People’s Pharmacy: Iodine doesn’t have to stain

I was interested in the letter from a reader who applied tincture of iodine to his nails to fight fungus. He mentioned that it stains the nails brown. I am surprised you did not tell him that iodine also comes as a colorless liquid. My mother used it for years to control toenail fungus.

Many other readers hastened to tell us that we should have mentioned clear iodine. It is also called decolorized or “white” iodine and won’t stain the skin the way brown tincture of iodine does. It should be available in most drugstores, though you might have to ask the pharmacist to help you find it. Iodine is a good disinfectant and also has antifungal activity.

I started taking vitamin D3 supplements about a year ago when my doctor tested my blood and found out I was vitamin D-deficient. Is it just a coincidence that my migraines and chronic headaches have almost disappeared? I’ve had them for more than 25 years, and I am glad not to be suffering.

There is not much research on this issue, but we found several case reports similar to your experience (Headache, September 2009). Some investigators have noted that migraines are more common in areas where vitamin D deficiency is widespread (Journal of Headache and Pain online, May 13, 2010).

Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist, and Teresa Graedon is an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition. https://www.peoplespharmacy.com.