Mineralized iodine waters treatment

Iodine uptake by drinking mineralized iodine waters and complex treatment applications... 

Stronger mineralized iodine waters are used in spas for drinking treatments, almost always with other applications such as baths, inhalations and packs. The duration of such treatments varies from 2 to 3 weeks. The medically prescribed solution is drunk once or twice per day. 

Drinking treatment with high-mineralized iodine waters (Tassilo spring Bad Hall)... 

Figure 36.1 Iodine supply by treatment with higher-mineralized iodine-containing waters. Iodine excretion at the beginning and at the end of a 21 days health resort treatment with administration of diluted Tassilo mineral spring water Tassilo light (left pair of columns) and a control group without prescription of iodine (right pair of columns). Iodine concentration in the morning urine was determined with the Sandell-Kolthoff method, modified by Wawschinek et ai, (1985) in the hospital of Barmherzigen Bruder. Permission of G. Thieme Verlag to use the illustration from previous source. Klieber and Winkler, (2006).

Mineral waters containing at least 5 mg of iodides are called iodine (iodide) waters. They are important in the treatment of some forms of tuberculosis and positively influence the function of glands with internal secretion. Deficiency of iodine causes hypertrophy of the thyroid gland. 

Since the Middle Ages, if not before, iodine-containing mineral waters have been used for the treatment of goiters. It was the characteristic smell, probably, which stimulated this apphcation, because other substances with a similar smell were used long before the discovery of iodine to reduce goiters, such as the sea grass Sargasso) and Laminaria japonica tresch in Chinese medicine. 

Prophylaxis and treatment of iodine deficiency goiter by drinking iodine-containing mineral waters... 

A low or even a moderate single dose of iodide causes no or only a minor, reduction of hormone production in a normal thyroid. An excessive single dose of iodide leads, via inhibition of the thyroid peroxidase (TPO) mediated iodination (the Wolff-ChaikofF effect), to a transient decrease of intrathyroidal hormone concentration. This was first demonstrated by Wolff and Chaikoff (1949). When high plasma levels of iodide are sustained by repeated iodine administration, the inhibiting effect disappears and normal organic iodine levels in the thyroid are restored, with a decrease in thyroid sodium symporter, as demonstrated by Eng et al. (1999). This effect was demonstrated by Haydl and Waldhausl (1975) in the course of health resort treatments administering iodine-containing mineral waters. 

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