Page 224 - Wasserstoff Medizin

Iodine, Metabolism and Oxygen

Though doctors and people do not normally associate iodine with oxygen, we have to see
that iodine-carrying thyroid hormones are essential for oxygen-based metabolism. First
increases of iodine and thyroid hormones increase red blood cell mass and increase the
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oxygen disassociation from hemoglobin. Thyroid hormones have a significant
influence on erythropoiesis, which is the process that produces red blood cells
(erythrocytes).

The most common thyroid dysfunctions, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism affect
blood cells and cause anemia with different severity. Thyroid dysfunction and iodine
deficiency induces other effects on blood cells such as erythrocytosis, leukopenia,
thrombocytopenia, and in rare cases causes’ pancytopenia. It also alters RBC indices
including MCV, MCH, MCHC and RDW.

Thyroid hormones increase oxygen consumption. They also increase mitochondrial size,
number and key mitochondrial enzymes. This means iodine increases plasma membrane
Na-K ATPase activity, increases futile thermogenic energy cycles and decreases
superoxide dismutase activity.

Mitochondria, by virtue of their biochemical functions, are a natural direct target for the
calorigenic effects of thyroid hormones. Going further, we can see that mitochondria are

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