What Is Bromide?

Overview

Bromide is chemical compound that contains exactly two elements, one of which is the element bromine. A study in the journal Toxicology Letters suggests that bromide levels in your blood may be about 1.05 mg/l. An article in the American Journal of Psychiatry reports that bromide can affect your endocrine system, and toxic levels may lead to psychosis that ranges from mental sluggishness to delirium, hallucinosis and schizophrenia.

Nature

Bromide is a common form of bromine atoms that exist in seawater. The average concentration of bromide in seawater ranges from 65mg kg-1 to 71mg kg-1. Generally, higher salinity in seawater reflects higher bromide concentrations. Salinity increases at greater distances from the shoreline because of the dilution effect by ending rivers. Bromide concentration in the North Sea increases with increasing distance from the coast. Bromide may exist in groundwater. Additionally, large concentrations of bromide in groundwater may result from infiltration of seawater into aquifers.

Need Additional Glucose? www.GlucoseRapidSpray.com

Don't Delay...Just Spray Orange & Raspberry Flavors

Sponsored Links

Asthma Treatment

Bromide compounds may help control asthma. According to an article published in Medical News Today, a combination of tiotropium bromide and corticosteroid inhalers may help treat adults who have poorly controlled asthma. The article reports that adding tiotropium bromide to inhaled corticosteroids controlled asthma better than a double dose of the corticosteroids. This form of bromide may additionally provide an alternative to adding salmeterol, a long-acting agonist, to inhaled corticosteroid treatments.

Anticonvulsant

According to a study in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, potassium bromide was the only effective anti-epileptic drug before 1912, because it can suppress convulsions that occur during epileptic fits. A study published in a 1990 issue of the Journal of Child Neurology reports that bromide improved epilepsy in nine of 11 children. Two children stopped having seizures and four experienced "significant and sustained improvement" while three exhibited "transient improvement." The researchers recommend considering bromide therapy for treating patients who have seizures that are not controlled well by other drugs.

Sedative

Bromide may be an effective sedative for managing larger mammals such as cattle. According to a Belgian study in the Journal of Veterinary Medicine, potassium bromide treatment reduced the incidence of rear, side and direct attacks by Belgian bull cattle that weighed about 530 lbs. The researchers further conclude that the sedative effects of potassium bromide may reduce the time these bulls spend ingesting hay and reduce the frequency of water intake.

Toxicity

Higher bromide levels reduce the amount of iodine in your body, because bromine ions in bromide bind to iodine receptors on cells throughout your body. You may develop iodine deficiency as bromide levels increase, because the activity of bromide causes your body to release iodine. Medications and dietary practices may increase bromide levels in your body and may increase your chance of developing toxic levels of bromide, a condition known as bromism. An article on the Smith Chiropractic website indicates that drinking a lot of carbonated drinks that contain brominated vegetable oils can be toxic. Inhalers and nasal sprays may contain bromide.