What is Iodine deficiency?
Iodine deficiency occurs when your body lacks enough iodine. Adequate Iodine levels are essential for producing the correct amounts of thyroid hormones. Your thyroid gland is the butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of your neck, which helps control growth, repair damaged cells, and support a healthy metabolism. Your body doesn’t naturally make iodine, so the only way to get this nutrient is through your diet.
Recent research shows that iodine may be needed and used not only in the thyroid but throughout the body. It seems to have a role in all hormone production and proper immune function. Some clinicians and researchers are linking iodine deficiency with more than just thyroid disorders. They are showing that sufficient iodine helps with fibrocystic breast disease, overall detoxification, fatigue, metabolic disorders, and even breast cancer.
What are the symptoms of Iodine deficiency?
Swelling in the front of the neck is one of the first signs of an iodine deficiency that is affecting your thyroid, and can show as a visible lump, called a goiter. This is due to the thyroid gland slowly growing larger as it tries to keep up with your body’s demand for more thyroid hormone. Visible goiters were fairly common before the regular iodization of salt was started.
The most common condition linked to iodine deficiency is hypothyroidism. This is a state of reduced levels of thyroid hormones and often results in fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, dry flaky skin, feeling cold, low heart rate, brain fog, and heavy or irregular periods.
Pregnant women are particularly susceptible to iodine deficiency as they require as much as 50% more iodine than non-pregnant people to get enough iodine for their unborn baby. And lack of sufficient iodine can affect the brains of developing babies. In iodine-deficient areas of the world, insufficient iodine is linked to infant mortality, infertility, and lowered infant IQs.
How to test?
If you or your Doctor suspects you may be suffering from an iodine deficiency there are 4 simple ways to test:
- Urine sample - Simple and fast but not 100% accurate.
- Blood sample - Very accurate but takes time for the results.
- Loading test - This test measures the excretion of iodine over a 24-hour period, again quite accurate. Some doctors prefer this method.
- Patch test - iodine is painted onto the skin and the rate of absorption is measured after 24 hours, simple but open to interpretation.
Who is at risk?
Studies show that generally, the levels of iodine in the United States are adequate, largely due to the effectiveness of iodization in the general food supply, however, most recently mild iodine deficiency has re-emerged in pregnant women in the US. And some practitioners believe that the true needs for iodine mean that iodine levels should be much higher than current recommendations.
In Parts of Europe, Africa and Asia Iodine deficiency remains a major issue due to the lack of iodine in the soil. Supplementation could likely improve health outcomes in these areas significantly.
How to fix it?
As the body does not naturally produce its own iodine the only way to get this nutrient is through your diet. Adults typically require 150 micrograms (mcg) per day. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need 200 mcg per day.
This can be taken as an iodine supplement or by increasing the amount of iodine-rich food in your diet.
Best iodine-rich food sources
Seaweed - Hands down, seaweed is the best source of iodine available. However the levels of iodine can vary significantly depending on the type of seaweed, the top 3 iodine-rich varieties include kombu kelp, wakame, and nori. They also contain antioxidants that help protect your cells from damage and other vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin K, B vitamins, zinc, and iron.
Fish - The majority of fish contain high levels of iodine with scallops and cod containing a massive 80% of your daily value per serving. Whilst further down the scale shrimp, sardines and salmon contain over 20% per serving. Fish is also rich in calcium and phosphorus and is a great source of minerals.
Dairy products - Iodine levels in dairy can vary depending on how the cattle were fed, however, as a minimum, just 1 cup of plain yogurt or 1 glass of milk will provide 50% of your daily intake, with the added benefits of calcium for healthy bones and teeth.
Eggs - We all know eggs are a great source of protein but they also can add to your iodine intake by as much as 16% per egg.
Prunes - These are dried plums, just 5 prunes provide 9% of daily intake, they also help with digestion and are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
Overview
There are very few good sources of iodine in the diet. This is one reason why iodine deficiency is common worldwide. Here in the US, we get the majority of our iodine intake from iodized salt, 3 grams over the day is sufficient. However, if you are on a low-salt diet or using certain salts such as Himalayan salt, note that you may have to reassess your intake.
If you think you have an iodine deficiency, it is always best to consult your doctor. For more in-depth information about iodine, we recommend the book Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It by David Brownstein, M.D. Dr. Brownstein is one of the world’s leading experts on iodine deficiency and has practical recommendations for how you can boost your health with iodine.
After reading Dr. Brownstein's book, one staff member at Be Vivid You began supplementing with iodine and and table salt now reports better sleep, more energy during the day, warmer hands/feet, and no more PMS symptoms. She is thrilled with the results.
None of this information should be considered health advice. Please talk to your doctor before starting any new supplements.
