Low Iodine Diet

You’ve met with your doctor and you are scheduled for imaging, ablation, and/or therapy in a few weeks and your doctor wants you to follow a low-iodine diet before then.

 

RadioIodine Therapy--What To Expect

Why do I need to follow a low-iodine diet?

A low-iodine diet is recommended because the thyroid naturally absorbs iodine from food. If you have a diet high in iodine then this could interfere with the results of your treatment which uses a radioactive pill that also contains iodine (that’s how we able able to see thyroid tissue). Typically you follow a low-iodine diet for 1-2 weeks to be absolutely sure that any thyroid tissue in your body is starving for iodine by the time you receive the radioactive iodine. It is important note that iodine is used in contrast material for computer tomography or CT scans, if you recently had that, then you may have to postpone receiving radioactive iodine for  2-3 few weeks. Non-contrast CTs are ok to have had recently. If you haven’t had a contrast study recently or had a non-contrast study only, then you are ready for a low-iodine diet.

Typically a low-iodine diet consists of less than 50 micrograms of iodine per day. Minimum recommendations for a regular iodine diet is 150 micrograms per day, and Americans typically eat closer to 500 micrograms per day.

Avoid High-Iodine Foods

-       Avoid iodized salt. Can use kosher salt, which doesn’t have iodine.
-       Avoid seafood (including kelp and seaweed)
-       Avoid Egg yolks and dairy products (this means avoid all commercial baked goods), and non-dairy soy products which include tofu, tempeh, etc)
-        Avoid dairy products
-       Avoid processed and preserved food like cured or corned meat, dried fruit, or canned products.
-       Avoid Red Dye #3 (in US) or E127 (in UK) that are found in a lot of commercial colored drinks.

Allowed Foods Containing no Iodine

• Fresh fruit and vegetables (limit spinach, broccoli, rhubarb, and potato skin)
• Egg whites
• Fresh non-cured meat from butcher (rare nowadays to find a local butcher)
• Unsalted Carbs (Pasta, rice, and matzo crackers)
• Coffee or tea (without dairy products). Alcoholic drinks are okay as long as there is no salt (think tequila shots) or dairy products (think white-Russian drink).

Easy Quick Meals

• Oatmeal with toppings—cinnamon, honey, applesauce, maple syrup and walnuts, fruit.
• Grilled fresh meat, vegetables, fresh fruit, or baked apple.
• Salad topped with grilled chicken or beef, oil and vinegar dressing.
• "Sandwich" with Matzo crackers, plain peanut butter, and jelly.

**The good news is that you’ll enjoy a healthy fresh low iodine diet for 2 weeks.

What about my medication?


In terms of medication, if you are on thyroid hormone therapy consult with your physician. Sometimes your physician may have you take thyrogen injection two days prior to your appointment and have you remain on the thyroid hormones. There are other medications that contain iodine and you should consult your physician regarding when to stop them. These include Supersaturated Potassium Iodide (SSKI), Sodium or potassium perchlorate, Amiodarone, Betadine, Tincture of iodine, Vitamin supplement containing iodine, kelp, antiparasitic medications, Cough medicines, and Vaginal suppositories or douches with iodine.