Some people with an overactive thyroid get better after taking potassium iodide. If their TSH hormone goes back to normal or high, they’re much more likely to stay in remission long-term compared to those whose TSH stays too low.

If someone with an overactive thyroid from Graves' disease hasn't been treated yet, older people with smaller thyroid glands and milder symptoms are more likely to get back to normal hormone levels after taking potassium iodide.

Some people with an overactive thyroid don't respond well to iodine treatment, but adding a low-dose medicine or using radiation therapy can help get their thyroid back on track.

If someone with a certain overactive thyroid condition takes a specific dose of iodine every day, their thyroid hormone levels go back to normal or low in about 8 out of 10 people within six months — and it seems to be safe.

When someone has Graves’ disease, their thyroid hormones get too high, which tells the brain to stop making a hormone that stimulates the thyroid — so that hormone ends up being very low or even missing in blood tests.

Your thyroid can still work normally even if you're not getting quite enough iodine, thanks to built-in backup systems that kick in for months or years.