Iodine Health Benefits – Why You Need this Mineral in Your Diet

Iodine health benefits are purported to include maintaining optimal thyroid function, supporting energy metabolism, boosting the immune system and stimulating the activity of antioxidants.

Iodine is a trace mineral element that is found in especially high concentrations in the thyroid gland, where it plays a vital role in hormone regulation and is a required precursor to T3 and T4 hormones.

The thyroid produces hormones that are essential for every cell in the human body, regulating the speed at which these cells burn fuel for energy. Thyroid hormones are involved in regulating temperature, reproduction, growth, cellular repair and more.

If you eat a diet that is low in iodine, you may experience a variety of symptoms of hypothyroidism including fatigue, depression, weight gain, muscle pain or dry skin and hair.

Use of a supplement can improve symptoms of Iodine Deficiency Disorder and promote well-being. Iodine is also being investigated for additional health benefits including protection from toxic chemicals, anti-cancer effects and healthy breast tissue in women.

Iodine

Essential Mineral

Brain Power

Thyroid Function

Weight Loss

How It Works:

• Important for thyroid hormones & metabolism
• Supports mental function & immunity
• Essential nutrient with multiple roles in the body

Dosage:

Between 50 - 250 mg per day

Safety:

Generally Well Tolerated

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Iodine Benefits & Uses

The essential trace element iodine affects every cell in the human body as a component of thyroid hormones.

It can influence a wide range of processes including metabolism, reproduction, growth and neurological development.

Iodine and the amino acid tyrosine are required to produce triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). When the active form of thyroid hormone binds to receptors on cells within the body, it increases the basal metabolic rate as well as oxygen and energy consumption.

Thyroid hormones increase protein turnover, promote the breakdown of lipids and increase the rate of lipolysis, increases the rate of glycogen breakdown, increase heart rate and cardiac output and promote cellular growth as well as the production of myelin and neurotransmitters in the brain.

These hormones influence every physiological process in the body and set the body’s overall rate of activity. When higher levels of thyroid hormones are secreted, the body speeds up. When lower levels of these hormones are produced, the body speeds down.

In addition to the high concentration of iodine that accumulates in the thyroid gland, this mineral is also found in smaller quantities in the brain, pancreas, cerebrospinal fluid, stomach, skin, thymus gland, breasts and salivary glands.

Most of the purported health benefits of supplementing with iodine are attributed to ensuring adequate thyroid function. However, research has identified some additional roles for this mineral in the body independent of thyroid hormone regulation.

The University of Maryland Medical Center reports various uses for iodine supplements including:

• Fibrocystic breast changes;
• Radiation exposure;
• Goiter prevention;
• Wound healing;
• Oral mucositis;

The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCD) describes other uses including weight loss, diabetes, vaginitis, preventing breast cancer and as an expectorant. Iodine has also been used for cardiovascular disease, anthrax, syphilis and dermatitis.

Some of the purported benefits of iodine are supported by research while others require more study to validate.

Iodine Benefits for Thyroid Health

Insufficient iodine intake hinders the synthesis of thyroid hormones, possibly causing a condition called hypothyroidism.

Being deficient may result in an array of adverse health outcomes including the following signs of low thyroid hormone activity:

• Fatigue or lethargy
• Lack of motivation
• Depression
• Brain fog or mental slowness
• Constantly feeling cold
• Inability to lose weight or weight gain
• Coarse, thinning hair
• Dry skin and brittle nails
• Pale or slightly yellow skin
• Constipation
• Increased menstrual bleeding
• Puffy face
• Hoarse voice
• Muscle weakness or aches and pains
• Slow heart rate
• Decreased sweating

In serious cases of iodine deficiency, enlargement of the thyroid gland called a goiter can result.

Goiters occur because the thyroid gland swells to increase its volume; attempting to capture more iodine from the blood. According to NIH, it will continue to remain enlarged until it has adequate iodine to support thyroid hormone synthesis.

If you do not get enough iodine in your diet and are experiencing symptoms of hypothyroidism, use of a supplement may promote benefits including healthy weight regulation, increased energy levels, improved mental sharpness, better skin, hair and nail quality and better cardiovascular health.

Iodine During Pregnancy

Getting adequate iodine intake during pregnancy is very important to prevent severe physical deformity and/or mental retardation in the developing fetus.

If the mother is low in this nutrient, a deficiency will be passed on to the baby in utero. It can also be passed through breastmilk to a nursing infant.

