- With Mayo Clinic endocrinologist
Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.
Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.
Dr. Todd Nippoldt is a board-certified specialist in internal medicine and endocrinology and metabolism. He has special expertise in the area of hormone disorders affecting the pituitary and adrenal glands as well as the testes and ovaries. He has been a member of the Mayo Clinic staff since 1988.
Dr. Nippoldt is a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition and works with patients who have disorders of the hormone-producing glands. Common disorders include diabetes, thyroid problems, osteoporosis and elevated cholesterol levels.
He also is involved in andrology, the study of male hormonal disorders, male infertility and sexual dysfunction and is an assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
Dr. Nippoldt, a St. Paul, Minn., native, has also contributed to "Mayo Clinic Health Letter," a Mayo Clinic CD-ROM and the "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book." He is a fellow in the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the American Society of Andrology, The Endocrine Society, The Pituitary Society and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
"I have found that those patients who have gone to the Internet and obtained accurate medical information come to their appointment with me very well informed, and the discussions regarding the evaluation and management of their condition are very productive and satisfying," he says.
"The key, however, is obtaining accurate medical information. As a medical editor for MayoClinic.com, I hope to be able to ensure that accurate, relevant and up-to-date information is available for patients and their families."
Definition (1)
- Wilson's syndrome: Is it an accepted medical diagnosis?
Symptoms (2)
- Hypothyroidism: Does it cause joint pain?
- Thyroid disease: Can it affect a person's mood?
Complications (1)
- Hypothyroidism symptoms: Can hypothyroidism cause eye problems?
Treatments and drugs (5)
- Soy: Does it worsen hypothyroidism?
- Coconut oil: Can it cure hypothyroidism?
- Hypothyroidism diet: Can certain foods increase thyroid function?
- see all in Treatments and drugs
Alternative medicine (1)
- Coconut oil: Can it cure hypothyroidism?
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Question
Hypothyroidism: Should I take iodine supplements?
Can iodine supplements help regulate thyroid function in a person with hypothyroidism?
Answer
from Todd B. Nippoldt, M.D.
No. Some alternative medicine practitioners recommend iodine tablets or kelp supplements — which are high in iodine — for people with hypothyroidism. It is true that severe iodine deficiency can cause hypothyroidism. But iodine deficiency is extremely rare in the United States and other developed countries since the addition of iodine to salt (iodized salt) and other foods. If iodine deficiency is not the cause of hypothyroidism, then iodine supplements provide no benefit.
Hypothyroidism is safely and effectively treated with the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine.
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