Medicinal Products Containing Iodine
A number of medicinal products also contain iodine. These include disinfectants, X-ray contrast agents and medicines for fungal diseases. Some people have a sensitivity reaction to these substances, resulting in skin redness, swelling, itching, shortness of breath and even severe circulatory problems. These adverse effects are called pseudoallergic reactions because they do not involve any of the antibodies that are needed to trigger an allergic reaction.
Instead, the body is reacting to proteins in the substance that are not even associated with the iodine. If a medication triggers an adverse effect, it is referred to as hypersensitivity to the substance.
For example, before undergoing a computed tomography scan with a contrast agent, patients are often asked about their allergies specifically, whether they have an iodine allergy, given that the contrast agents contain iodine. Nevertheless, it is still unclear which ingredients are the real triggers and whether they have anything at all to do with iodine.
At least 100 million CT scans are performed globally each year. Hypersensitivity reactions occur in one to three per cent of the procedures. In order to protect patients from potential risks, we need to document the name of the contrast agent, along with a detailed description of the symptoms, recommends Böhm of the University Hospital of Bern .
Causes Of Iodine Allergy
Different foods, elements, or solutions containing iodine in unbalanced proportions can cause iodine allergy.
The major ingredients that cause iodine allergy are mentioned below in detail.
Povidone or better known as Betadine is one of the major causes of an iodine allergy. It is a chemical solution frequently used in skin disinfecting procedures.
Different studies have found that Povidone-Iodine can cause severe rashes and hives on the skin.
Iodine containing foods.
Different foods and ingredients containing excessive iodine can cause iodine allergy. These foods include raw fish, dairy products, and other raw elements.
Iodinated contrast dye.
Iodinated contrast dye is a major cause of iodine allergy in the body. The iodinated contrast dye is an X-ray radiocontrast career that is used in injecting intramuscular injections in the body.
In some cases, iodinated contrast dye is a reason for death in a low number of people.
It is recommended that people diagnosed with an allergy or suffering from iodinated contrast dye adverse reaction should be treated properly.
It can be done by giving them systemic glucocorticosteroid before applying the iodinated contrast dye.
Amiodarone.
Amiodarone is also known as Cordarone or Pacerone. It is a popular medication procedure executed to control atrial fibrillation and other heart rhythm issues in the body.
This medication is generally used to treat people diagnosed with cardiac issues.
Treatment of Iodine allergy.
The Term Iodine Allergy Is A Misnomer
Iodine is essential for producing thyroid hormones therefore, iodine is present throughout the body, which is why it is impossible to have an allergy to elemental iodine.
The term iodine allergy is commonly used when referring to a reaction to iodinated radiological contrast media or an allergic reaction to povidone-iodine antiseptics, such as Betadine.
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Iodine & Shellfish Allergies
The high iodine content of seafood and shellfish, such as lobster and shrimp, led some people to believe that this nutrient causes allergic reactions when certain people consume it. The symptoms of shellfish allergy can range from mild to severe, with some severe allergic responses causing anaphylactic shock, a potentially fatal condition.
The truth is that shellfish allergies are caused by four proteins found in the food and not the iodine.
This myth that iodine is to blame persists, despite evidence to the contrary. One 2005 study of 60 patients with a confirmed shellfish allergy found that 92 percent believed iodine was responsible for their allergic reaction rather than something else in the shellfish. Most of those respondents received their information on the internet or in a magazine.
The truth is that scientists have ruled out iodine as the cause of these allergic reactions after identifying four proteins from shellfish that cause an allergic response: tropomyosin, arginine kinase, myosin light chain kinase, and sarcoplasmic calcium-binding protein.
Symptoms Of Iodine Allergy:
If you are suffering from an iodine allergy, you will notice the following changes in your body behavior and functionality.
The following mentioned points are the major symptoms of an iodine allergy. All these points have been found by different researches and studies related to iodine and body health.
Slow itchy rashes.
If you are allergic to iodine or iodinated solution, you will have itchy rashes on different parts of your body.
These rashes come very slowly that makes it hard for you to notice them at the start.
It is scientifically known as Contact Dermatitis.
In this irritating disease, youll have small red rashes on your body. This can be treated easily with proper medication and physical hygiene.
Hives.
If you are suffering from iodine allergy, you may have small itchy welts on your body. They are usually red, pink, or flesh-colored and cause great pain in the body.
These are also known as urticaria.
Anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis is a viral disease caused mainly due to medication allergies. It can be very dangerous if caused by a big allergy.
Anaphylaxis can cause different issues that include tongue swelling, throat issues, and breathing problems.
If the effect of this dangerous reaction increases, it can be a life-threatening problem and require immediate medication.
The most dangerous and threatening form of Anaphylaxis is Anaphylactic shock. It can cause severe injuries and even death sometimes.
Nausea or vomiting.
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Dietary Sources Of Iodine
Iodine is present in the soil, so vegetables grown in regions that are iodine-rich will naturally have more iodine, though most people are not familiar with whether their produce is grown in iodine-rich soil. Foods naturally high in iodine include seaweed and kelp, lima beans, and fruit like plums, cranberries, and strawberries.
