As of 2011, there are no peer-reviewed, evidence-based studies on the use of potassium iodide as a treatment for arthritis. The connection between this supplement and arthritis is tenuous, at best. While doctors may prescribe potassium iodide to treat various diseases in which arthritis may be a secondary disorder, this is not related to treating the arthritis.
Arthritis
There are more than 100 types of arthritis, most of which fit into three broad categories. Osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative joint disease caused by a breakdown of cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis involves inflammation of the lining of the joints. Juvenile arthritis affects young people. Treatment of all of these can include aspirin, corticosteroids, monoclonal antibody drugs and surgery.
Potassium Iodide
Potassium iodide is an iodine supplement. In the industrialized world, the most common use of this supplement is preventing thyroid cancer following a nuclear emergency. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved of three brands of potassium iodide for this limited purpose. The thyroid preferentially uses the iodine in the supplement over the iodine in food sources, such as milk, that may be radioactive.
Medical Uses
Potassium iodide is an alternative first-line treatment for a painful skin condition called Sweet syndrome. The preferred treatment is administration of systemic corticosteroids. There are also anecdotal reports about the use of potassium iodide to treat a patient with granulomatous mastitis, which was associated with a form of arthritis called oligoarthritis.
Warning
Talk to your doctor if you are inclined to take potassium iodide. Not only can this supplement cause allergic reactions, but it can also cause adverse interactions with drugs such as warfarin, propylthiouracil, methimazole and lithium. While true iodine toxicity is rare, high doses of potassium iodide can cause thyroid cancer.
References
- PubMed Health: Arthritis
- "American Journal of Clinical Dermatology"; Neutrophilic Dermatoses: A Review of Current Treatment Options; P.R. Cohen, et al.; 2009
- "La Revue de Medecine Internale"; Granulomatous Mastitis, Erythema Nodosa and Oligoarthritis. Apropos of a Casel J.C. Weber, et al.; March 1994
- Arthritis Foundation: Arthritis News and Updates
- Federal Trade Commission; Potassium Iodide: What You Need to Know; March 2011
