Red Vs. Decolorized Iodine?

Posted by K (Montreal, QC Canada) on 12/19/2006

Hello, i have tried to find decolorized iodine but to no avail. I was informed that decolorized iodine is not available in Canada ( not sure why) I would like to know if red iodine would be just as effective. I found out that red iodine can be docolorized with hydrogen peroxide but since I would be using it in an 'inconspicuous' area on my scalp, the color would not bother me. Please let me know as I would really like to try the remedy and post my results!! Thanks for your time.

Replied by Ted
Bangkok, Thailand
391 posts

Dear K: You are asking for trouble by using hydrogen peroxide and iodide solution. If a 35% H2O2 is added to iodide a somewhat explosive reaction, but if a 3% H2O2 is added to iodine solution, the solution will still remain brown and being colorless takes place very slowly.

The solution if you are not careful will cause some burning to the skin where a regular iodine won't.

The problem about all this is it will also inhibit the body's ability to absorb iodine too.

Therefore, use the regular iodine foot painting. Here is an abstract on iodine and hydrogen peroxide uptake issue. In so many words, a hydrogen peroxide will inhibit the uptake of the iodine or limits your body's absorption of iodine, which of course won't help you.

1: Thyroid. 1991 Summer;1(3):267-71.

Hydrogen peroxide inhibits iodide uptake and iodine organification in cultured porcine thyroid follicles.

Fukayama H, Murakami S, Nasu M, Sugawara M.
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Wadsworth VA Hospital, Los Angeles, California.

We investigated the effect of hydrogen peroxide on the process of thyroid hormone formation in a physiologic culture system of porcine thyroid follicles that we recently established. Porcine thyroid follicles cultured in medium containing 1 mU/mL TSH were exposed to 0 to 500 microM hydrogen peroxide in the presence of 0.1 microCi carrier-free Na125 and sodium iodide for 2 h. Iodide uptake and iodine organification were measured in this incubation system. The kinetics of iodide uptake were used to explain the action of hydrogen peroxide. In addition, cAMP content and Na ,K( )-ATPase activity (an enzyme necessary for iodide uptake) were measured to investigate the mechanism of hydrogen peroxide action. Hydrogen peroxide at concentrations of 100, 200, and 500 microM inhibited iodide uptake in a dose-dependent manner. Iodide organification was inhibited only when the concentration of hydrogen peroxide was greater than 200 microM. The kinetics of iodide uptake indicated that hydrogen peroxide was a noncompetitive inhibitor with iodide. Inhibition of iodide uptake and iodine organification by hydrogen peroxide were not mediated by alteration of cAMP content of Na ,K( )-ATPase activity, since exposure to even 500 microM hydrogen peroxide did not change these parameters in the follicle when compared with those of control samples. Our results suggest that the iodide transport system in the thyroid follicle is inhibited at 200 microM hydrogen peroxide or greater. -----

Therefore a preferred iodine is iodine trichloride (a light yellow color) or a sodium iodide, both of which are more or less colorless.

Your best bet is to use Povidone Iodide (Betadine is its commerical name), if you cannot find colorless iodine.


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