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Supersaturated potassium iodide, or SSKI, is a safe, effective cough expectorant routinely prescribed by doctors in the last century to open up the airways in the lungs to help clear deep coughs. It was also used for minor cases of asthma. Conventional medicine has all but forgotten about it because it is inexpensive to make with no opportunity for exclusive patenting rights. It is a natural alternative to toxic over-the-counter options for loosening deeply rooted phlegm to rapidly clear hacking coughs.
When my Dad graduated from medical school in the 1950s, the go-to cough expectorant that was prescribed by physicians at the time was SSKI, super saturated potassium iodide. Some physicians refer to it as pima syrup. This is not to be confused with regular KI solution at the health food store.
SSKI was an inexpensive and highly effective tool for deep-rooted congestion that was beyond the reach of the cilia, the tiny hairlike projections that line the upper half of the lower respiratory tract, gently sweeping debris and mucous out of the lungs.
Old-time pharmacists regularly filled prescriptions for SSKI although today, most pharmacists less than about 60 years old would likely scratch their heads should such a script be requested.
SSKI works spectacularly well for thinning and clearing mucous deep inside the lungs so that it is more easily coughed up. This function is very beneficial because when mucous is rooted deep inside the lungs, coughing is the only way to get it out.
How to Use SSKI
When I was a child, my Dad would give us 4-5 drops of SSKI in a small glass of water or juice at breakfast time. It was only used if we were coughing and had lung congestion that needed to be cleared. The result was truly magical.
Within a few minutes, he would instruct us to take a couple of deep, slow breaths. This would immediately trigger a very productive coughing spell that cleared out the trapped congestion.
SSKI works very very fast to thin the mucus and acts as a natural cough expectorant. As a child, I noticed that it would only take a few minutes and the ease of coughing up any mucous was very noticeable.
4-5 drops per day could be continued for a week or at most two with no ill effect. If a cough was severe, 4-5 drops twice a day could be used for up to a week to clear very thick, infected mucous.
Sometimes, after a few days of using SSKI, I would notice a bit of a metal taste in my mouth. This was the signal to reduce the dose a bit or taper it off if my cough had resolved sufficiently. It goes away immediately when the dosage is reduced or stopped.
Natural Cough Expectorant
For the past 3 decades since leaving my parent’s home for college, I have always kept a small bottle of SSKI in my medicine cabinet. One bottle lasts for 10 years or more. No kidding. I’m literally on only my second bottle since I graduated high school!
You can get it at a compounding pharmacy or order it online here. Use coupon code HealthyHome and get 10% off your order.
Even though I didn’t eat very well in college and throughout my 20s, I credit use of this age-old remedy for keeping me med-free during any bouts with colds or flu.
Other more expensive cough expectorants on the market which contain the drug Guaifenesin don’t work nearly as well as SSKI in my experience. Another downside: these over the counter medicines are loaded with additives and other undesirable chemicals.
SSKI, on the other hand, is just a simple compound consisting of two elements that are actually nutrients too: potassium and iodine.
Nothing else is added!
Where to Find this Old Time Remedy
Next time you need a cough expectorant, why don’t you try SSKI? You can order it online here and get 10% off with coupon code HealthyHome.
It is even more effective when you combine it with elderberry syrup, a scientifically proven remedy for reducing the symptoms and severity of coughs.
No doubt, when you ask your doctor about this simple traditional remedy, you will get a very quizzical look! He/she will likely have no idea what it is if under the age of 70.
It’s time to bring back into popularity some of these old-time remedies that work great, are very inexpensive and have no nasty additives – wouldn’t you agree?
Lugol’s or (KI) Potassium Iodide is NOT SSKI
It is important to note that Lugol’s or the potassium iodide (KI) liquid that you can order online or get at the health food store IS NOT THE SAME THING as SSKI.
It is best to get it at a compounding pharmacy or from a functional physician who can write prescriptions. If your insurance doesn’t cover visits to this type of doctor, consider switching to healthcare sharing.
Alternatively, you can order SSKI kits online here and get 10% off with coupon code HealthyHome.
References
How to Make and Use an Onion Poultice for Congestion
Natural and Effective Sinus Infection Remedy
Doctor Prescribed Treatment for Healing Croup Naturally
Pottenger’s Remedy for Respiratory Illness
Fast Tip to Prevent Sinus Infections
Power Shot: Best Green Juice for Nasal Congestion
If you aren’t able to find SSKI in your location, you should try Mullein. It’s an herb that grows wild in most of the US. It is very effective at breaking up congestion.
I never know whether to use an expectorant or not. I took one of those over the counter, popular remedies once and had such a bad reaction to it, I couldn’t wait for it to wear off. I do think I could benefit from an expectorant though. This spring I feel like my allergies are so bad that I’m full of mucous. (Please forgive my TMI!) Thanks for the information.
