Do you need iodine after thyroid removal surgery?
Levothyroxine is a synthetic version of T4. It is used to treat individuals who have hypothyroidism due to any cause. Levothyroxine can be converted to T3 in your body, so you only have to take one medication to supply both hormones. Since levothyroxine already contains iodine, you do not need to take additional iodine to treat hypothyroidism. Any extra iodine you consume will not be incorporated into new thyroid hormones, because your thyroid's function is being replaced by levothyroxine. In fact, according to a 1992 study published in "International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research," any additional iodine you obtain from supplements will be eliminated in your urine, feces and sweat.-Christensen, Stephen. "Can Iodine/Iodide Supplements Be Used with Levothyroxine to Help Hypothyroid?" LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 31 Aug. 2012. Web. 02 Mar. 2014.