Last Updated on June 5, 2026 by Deliciously Organic Editor
Is it safe to take iodine if one has Hashimoto’s Disease? This is one of the top questions I receive, so today I want to break down this controversial topic.
Iodine and the Thyroid
The thyroid needs iodine and tyrosine to make thyroid hormones. Without iodine, you cannot make thyroid hormones.
Iodine deficiency can cause or contribute to hypothyroidism, goiter, cysts and nodules. Studies have also shown that iodine deficiency can contribute to hyperthyroidism, when the hyperthyroidism is caused by toxic nodules or goiter.
Iodine and Hashimoto’s Disease
Hashimoto’s is an immune system issue that can affect the thyroid. There are many different root causes for this such as a viral infection, a bacterial infection, an overabundance of stress, heavy metals in the body, liver congestion, toxins, nutrient deficiencies, etc.
Even when one has Hashimoto’s, they still need iodine to make thyroid hormones, and they also need it for other tissues of the body, as discussed above.
However, there are some who say they don’t feel well when eating iodine-rich foods. In this case, usually this person has high levels of fT4, which indicates they are in a hyperthyroid state, or they have indications of a congested liver.
In either of these situations, when you add iodine to the mix, the metabolic rate speeds up and/or the thyroid gland tries to push out various toxins. This can create die-off reactions and make them feel very sick, because their body is being pushed harder than it can handle.
In this case, it’s best to keep iodine-rich foods at a minimum while you work on the root causes of the elevated thyroid hormones or liver congestion. After the thyroid has moved out of the hyperthyroid state and/or the liver has been properly supported, clients can often re-introduce iodine-rich foods or even iodine supplementation and see positive benefits.
If hyperthyroidism has been ruled out for you, then here are some things to try alongside a nutrient-dense diet:
- Use a castor oil pack over the liver for 3-4 weeks. Then, try adding a bit of kelp powder or yogurt to your diet and see how you feel. I also recommend keeping a close eye on your labs to see if things are headed in the right direction.
- Along with the castor oil packs, we like to use specific Gemmotherapy remedies such as Rosmarinus or Juniperus that gently drain the liver. Rosa Canina will often be used to specifically support the thyroid gland.
When the castor oil packs and drainage remedies are used together, our clients feel better and are usually able to then add iodine-rich foods back into the diet and take an iodine supplement if needed.
It’s good to keep in mind that we are all biochemically individual, so iodine won’t work for every single person, but in general, adverse effects from iodine are rare when it’s used appropriately.
Here’s a list of the amount of iodine in various foods for reference (according to the NIH):
Seaweed, nori, dried, 10g or 2 tablespoons 232 mcg
Cod, 3 ounces 158 mcg
Plain yogurt, 1 cup 116 mcg
Oysters, 3 ounces 93 mcg
Milk ~85 mcg (this various according to the season)
Egg 26 mcg
Cheese, 1 ounce 14 mcg
Liver 14 mcg
Shrimp, 3 ounces 13 mcg
Tuna, 3 ounces 7 mcg
As as you can see in this study, the amount of iodine in milk, fish, and eggs varies upon the geographical location. So, the numbers above are approximate.
I always recommend talking to your practitioner before taking any kind of supplementation.
Should You Eat Iodine-Rich Foods if You Have Hashimoto’s
If you’ve been nervous to eat iodine-rich foods because you’ve heard they aren’t healthy, and you don’t have elevated thyroid hormones, then I recommend giving something like eggs or yogurt a try and see how you do.
If you’ve experienced negative symptoms in the past from iodine, then I recommend following the steps above and also talk to your holistic practitioner about this so they can help safely guide you through the process. If you’re looking for a practitioner to work with, give our office a call and we will be happy to help you.
How can I learn more about the steps I can take for thyroid disease?
I have four fantastic options for you!
- To download my 50 of my top tips to support the thyroid naturally, tap here. I’ll also send you an educational email every few days to help you learn how to support your body naturally.
- If you’d like to learn from first steps you can take to help support your thyroid, check out my class, “5 Keys to Thyroid Hormone Balance”. It’s just 45 minutes and I promise you’ll learn something new!
- If you’re looking for a step-by-step plan for Hashimoto’s that truly works (no more piecing together info!), check out my 90-Day Thyroid Reset Program.
- Book a consult with me for one-on-one help. Here’s info about what working with me looks like.
Note: The purpose of this post is to give an overview of iodine and thyroid health from a holistic perspective. This information is not intended to take the place of your doctor’s advice.
How does one tell if they have Hashimotos?
I am hypothyroid and have RA but I’m medicated for the thyroid with T3 at 20mcg twice a day & NDT at 15mg twice a day and a tiny amount of T4 .050 in the morning. I am also on 37.5mg of hydrocortisone for adrenal insufficiency.
I don’t know how to determine if I have Hashimoto or I’m just hypothyroid.
Can I take 1 drop of lugols iodine a day to support my immune system or is that a no no?
Thanks for any help and the wonderful articles.
You usually start with the two labs, TPO AND Taa to check for antibodies. 80% of those with hypothyroidism have hashimoto’s so it’s worth asking your doctor to get tested. If your practitioner recommended the iodine and you’re not having any negative reactions from it, then it’s most likely supporting your system.
I have had hair loss and fatigue for many years (over 10). A urine test showed I was iodine deficient. I took Iodoral 12 mg for 4 years with not much improvement until right at the end but then I had TSH 0 and high heart rate so dr stopped it because he said it caused hyperthyroid. Now Im back to hair loss and fatigue and now weight gain. Do I need the iodine or will it make me hyperthyroid again?
