Dr. Westin Childs Podcast: Thyroid | Weight Loss | Hormones

Can you be allergic to iodine or is it possible to have an iodine allergy? Not exactly and here's why... I realize that this is going to cause some contention, especially among people who believe that they have an iodine allergy but it's something that should be discussed. Right now, there is a LOT of confusion regarding iodine, whether or not it's safe, how it impacts your thyroid, and whether or not you can be allergic to it. So let's start with the basics: Can you be allergic to iodine? No, not in the way that you are thinking. Having said that, there are people who believe that they are allergic to iodine because they've had a bad reaction while taking it. These two things are NOT the same and can be explained. Why am I so confident that iodine allergy doesn't exist? For several reasons: #1. Iodine is not complex enough to trigger antigenicity by the immune system. Iodine is just an element and as such does not have sufficient complexity to trigger an immune response. This response is saved for