The invention is a method of administering therapeutic iodine for treating a disorder in a mammal. The invention comprises a step of feeding said mammal an effective amount of an oxidant for an iodine species and an iodine reductant which will cause oxidation-reduction reactions upon contact with the gastric juices present in the stomach of the mammal. This is done such that molecular iodine is generated in vivo at a ratio of molecular iodine to total iodine of above at least about 0.65. The invention also discloses a non-aqueous pharmaceutically acceptable carrier with said oxidant and reductant having the ability to cause oxidation-reduction reactions upon contact with the gastric juices present in the stomach of said mammal and in an amount sufficient to generate molecular iodine, in vivo, at a ratio of molecular iodine to total iodine of above at least about 0.65.