts your body's ability to utilize iodine

- How to know if you are someone who will benefit from iodine avoidance & whether or not it may help you get off of your thyroid medication

- How to find doctors to help patients adjust their thyroid medication and iodine intake

- Hidden sources of iodine and why you are probably consuming more iodine than you think

- How much iodine is getting absorbed through the skin via cosmetics

- Is iodine testing accurate? When does it make sense to test your iodine level and what does that value actually mean

- Is it safe to get an iodine testing challenge test or should it be avoided?

- Are optimal thyroid lab tests something that should be used for thyroid patients?

- How important are free thyroid hormone levels compared to the TSH?

- Where to get Dr. Christianson's latest book and how to ask questions to him via his podcast/youtube channel

Download my free thyroid resources here (including hypothyroid symptoms checklist, the complete list of thyroid lab tests + optimal ranges, foods you should avoid if you have thyroid disease, and more): https://www.restartmed.com/start-here/

Recommended thyroid supplements to enhance thyroid function:

- Supplements that everyone with hypothyroidism needs: https://bit.ly/3tekPej

- Supplement bundle to help reverse Hashimoto's: https://bit.ly/3gSY9eJ

- Supplements for those without a thyroid and for those after RAI: https://bit.ly/3tb36nZ

- Supplements for active hyperthyroidism: https://bit.ly/3t70yHo

See ALL of my specialized supplements including protein powders, thyroid supplements, and weight loss products here:

https://www.restartmed.com/shop/

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