Heart Health and Iodine

Every 36 seconds someone in the US dies of cardiovascular related issues which is 1 in 4 deaths. ¹

Iodine deficiency may cause bradycardia which is an abnormally slow heart rate. This may cause the feeling of weakness, fatigue, dizziness and possibly cause fainting. ²

Iodine is known for cardiovascular disease prevention

From: Is low iodine a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in Americans without thyroid dysfunction? Findings from NHANES: https://www.nmcd-journal.com/article/S0939-4753(17)30122-9/pdf

• Low urine iodine levels were associated with an increased prevalence of coronary artery disease
• The correction of low iodine levels may have potential preventive implications for coronary artery disease

“In conclusion, the occurrence of iodine deficiency in cardiovascular disease is frequent.” ³

“Conclusion: Our data show an association between subclinical hyperthyroidism and development of atrial fibrillation” ⁴

Iodine protects the heart during an attack

In 2018, a bunch of rats and pigs volunteered to receive manual heart attacks in an attempt to help humans learn of iodine’s effect during a heart attack.

Conclusion: Iodide administration improved the structure and function of the heart after acute myocardial infarction in rats and pigs. ⁵

Some animals were given iodine between the time the heart attack was initiated and the oxygen restored. Animals given iodine had a 45-60% improvement in function, including:

• Reduced heart damage levels called Cardiac Troponin
• Preserved heart function
• Reduced myocardial necrosis which is linked to mortality⁶
• Increased blood peroxide scavenging activity
• Maintained thyroid hormone levels

If giving iodine to these animals during a heart attack provides so many benefits, imagine what their health might be like if they were always getting iodine. If all animals on the planet were getting iodine, these guys may not have needed to volunteer.

From another study: Infusion of the reduced form, iodide, but not the oxidized form iodate, reduces heart damage by as much as 75% when delivered intravenously following temporary loss of blood flow but prior to reperfusion of the heart in a mouse model of acute myocardial infarction. ⁷

A phase 2 trial showing safety of mega dose iodine for people having a heart attack. These results pave the way for larger studies https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55664ddde4b0349f890f744a/t/5e192962896438638101c294/1578707322480/FDY-5301-AHA+2019.pdf

Hypothyroid, iodine and the elderly

One study that compared patients with unrecognized hypothyroidism with controls matched for age, sex, and operative procedure identified higher rates of intraoperative hypotension, heart failure, and postoperative gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric complications in hypothyroid patients. ⁸

A prospective study that screened hospitalized patients aged 60 and older for thyroid dysfunction reported that unrecognized overt hypothyroidism in this population may be associated with significantly higher mortality. ⁹

These findings suggest that iodine deficiency may have a protective effect against the development of hypothyroidism in the elderly. ¹⁰

1. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
2. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM200003093421006
3. Iodine deficiency in cardiovascular diseases – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9755626/
4. Thyroid status, cardiovascular risk, and mortality in older adults – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16507804/
5. Iodide Improves Outcome After Acute Myocardial Infarction in Rats and Pigs – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30063489/
6. Infarct Size After Acute Myocardial Infarction Measured by Quantitative Tomographic ^99mTc Sestamibi Imaging Predicts Subsequent Mortality – https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.cir.92.3.334
7. Iodide protects heart tissue from reperfusion injury – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25379708/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6465175/
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28534147/
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279005/