Types Of Contrast Dye
There are two major types, or classes, of IV contrast that are used in diagnostic imaging iodinated contrast dye and gadolinium-based contrast dye.
Iodinated contrast dyecontains iodine and is used in most CT scans and other types of imaging involving X-rays. The iodine helps to get visuals inside hollow spaces, such as blood vessels and organs.
There are two major subtypes in this class:
- Non-ionic low-osmolality contrast media : The iodine is bound to organic compounds and is more diluted.
- Ionic high-osmolality contrast media : The compounds can break into separate particles called ions and the iodine is more concentrated.
LOCM has become the preferred form of IV dye. However, it’s more expensive than HOCM.
Gadolinium-based contrast dye contains a rare earth metal that enhances MRI scans.
The two main types are quite different. Having a reaction to one doesn’t necessarily mean you will have a reaction to the other.
However, you should always discuss all previous reactions with your healthcare provider.
Iodinated contrast dye is used for scans involving X-rays, such as CT scans. Gadolinium-based contrast is used for MRIs. The likelihood of a reaction to LOCM iodine-based dye is much lower than that with HOCM iodine-based dye, and the likelihood of a reaction to a gadolinium-based contrast is even lower.
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Iodine Allergy Myth : An Allergy To Povidone Or Betadine Equals And Iodine Allergy
Betadine is an antiseptic often used in surgical settings that contains the active ingredient povidone-iodine. A small percentage of people are allergic to it and understandably wonder if iodine is the cause of the allergy. Some doctors have even diagnosed people with iodine allergies based on this.
But studies show this allergy has nothing to do with the iodine. Instead, this is caused by an allergy to the vinyl in that formulation used to keep the iodine on the skin surface.
Unfortunately, once an allergy to iodine is listed in your medical records, some doctors are reluctant to remove it! Thats why many people believe that they are allergic to iodine when they are not.
Immediate Reactions To Rcm’s
Immediate reactions to RCM’s occur in approximately 2% of patients receiving an ionic RCM , and in approximately 0.5% of patients receiving non-ionic materials . Very severe anaphylactic reactions occur in approximately 0.2% of patients receiving an ionic material, and 0.04% of patients receiving a non-ionic material. Death from a reaction to these products occurs on the order of 1-2 per 100,000 procedures, more with ionic than non-ionic products.
Risk factors associated with these reactions include: female gender, asthma , and a previous history of a reaction to RCM. Taking medication called beta-blockers, or the presence of significant cardiac disease are not associated with a greater incidence of reaction, but with a more severe reaction. An allergy to fish or seafood is not associated with a greater incidence of reaction to RCM and vice-versa.
The mechanism of these reactions is most often due to a direct effect by the RCM molecule on mastocytes leading to their degranulation : often described as a pseudo-allergy. However in Europe, several recent studies have demonstrated a that a large number of patients having had such reactions have positive skin tests to the RCM in question, suggesting a real allergic mechanism mediated by the allergic antibodies known as IgE .
When a patient known to have had a reaction to RCM requires an additional procedure involving RCM exposure, the approach is as follows:
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Symptoms Of An Iodine Allergy
Iodine is a mineral used topically for antibacterial purposes or intravenously as a component of radiological contrast agents. Iodine is necessary to support healthy thyroid functioning. Some people, however, are highly sensitive to this mineral and exhibit symptoms of an iodine allergy that will progress with each additional exposure. According to the University of California, San Francisco, these symptoms will exhibit within two hours of exposure 1.
What Happens When People Have This Reaction
To better understand what happens here, we have to understand how biochemistry works at a simple level. Iodine is required for life. Low levels of iodine are connected to illness, dumbness, and deadness. Being allergic to iodine would be like being allergic to water, its not possible.
When cells finally get access to iodine and all the substances other cells can use iodine to generate, there is a huge potential for some type of conflict.
The simple example I like to use for this is spraying a ton of window cleaner on a very dirty window but not having the time, energy, or clean rags in order to clean up the mess being created. Most of us only have a small amount of energy and rags in order to clean up our cells mess, so we might not want to knock stuff loose at a faster rate than were able to handle. This situation is similar for almost everyone, but some of us have a very very small amount of rags and energy available as we find iodine.
We may assume we still have plenty of energy, but sometimes very specific cells are stuck waiting for iodine. This is most likely how some people seem to become ill out of nowhere.
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Your Next Steps If You Think You Have An Iodine Allergy
The good news is that a true allergy to iodine doesnt exist.
The bad news is that, even though this is the case, some people still have bad reactions to iodine.
What are you supposed to do if you fit into that category?
There are several steps that you can take to fix this problem.
Taking these steps will allow you to get the vital nutrient iodine into your body so that it can support your thyroid.
The worst thing you can do is completely avoid iodine as that will ultimately cause problems to your thyroid down the road.
The best thing you can do is try to figure out why your body is not responding well to iodine and fix that issue.
