How iodine benefits your immune system

In this video, Dr. Eric Berg explains the unique influence of iodine over the human immune system.

People generally need about 150mcg of iodine per day, yet around 2 billion of us are deficient in this trace mineral. Sea kelp seems to be the best source of it, but there are other great iodine sources as well, such as shellfish, fish, eggs and dairy.

Iodine is needed for the thyroid, the gland that stores iodine and helps make thyroid hormones. If someone is deficient in iodine, your thyroid stimulating hormone can go up. Thyroid stimulating hormone has a few different functions. One would be that it causes the thyroid to get bigger. Another function is that it increases the release of the thyroid hormone T4, which can then be converted to T3.

Something else that interferes with the thyroid is oestrogen. It just so happens that iodine is a great mineral to help lower high levels of oestrogen. On a related note, iodine and all of the trace minerals are very important for pregnant women. If a pregnant woman is deficient in iodine, there could be massive problems for the child, including: intellectual disabilities, deafness, stunted growth.

Coming to the immune system, iodine: enhances dendritic cells, supports B-cell development, helps stimulate phagocytes, enhances natural killer cells, enhances cytokines and is helpful to memory cells.

This video is meant to expand your general knowledge about living a healthy life. Please consult with your doctor before making any significant changes in your diet and nutrition.

View the original video here.

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