“They are saying on social media that we have insufficient iodine, and it is recommended that we take lugol at a dose of up to 9 drops per day. And we want to clarify that there are no studies that demonstrate that lugol has treatment properties for cancer, antitumor, against cystic fibrosis and infections or any other type of pathology.
O Iodine is only important for our organism to supply the thyroid as a raw material, so that thyroid hormones are produced”, says Dr. José Augusto Sgarbi, endocrinologist and president of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology Regional São Paulo (SBEM-SP).
Lugol is a concentrated solution of potassium iodide that has more than 6 milligrams of iodine per drop. However, the daily amount needed by the human body is only 100 to 250 micrograms.
Why do we need iodine?
Iodine is a very important micronutrient for the formation of thyroid hormones and, therefore, essential for our body. Iodine intake occurs through food, however, as the soil and food are poor in iodine, kitchen salt is enriched with the nutrient so that we can have adequate intake for our body’s needs for the production of thyroid hormones. The Brazilian Ministry of Health monitors this amount of iodine in salt.
According to the World Health Organization, the adequate intake of iodine in children over 6 years and adults ranges from 100 micrograms to 150 micrograms per day and, during pregnancy, from 150 to 250 micrograms daily. “This ideal amount can be found in a standard Brazilian meal”, explains Dr. Sgarbi
The doctor also emphasizes the importance of each pregnant woman talking to her doctor, because, during pregnancy, the need for iodine increases by 50% due to the increased production of thyroid hormones by the mother in order to supply the fetus with thyroid hormones, essential for the neurological development of the child.
Maternal or fetal iodine deficiency can lead to reduced supply of thyroid hormones in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, which can cause irreversible damage to brain development, with cognitive loss, reduced IQ and even mental retardation.
“But even if there is a need for replacement, it should not be done with lugol, as this solution has an excessive concentration of iodine for humans. There are specific vitamins for use during pregnancy with the proper amount of iodine”.
When there is excessive intake of iodine, there is a blockage of the thyroid and its regulatory mechanisms, and the production of thyroid hormones is interrupted.
“The use of lugol as it has been spread on social networks should not be done in any way”, concludes the endocrinologist.
A SBEM-SP (Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology of the State of São Paulo) practices the defense of Endocrinology, together with other medical entities, and offers its associates opportunities for technical and scientific improvement.
Aware of its social responsibility, SBEM-SP consults with the São Paulo State Health Department in the development of care strategies and standardization of procedures in Endocrinology, and provides the public with basic guidelines on the main diseases treated by endocrinologists .