Iodine is very important for developing babies because it is required for normal brain development and myelination of neuronal circuits.

Maternal iodine deficiency is the most prevalent cause of mental retardation in newborns. A maternal efficiency can also cause preterm birth and miscarriage.

According to the University of Oregon, in developing fetuses and newborns up to 3 months of age, hypothyroidism adversely affects all development stages. Iodine deficiency in these groups causes the most significant damage to the brain.

In many countries including the Unites States, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for iodine in healthy adults is 150 micrograms. For pregnant women, the recommendation is 220 mcg per day. For breastfeeding women, the RDA is 290 mcg per day.

Many physicians believe that pregnant and nursing women need more iodine than the RDA to ensure proper fetal brain development. If you are pregnant or nursing, you should discuss the importance of iodine with your doctor.

Oral Mucositis

Oral mucositis is an inflammatory condition that affects the oral cavity. It is sometimes caused by radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

Preliminary research suggests that rinsing the mouth and throat with a specially formulated iodine wash can reduce the symptoms of oral mucositis.

Fibrocystic Breast Disease

Some evidence suggests that iodine can improve symptoms associated with fibrocystic breast disease. One study from Queen’s University in Canada shows that molecular iodine safely and improves mastalgia (breast tenderness) in women with FBD. [1]

Radiation Exposure

Iodine is commonly used to protect the thyroid against exposure to certain forms of radiation.

Potassium iodine is used to limit the amount of radioactive iodine that enters the thyroid in those exposed to radiation. It works by saturating the thyroid gland with stable iodine molecules, preventing the uptake of radioiodine.

Use of a high-dose potassium iodine (KI) supplement may reduce the risk of developing subsequent thyroid cancer in those located near nuclear disasters. However, iodine has not been shown to improve other complications associated with radiation exposure.

Iodine and Cancer

Population studies suggest that low dietary consumption of this essential mineral is correlated with a greater incidence of certain types of cancer.

People in Japan tend to consume significantly more iodine than people in North America. They also have significantly lower rates of prostate cancer.

It is too early to determine whether use of an iodine supplement can affect the risk of developing cancer. More research is needed to establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

Medical Uses of Iodine

Iodine is also used to clean and disinfect skin wounds. A povidone-iodine solution is applied to the skin before surgery to reduce the risk of surgical site infection.

Iodine is also used in folk medicine to promote skin healing and = on burn wounds to lower the risk of infection. This mineral has anti-microbial effects that can kill pathogenic bacteria.

Safe Iodine Dosages

According to Dr, Joseph Mercola, there is on-going contention regarding the best dosage level for iodine to promote health benefits.

The suggested dosage for an individual will depend on several factors including thyroid function, overall health status, age, gender, diet, toxin exposure and geographic location.

The World Health Organization states that 40% of the human population is iodine deficient. Deficiency is a recognized global epidemic and can have significant negative consequences for human health.

Low iodine availability in many countries, reduced intake of iodized salt and greater exposure to iodine-blocking chemicals can exacerbate deficiency.

Vegans and vegetarians are at higher risk for being deficient because foods from a plant origin tend to have lower iodine content compared to animal foods.

While research suggests that the majority of Americans are able to meet the daily recommendations for iodine intake, some health professionals believe that the RDA is too low to support well-being.

Currently, the RDA for healthy adults is 150 mcg. Dr. David Brownstein recommends higher daily doses of between 6.25-12.5 mg.

According to Dr. Brownstein, of the 6000 patients he has tested in his practice, 95% have been found deficient in iodine. However, this percentage may not be reflective of the general population.

While there is concern that higher intake of iodine could increase the incidence of certain health problems, the Japanese regularly consume 24 times more of this mineral in their diet without experiencing adverse outcomes.

In Japan, the average person ingests about 12 milligrams of iodine daily from rich food sources including certain types of seaweeds and other sea vegetables.

Research from 2008 states that, “The safety of therapeutic doses of iodine above the established safe upper limit of 1 mg is evident in the lack of toxicity in the Japanese population that consumes 25 times the median intake of iodine consumption in the United States.” [2]

Japan’s population does not experience higher rates of autoimmune thyroiditis or hypothyroidism at this dosage level.

If you are interested in using iodine to promote specific health benefits, it is important to consult with your doctor first. Your doctor can help you determine whether this supplement is appropriate for you or whether you need to avoid it due to a pre-existing medical condition or drug interaction.

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