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

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/