Optimox
Optimox is best known for Iodoral, the tablet form of Lugol's solution with iodine and potassium iodide. You will find the 6.25 mg, 12.5 mg and 50 mg strengths here, plus ATP Co-Factors. We explain who each dose suits and what iodine does.Read more →
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Iodoral and the rest of the Optimox range, explained
A brand built around one mineral
Optimox is an American company with a narrow focus: iodine. Its best known product is Iodoral, a tablet version of Lugol's solution, a liquid iodine formula used since the nineteenth century. A 12.5 mg tablet provides 5 mg iodine and 7.5 mg iodide as potassium salt, and the tablets are scored, so you can split them. The range also includes ATP Co-Factors, with riboflavin and niacin, and the Optivite multivitamin for women. The brand reaches Europe through Allergy Research Group, whose own range sits close to it in our shop.
Milligrams instead of micrograms
Most iodine supplements are dosed in micrograms. Adults need 140 mcg a day, and the NHS says 0.5 mg or less a day from supplements is unlikely to cause harm. Iodoral works in another range: 6.25, 12.5 or 50 mg per tablet. Optimox based that on the higher iodine intake of traditional Japanese diets. So these are not neutral daily vitamins. If you only want to cover your daily need, a lower dose from our iodine supplements makes more sense. Taking a lot of iodine over a long period can change the way the thyroid works, so high strengths suit people who use them with a doctor or nutrition practitioner involved.
- Iodoral 6.25 mg: the lowest step, often used to begin.
- Iodoral 12.5 mg: the original and most used strength.
- Iodoral 50 mg: used inside practitioner-led protocols only.
- ATP Co-Factors: riboflavin and niacin, often taken alongside iodine.
How we look at the Optimox range
We stock Optimox for one reason: the dosing is exact and the label says so clearly. You can read how much free iodine and how much iodide each tablet gives, which matters here, because iodine works within a narrow range. We keep several strengths instead of only the 50 mg, so you can start low and stay low if that is enough. We buy direct from the brand, without intermediaries, and our compliance team checks every product before it goes live. We test in house and independent labs spot-check batches. For the full reasoning, read how we select brands and products.
What buyers actually ask before they start
Two questions come up again and again in user forums: where to start, and what you should feel. Splitting a scored 6.25 mg or 12.5 mg tablet is common practice for a careful start. Some people report stomach upset on an empty stomach, so taking it with a meal is usually easier. And iodine status is not something you notice from day one. Give it weeks rather than days, and let a test guide you instead of a feeling.
Who this range suits, and who it does not
Iodine contributes to the normal production of thyroid hormones and to normal thyroid function. It also contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to normal cognitive function. Those are claims approved by the European food safety authority (EFSA), and we do not stretch them further. Honestly: this is a niche range with a higher price per tablet than standard iodine, and the value sits in the precise, scored dosing. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, sensitive to iodine, or take medication for the thyroid or for blood pressure, high-strength iodine is not for you without medical advice. Looking for something broader? Browse the full brand list.
Frequently asked questions
What is Optimox and what does the brand make?
Optimox is an American supplement company with an unusually narrow range, built around iodine. It developed Iodoral, the first high-dose iodine supplement in tablet form, and has supplied practitioners for over forty years. Alongside Iodoral you will find ATP Co-Factors with riboflavin and niacin, and the Optivite multivitamin for women. In Europe the brand is distributed through Allergy Research Group, which is why you often see both names on the packaging.
What exactly is Iodoral?
Iodoral is a tablet version of Lugol's solution, a liquid mix of iodine and potassium iodide. The tablet exists because the liquid is hard to dose precisely and unpleasant for some people to take. A 12.5 mg tablet contains 5 mg iodine and 7.5 mg iodide as potassium salt. The tablets are scored, so a half dose is straightforward, and the manufacturer states they contain no soy, wheat or gluten.
How much iodine do adults in the UK need?
The UK reference figure is far lower than what an Iodoral tablet delivers, which is exactly why these products are a deliberate choice rather than a default one.
| Reference | Amount per day |
|---|---|
| Adults, daily need | 140 mcg |
| From supplements, unlikely to cause harm | 0.5 mg or less |
| Iodoral 12.5 mg tablet, label value | 12.5 mg |
Which Iodoral strength should I choose?
The three strengths are the same formula in different sizes, so the choice is about how much iodine you intend to take, not about quality.
| Strength | Iodine + iodide | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 6.25 mg | 2.5 mg + 3.75 mg | Careful start |
| 12.5 mg | 5 mg + 7.5 mg | Most used step |
| 50 mg | 20 mg + 30 mg | Practitioner-led use |
All tablets are scored, so each step can be halved. If you have never taken iodine in milligram amounts, start at the lowest strength.
How and when do I take Iodoral?
The manufacturer advises one tablet a day, or as directed by a practitioner. Most people take it in the morning with a meal, because iodine on an empty stomach can feel uncomfortable. Splitting a scored tablet is a normal way to begin. Do not raise the dose to feel a faster result, and be realistic about the timescale: changes in iodine status show up over weeks, and a urine test tells you more than how you feel on a given day.
Should I take selenium alongside iodine?
Practitioners who work with milligram doses of iodine commonly pair it with selenium, and many users mention the same habit. We keep the reasoning simple and stick to what is approved: selenium contributes to normal thyroid function, and iodine contributes to the normal production of thyroid hormones. Both are separate claims, not a combined effect we can promise. If you want to add it, the selenium products in our range include the selenomethionine form.
Who should not take high-strength iodine?
Skip it, or ask a doctor first, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive. The same applies if you have an iodine sensitivity, take medication for an overactive thyroid, or take blood pressure medication, since potassium iodide can interact with it. The NHS also notes that taking a lot of iodine over a long period can change how the thyroid gland works. Stop use if you notice swollen salivary glands, stomach upset or a skin rash.
What are Optimox ATP Co-Factors and who uses them?
ATP Co-Factors is a small B vitamin formula with 100 mg riboflavin (vitamin B2) and 500 mg niacin (vitamin B3), in a magnesium base. It exists because both vitamins contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism, the process that turns food into usable energy. People following iodine protocols often add it, though that combination is a practice, not an approved claim. Note that niacin at this level can cause a temporary flush: warm, red skin for a short while after taking it.