Without knowing your full health history, it’s hard to say. I recommend talking to your practitioner to see what they recommend.
When you do castor oil packs, do you need to launder the cloth each time or is it ok to keep reusing it for a week or so, drizzling some new oil on each time. Just wondering.
No, you continue to reuse the cotton flannel. I usually only change out the flannel every 6 months or so.
can you take Lugols pottasium Iodide with Levothyroxine ? not at the same time but some hours apart? many Thanks
I’m not sure. That’s a great question to ask your practitioner.
Hi Carrie,
Thank you so much for this informative article. I find this topic very confusing. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in 2012 when my thyroglobulin antibodies were as high as the lab would measure (over 7,000). Since then, I changed my diet radically (eliminated gluten and recently diary, eggs and at some point also nightshades), and managed to bring my antibodies to less than 200. A couple of months ago, I started taking 4,5mg LDN, and I’m yet to see if there are any changes.
I have a sizable goiter, and I’m confused if I should be taking iodine or not. Additionally, I’m taking Vit D3, Selenium, Zinc, complex Vit B (have both genes for MHTFR), fulvic acid, Folic Acid 800mcg, B6 and B12 shots. However, I’m consistently dealing with digestive issues and can’t seem to heal my leaky gut (I’m taking digestive enzymes and Betain but not consistently). Stool test didn’t uncover anything significant, and I’m yet to take a SIBO test.
I’m very confused if I have hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, and what can I do to improve my health?
My TSH is 0.14; T4 FREE 1.7; T3 FREE 3.6; T3 REVERSE 18.
Thank you for your feedback,
Lily
Iodine is very helpful for goiter, so I would talk to your practitioner about how much to consume or supplement with. Legally, I can’t give personal nutritional advice, but if you give our office a call and book a consultation, I can definitely help you out. Here’s the number: Biodynamic Wellness – 858.259.6000
If you have MTHFR shouldn’t you be taking Methylfolate, not Folic Acid? You body can’t convert man made Folic Acid well and if can build up in your organs.
Also you should take the active bioavailable form of B-12 with is call Methylcobalamin. I see a Functional Medicine Practitioner. Do you see one?
I have MTHFR also and I was prescribed the above protocol. I was also prescribed B-6 and Cal-Mag for bioavailable Calcium and and Magnesium. Also Zinc/Copper. I hope you find this helpful.
Feel free to contact me if you’d like to chat more.
Blessings! Thank you for the recipes
This article isn’t about Methylfolate, folic acid or MTHFR, so I’m not sure what you’re referring to.
She’s responding to Lily’s earlier comment.
Hi Carrie, is it safe to take iodine when I don’t have a thyroid? I was removed 6months ago.
Yes, but it’s always best to talk to your practitioner about this before deciding to self-dose.
Hi, I’ve had hypothyroid symptoms all my life except dry skin. My labs come back normal yet I feel pretty good on NDT and symptoms (such as cold sensitivity and head to toe dermatits) are greatly eased.
Here’s my question what would happen if someone has Hashimoto’s and suddenly took significant amounts (around 5mg) of iodine? I tried that 1 1/2 year ago and my throat swelled up. I could still breathe but it felt like something was stuck in my throat.
So to rephrase the question: If someone has hypothyroid symptoms and throat swells upon administration of iodine, is that a clear indication of Hashimoto’s?
No, that’s not an indication of Hashimoto’s. You’d need to get tested to see if you have the antibodies. It could have been that it was too much iodine for your system. Not everyone needs to supplement with iodine.
Do you think it’s safe to get a small amount of iodine from food if you’ve previously taken too much in the past? I was supplementing with iodine but was taking way too much (800mcg daily) and it lead to a goiter. The goiter then lead to a Hashimotos diagnosis. Now I’m scared of iodine from any source :/
Goiter is caused by too little iodine. I would talk to your practitioner about what dose is best for you.
I caught, for lack of a better term , chlorine bromide poisoning from swimming to much, had neurological symptoms of falling down, lower paralysis,brain fog. chlorine boils, which was mis dianosed and given to much saline which gave me center pontine meylonosis, well im alive but dont know what to do next I try physical rehab which seemed to help. are there supplements to help? should i try steam detox?
Hi Carrie!
Thanks for presenting such great info in bite size doses I can understand:)
I’ve started taking iodine but it seems to be causing constipation. I’ve heard this is not uncommon.
Would you agree, and if so, any thoughts on relief? I’ve tried magnesium, it helps some but not enough. Maybe I need a larger dose.
Legally, I can’t give personal health advice, so I recommend talking to your practitioner who prescribed the iodine so they can tell you which direction is the best to take.
I’m confused, the Celtic Sea Salt says it is not a sufficient source of iodide. You’re saying that it does though?
Naturally-occuring iodine is different than iodide added to processed salt.
there is so much confusion about this topic. now another popular doctor is saying we have to much iodine and those of us (me) with hashimotos should cut out all foods containing idodine, eggs, dairy, fish, sea vegetables,sea salt, it is crazy making to know what the right path is…
I understand. I see my clients thrive when using iodine, and we cannot make thyroid hormones without iodine, so I personally don’t see the validity in avoiding it as much as possible.
Hi! I’ve been reading your posts on facebook and learning a lot. I am looking for ways to deal with a low thyroid. I looked up the Iodine supplement recommended here but I don’t eat shellfish which is included in the ingredients. I bought Lugol’s Iodine and noticed it has potassium iodide in it. I’m wonderingt if you could let me know if this is a safe good option to raise iodine levels for hypothyroid? Thanks!
I never recommend supplementing unless your practitioner recommends it, so it’s best to ask whomever you are working with.