Iodine deficiency may be linked with breast cancer risk
Why have breast cancer rates risen dramatically in western countries in the past thirty years? Is it possible that the humble trace element iodine could have anything to do with our skyrocketing breast cancer rates which now see 1 in 10 Australian women and 1 in 9 New Zealand women diagnosed?
There is significant evidence that abnormal thyroid function (especially under functioning) may increase our risk of breast cancer. Iodine is the trace element vital for a healthy thyroid. Breast cancer patients are much more likely to also suffer from an enlarged thyroid (goitre) than women without breast cancer, and this condition is often caused by iodine deficiency. Iodine levels in the breast tissue of breast cancer patients are very low compared with levels in healthy breasts. While a definitive causal link between breast cancer and thyroid disease (and iodine deficiency) is yet to be proven, there is evidence to suggest such a link may exist.
Lab rats are fed a carcinogenic chemical to induce breast cancer. This is almost 100% effective at inducing breast tumours. Interestingly, when these rats are fed iodine rich lugols solution, before they are exposed to the carcinogen, many of the rats fail to develop breast cancer; and those that do take much longer to develop breast tumours.
Japanese women have one of the lowest breast cancer rates in the world, and yet when they move to western countries they assume the much higher risk of their new country within a generation. One possible explanation is the change in their dietary iodine intake.
Seaweed is a Japanese dietary staple, supplying the average Japanese woman with a high iodine count of around 12mg a day. Contrast this with the pitiful 240mcg a day consumed by the average american woman, and 150mcg or less for Australian and New Zealand women. (1000mcg equates to one mg).
In our corner of the world, iodine deficiency is a widespread and growing health concern. Much of the soil in both Australia and new Zealand is lacking in the trace element iodine, and so the fruits, vegetables and grains grown on the land are also lacking in iodine.
Until the 1980′s iodine was literally a part of our daily bread, as it was used as a dough conditioner. From the 80′s bakers stopped using iodine, replacing it with the dough conditioner bromide, which actually competes for absorption with iodine in the thyroid gland.
Our milk used to contain significant amounts of iodine as a result of the iodine disinfectants used in the milk vats. Iodine disinfectants have now been replaced with chlorine, and dairy content of this iodine has also plummeted.
Iodised salt used to be found on every dinner table. With the health message that salt increases blood pressure, many of us having stopped salting our food. Even those of us who still “salt” often buy uniodised salt and thus miss out this source of iodine.
Even with a balanced diet it is difficult to get enough dietary iodine without supplementing, or making a special effort to include seaweed in your diet. Richest dietary sources of iodine are eggs, fish, shellfish, seaweed (including kelp and nori) and iodised salt. The Recommended Daily Allowance of iodine for adults is 150mcg a day, which many consider to be far too low when you consider that the Japanese women with a very low breast cancer incidence routinely eat 12mg of iodine in their daily diet. It is not advisable to supplement with iodine without the guidance of a health professional.
Lynda Wharton is a health researcher, writer and natural health practitioner with a special interest in women’s health. She is the author of three women’s health books including “Wellbeing” by Harper Collins.
More at www.lyndawharton.com
Salut!, This page is high-quality and so is how the subject was written about. I like some of the comments also even though I would suggest we all stay on the suject to add value to the message. It will be also encouraging to the one who penned it down if we all could make mention of it (for some of us who use bookmarking services such as a reddit, twitter,..). Thanks again.