If you are like most people, you probably haven’t spent much time thinking about how much bromine you are absorbing from your car upholstery and various other environmental sources.  

Bromine toxicity is a thing- and comes from surprising sources all around you, with an ability to wreak havoc on your health.

So what’s a Bromide? Whether the Bromine element has been bound to another Ion to form Bromide or not- Bromides/Bromines, they are all around you!

Bromines are common endocrine disruptors- that is, they inhibit regular hormonal function within your body.  They are a part of the halide family on the periodic table – a little group of elements that includes fluorine, chlorine and iodine- yes Iodine, the paramount mineral of thyroid function, also lies on that same section of the table.   So you can perhaps forgive your body mistaking bromines within your body (because they are not supposed to be there) for the very similar molecule of Iodine.

What makes Bromines so dangerous is that they compete for the same receptors that capture iodine on your thyroid. If you are exposed to a lot of bromine, your body will not be able to hold on to the iodine that it needs, Iodine affects every tissue in your body – not just your thyroid function.

You are already exposed to high amounts of chlorine and bromine in your current life.

• Pesticides- specifically methyl bromide, used mainly on strawberries.  Another chemical reason to wash wash wash your fruits and veggies if you are not already buying organic.
• Plastics, like those used to make computers.
• Bromine-based hot tub and swimming pool treatments
• Are you still eating flour?  The use of potassium bromate as an additive to commercial breads and baked goods has been a huge contributor to bromide overload in Western cultures.   Bromated flour is “enriched” with potassium bromate. Commercial baking companies claim it makes the dough more elastic.  There are companies out there successfully using unbromated flour without any of these so-called “structural problems.” to their bread.
• Potassium bromate is also found in some toothpastes and mouthwashes, I know we generally don’t swallow these products, but this would most certainly be a place to review if you had hypothyroidism. 
  
  Potassium bromate has been found to cause bleeding and inflammation of the gums in people using these products.  The likes of natural lemon myrtle, tea tree “hippy” herbal formulas don’t sound so out there with the pixies once you gain a little knowledge of what is actually in your consumer driven products.

•Soft drinks- now I know hardly anyone drinks sugary drinks anymore right? I just thought id mention this one anyway.   Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is used to stabilize citrus-flavoured soft drinks including Mountain Dew, Gatorade and other citrus-flavoured sodas. 

Look for BVOs on your can- although do they legally even have to put BVO on packaging and cans?  Probably not.  Just another reason why soft drinks are a no go – if its not Diabetes inducing 39grams- yes, 39 of sugar in each 355ml can of Coca Cola – its the Thyroid busting vegetable oils- vegetable oils in fizzy drink.  Jesh!

•Medications such as Atrovent Inhaler used in Asthma sprays and nasal Spray, Pro-Banthine (for ulcers), and anaesthesia agents.

•Fire retardants.  A common one is polybromo diphenyl ethers or PBDE’s.   PBDE’s are used in fabrics, carpets, upholstery, and mattresses.   You can see here with this example how surprising it can be for some otherwise healthy people when they learn of how they may have come to be hypothyroid and or have elevated toxicity in their body.

Although the bromide ion is widely distributed in nature, the main route of exposure in humans stems from bromide residues in food commodities as a result of the abundant use of bromide-containing pesticides, like methylbromide and ethylene dibromide, for soil fumigation in intensive horticulture and for postharvest treatment.”

All of these chemically derived constituents mentioned above- ethylene di bromide etc, are a bit of a foreign language to most people, and why shouldn’t they be, its chemistry we are talking.  The real worry is that they are found in the food you are eating- unless you are buying organic.
 
One clinical consequence of overexposure to bromine is suppression of your thyroid, leading to hypothyroidism and bromide toxicity.
 
Tips for Avoiding Bromine and Optimizing Iodine

Trying to avoid bromine is like trying to avoid air pollution — all you can do is minimize your exposure. That said, here are a few things you can do to minimize your risk:

1. Eat organic – or Bio Dynamically as often as possible. Wash all produce thoroughly. This will minimize your pesticide exposure.
2. Avoid eating or drinking from (or storing food and water in) plastic containers. Use glass and safe ceramic vessels.
3. If you must eat grains- look for organic whole-grain breads and flour. Grind you own grains if possible. Look for the “no bromine” or “bromine-free” label on commercial baked goods.
4. Avoid sodas. Drink natural, filtered water instead.
5. If you own a hot tub, look into an ozone purification system. Such systems make it possible to keep the water clean with minimal chemical treatments.
6. Look for personal care products that are as chemical-free as possible. Remember — anything going on you – goes in you.
7. When in a car or a building, open windows as often as possible, preferably on opposing sides of the space for cross ventilation. Utilize fans to circulate the air. Chemical pollutants are much higher inside buildings and cars, than outside.

If you are having trouble with losing weight, has anyone ever mentioned Bromides?