Weight gain on iodine

[AgnesT]

I have been on the 2 drops per day of Lugols for about 6 weeks and I love the effect it has had for me. However, I did gain 10 pounds very rapidly during that time. I looked around to try to see what was happening and I found a number of people on the curezone iodine supp forum who mention gaining weight when starting iodine. No one seems to be able to explain it. I don't understand. If I am hypo, and the iodine helps me, it seems like it would make it EASIER to lose weight.

The weight is really around my mid-section, more than usual. Like normally when I gain weight it goes more to the hips and bottom.

I don't like it! I am terrified I may gain more!

Any ideas?

[AgnesT]

Oh and I realized I am also growing a mustache! Yikes! What is going on??

[shelley]

When your metabolism increases it also increases the number of calories you can assimilate from your food. Where before your digestion was too weak to get much energy from it, now your'e getting all the energy you're eating. If you don't need this new energy, you'll store it. So eat less.

Plus you could have too little muscle mass. When you have too little muscle mass your basal metablism is very very low, caloric needs are low.

your increased metabolism is showing you your hormonal ratio. It's skewed towards progesterone now, not estrogen. Just part of getting older. Means you can eat more estrogenic foods if you wish.

[AgnesT]

Shelley, I am so baffled about all of this! I have tried to understand what's happening and what I can do to make things better.

I started the Iodine because I thought I might be hypothyroid--I felt some good things from it, mainly increased libido and my eyebrows grew back. I think I felt warmer too. The down side was I gained 12 lbs really fast and started growing a mustache.

Naturally I didn't like that! So I cut back to 2 drops per week. Now I am trying to lose the weight and can't. Also I feel kind of weak and tired and also have heart palpitations (I have mitral valve prolapse). I feel like I made myself worse by taking the Iodine, or by taking it and then stopping it. You mentioned estrogen, too. I don't understand how the pieces of the puzzle all fit together.

Maybe my hypo was not caused by iodine deficiency? I have read and read on hypo and hormone issues and just can't figure out what to do. I just want to lose this weight! Thanks for your help.

[shelley]

Sometimes too much iodine will knock out the thyroid altogether, metabolism slows down and you end up hypo again. Palpitations can mean hypo or hyper. I'd just stop the iodine altogether, you definitely have enough in your system to work with for awhile, months.

Now you have to do light exercise throughout the day, and some easy weightlifting, floor exercises, to build up your muscle mass. Only with enough muscle mass and a clean liver will you lose the weight and keep it off.