SAMA HOOLE: Japanese consume 1,000-3,000 mcg daily from seaweed. Lowest thyroid disease rates in the world

Early 1900s: Goiter epidemic in the Great Lakes region, the "goiter belt." Thyroid enlargement affects up to 40% of population in some areas.

Cause: Soil in the region is iodine-depleted. Crops don't provide enough iodine.

1917: Dr. David Marine demonstrates iodine…

— Sama Hoole (@SamaHoole) December 12, 2025

Early 1900s: Goiter epidemic in the Great Lakes region, the "goiter belt." Thyroid enlargement affects up to 40% of population in some areas.

Cause: Soil in the region is iodine-depleted. Crops don't provide enough iodine. 1917: Dr. David Marine demonstrates iodine supplementation prevents goiter. Gives schoolchildren in Ohio iodine. Goiter rates drop dramatically. Solution seems obvious: Add iodine to salt. Simple, cheap, effective. 1924: Morton Salt Company starts selling iodised salt. Goiter rates plummet nationwide. Success story, right? Public health victory? Until the bromine industry gets involved. 1960s-1980s: Bromine starts replacing iodine everywhere: Bread production (potassium bromate instead of iodate) Fire retardants in furniture and clothing Pesticides Medications Why? Bromine is chemically similar to iodine. It competes for the same receptors. This means bromine exposure blocks iodine absorption. More bromine usage = more iodine deficiency = more thyroid disease. But here's where it gets sinister: The bromine industry funds research showing "you don't need much iodine" and "too much iodine is dangerous." They successfully lobby to lower the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) from 150 mcg to just... 150 mcg. But this is the minimum to prevent goiter, not optimal levels. Japanese consume 1,000-3,000 mcg daily from seaweed. Lowest thyroid disease rates in the world. Americans consume 150 mcg daily from iodised salt (if they use it). Thyroid disease epidemic. Current American thyroid statistics: - 20 million Americans have thyroid disease - 60% are undiagnosed - Women 5-8x more likely affected - Hypothyroidism rates rising continuously Meanwhile, doctors test TSH (not iodine levels) and prescribe synthetic thyroid hormones. Lifetime medication. Never address the deficiency. Big Pharma makes billions from thyroid medications that wouldn't be needed if people consumed adequate iodine. But if iodine deficiency was addressed, the thyroid medication market collapses. So iodine remains ignored in medical training. Doctors aren't taught to test for it. Supplements are regulated. And the public is told 150 mcg is plenty. Your thyroid is failing because bromine replaced iodine in industrial processes and nobody told you. The treatment is pharmaceutical, expensive, and lifelong. The prevention is iodine, cheap, and one-time. Guess which one medical schools teach.