Awesome, I never heard about it, I will check the sites you guys are giving here,I will like to keep a bottle in my cabinete,i will get it right now,thanks to all
I use a similar product called Tri Quench. You can find it online. I also use it in a nebulizer– another great way to get the product into your lungs. I put 2-4 drops in distilled water and inhale for 10-15 minutes. It really helps with my congestion.
Craig, THANK YOU for this helpful idea. It was suggested that my 3 yr old take nebulizer treatments when he’s super congested because of asthma and allergies… I’m thrilled to have something other than the regular meds to use in a nebulizer to relieve congestion. Thanks for sharing!
Sure thing Jackie! My doctor also prescribed this for me after I had pneumonia. I would probably suggest only 1-2 drops for a 3 year old. It really has helped me.
You are speaking of Tri Quench, pure iodine such as this one on Amazon:
Pure iodine supplement in an aqueous solution of saffron.
Promotes healthy thyroid function.
Contains numerous antioxidant caretonoids.
Radiation protective.
Thanks.
Be VERY careful about taking such products – and even more careful about giving them to children.
Lawsuit regarding this type of SSKI:
“At all times material, defendants knew or should have known that SSKI works by shrinking the size of the thyroid gland and decreasing the amount of thyroid hormones produced.”
We forget sometimes – just because something is natural doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous. For instance – arsenic is a natural substance!
I love this idea and would love to add it to my natural medicine chest! My only concern/question is wondering if it’s similar to supplementing with iodine/iodide and can cause bromism in some people- which is something that happened to me when I started on an Iodoral regimen. I went completely stupid- drooling, unable to communicate or think clearly- and it was only by Matt catching it and having me do salt water flushes that saved me. I was taking the pills, however, and it was perhaps day two or three- I was up to 3 or 4 of the 12.5 mg tabs (so a large amount) The iodine displaces the bromide and when it’s dropped, it floods your system and thus causes bromism. So…would this work differently? Is the dosage small enough that it’s not a problem? Would any caution need to be taken for those who are already supplementing with iodine? Thanks!!
I am interested in this question, as well!
I recently started Stephanie Buist’s Iodine Protocol for my hypothyroidism, a few months back. http://steppingstonesliving.com/resources/iodine/
Going to research this one. 🙂
I am very experienced with iodine/iodide supplementation, I can say that SSKI does cause “Bromism”. 60 years ago there was no orange flavored drinks, mountain dew, brominated flours, and fire resistant clothes, carpets, etc all containing large amounts of bromide. We also got a lot more iodide in our bread and salt, so we never had enough bromide built up in our bodies to notice detox symptoms when taking SSKI.
The best list of detox symptoms, and how to get rid of them is found at http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/bromidedetoxsymptomsandstrategies.html
(I am affiliated in no way).
The amount of SSKI talked about here is about 4x’s as much as the tablets you were taking. Each drop of SSKI provides ~30mg of KI. SS simply means super saturated — that is, the maximum amount of KI that you can dissolve into water. This means it’s about 8x’s more potent per drop than even Lugols. However, Lugols contains I2 along with KI, so it can be more harsh on the stomach, as the I2 likes to oxidize things.
There are many people that have tested up to 2,000mg’s a day for long periods and found it to be safe. This is many times more than what’s being talked about here (about 150mg). This isn’t to say I’m recommending that much though. I do about 300mg a day. However, at these levels you need to supplement your selenium. along with some other vitamins.
You can also order Potassium Iodide from Azure Standard if you have a drop point in your area.
Thank you for that tidbit of information! My order is due this Friday. I think I am going to have to give it a try!
It HAS to be super saturated potassium iodide. Not just potassium iodide liquid.
I wish every doctor could be like your Dad. I sure do not appreciate the greedy, ignorant, arrogant, vaccine pushing, drug pushing, surgery pushing, and incompetent doctors that are so common today.
I would like to add that it is good to read up on any medication, especially if you are pregnant or nursing, take other medications, or before administering to infants or children. I found some very important cautions given on MedicineNet.com which may be useful: http://www.medicinenet.com/potassium_iodide-oral/article.htm
Most of the time those warnings are untrue. Contact la leche league or poison control for accurate data on a specific drug and nursing
We always had this in our medicine chest and they had it when I was in Abu Dhabi with a nasty cough I picked up in India, it knocked it out. Inexpensive medications are hard to find send Big Pharm gets them pulled off the market!
I’ll have to load up on the good stuff before heading back to the States 🙂
On my way to the doctor in half an hour with a nasty cough. I will ask him for a script for this.