This will allow you to get the iodine that you need while avoiding any negative side effects.
What Is Iodine Used For
Iodine is used topically, orally and by injection:
- Iodine is commonly used in topicalantiseptics
- Oral iodine is used in the treatment of some thyroid diseases
- Iodine is used in radiological contrast media for x-rays including CT scans, cholecystograms and pyelograms, either orally or by injection into the bloodstream
Iodine may also be ingested in foods such as seaweed, seafood and iodised salt. Smaller amounts of iodine are found in vegetables and meat.
Iodine
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Gadolinium Contrast Allergies: Rare But Serious
While some patients may have allergies to iodinated contrasts, patients may also have allergic reactions to MRI or gadolinium-based contrasts. While gadolinium contrast allergies are quite rare, when they do occur, they can result in serious conditions, such as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, depending on the contrast agent used. For this reason, Dr. Ruff emphasizes the importance of placing more attention on provider and patient awareness of the specific contrast agent.
What Does Iodine Do In The Body
Iodine is an essential nutrient that regulates metabolism, sustains energy levels, and supports hormone synthesis. This mineral is particularly important in the thyroid, a bow tie-shaped gland just above the larynx or Adams apple, where it supports the creation of the thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine . These thyroid hormones regulate metabolism and influence the bodys sensitivity to adrenaline, norepinephrine, and other hormones. Some research even suggests that iodine supports brain health and IQ levels. Although iodine is a vital nutrient, its even more critical for women who are pregnant or lactating as it supports bone and nervous system development in children.
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Reasons You Cant Be Allergic To Iodine
Before we talk about the main reasons why you cant be allergic to iodine, we need to address where the concept of iodine allergy originates.
It is most often described in people who cant tolerate iodinated contrast dye.
This type of dye is frequently used by radiologists before getting certain scans of the body to help identify structures within the body.
It has been noted that some people react with anaphylaxis when they are injected with this iodinated contrast dye .
Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening reaction that occurs with exposure to something that you are allergic to.
This has led some doctors to believe that iodine was the principal cause of this allergy and thus the concept of iodine allergy was born.
To this day, people who have reactions to contrast dye will often be told that they are allergic to iodine and that they should avoid it 100%.
These same people then take this advice to heart and avoid taking things out of fear that they will have the same reaction they had with exposure to the dye.
What they dont realize, though, is that they may be sabotaging their own thyroid gland in the process.
The good news is that we now have more data and information which all suggest one thing:
A true iodine allergy is not possible.
The reason for this is explained in the following 3 sections:
#1. Iodine is Not Complex Enough to Trigger Antigenicity by the Immune System.
#1 sounds complex but it doesnt have to be.
Let me break it down:
Remember:
Heres how:
Risk Factors For Reactions To Contrast Media
| Risk factor | |
|---|---|
| History of a previous reaction to iodinated contrast media |
|
| History of asthma, food allergy, or allergy to other medications |
|
| Significant cardiovascular disease or use of beta-blocker medications |
|
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Allergic Contact Reactions To Povidone
Povidone-iodine is a commonly used antibacterial agent that is a compound of iodine and povidone, along with other additives. Povidone is also used in other products such as foods, medicines , hair products, and toothpaste.
Allergic contact reactions to povidone-iodine preparations are rare and can be difficult to distinguish from an irritant contact reaction to povidone-iodine. Both reactions can cause redness, induration and multiple small blisters.
Patch testing is often used to help diagnose an allergic contact reaction. However, false positive reactions can occur in this instance due to the irritant properties of povidone-iodine under occlusion. When a positive patch test reaction to povidone-iodine does occur, it is important to confirm results with further tests, such as the repeat open application test .
Systemic reactions to povidone-iodine antiseptics are extremely rare and are thought to be caused by povidone, rather than iodine.
Other Cutaneous Reactions To Iodine
- A chemical burn-like skin reaction can occur following prolonged skin contact with povidone-iodine saturated drapes during surgery. These reactions have the appearance of electrical burns and are thought to be due to a direct toxic effect of povidone-iodine.
- An acneformeruption due to excessive dietary iodine, for example from seaweed in a Japanese diet
- Halogenoderma A rare non-allergic skin reaction caused by high levels of halogens in the body.
Iodine burn
New Zealand approved datasheets are the official source of information for these prescription medicines, including approved uses and risk information. Check the individual New Zealand datasheet on the Medsafe website.
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What Happens If I Dont Get Enough Iodine
On a global scale, the World Health Organization estimates one-third of the worlds population is at risk for iodine deficiency.
Many people struggle to get enough iodine in their diet. The “standard American diet” , which generally contains a lot of processed foods and vegetables grown in nutrient-depleted soils, doesnt always provide a full spectrum of nutrients. On a global scale, the World Health Organization estimates that, as of 2004, two billion people are at risk for iodine deficiency.
The consequences of iodine deficiency range from mild to severe. On one end of the spectrum, too little iodine leads to brain fog, memory loss, and low energy levels. Serious deficiencies can lead to conditions like hypothyroidism or goiter.
