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Iodine for Thyroid Health
Iodine is a trace mineral, and it’s needed for a number of bodily processes. Sufficient iodine is needed for proper brain function in adults, and proper brain development in unborn fetuses and also in children.
The pancreas, salivary glands, skin, and breasts also need iodine. But the one organ that uses the most iodine is the thyroid gland. Up to 80% of all the iodine in the human body is stored in thyroid gland.
Too little iodine will cause thyroid dysfunction, and can cause a swelling of the thyroid called goiter. It’s important to note that it’s possible to be deficient in iodine and not develop a goiter.
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The thyroid gland needs iodine to produce thyroid hormones. The thyroid produces a number of different hormones, but we’ll focus on the ones that are most important to hypothyroidism, and those are T4 and T3.
T4, also known as thyroxine, has four iodine molecules. When one of those iodine molecules gets removed, T4 becomes T3, or triiodothyronine. T4 is more abundant than T3, but it’s an inactive hormone. T4 doesn’t really do anything. It’s when T4 gets converted into T3 that the metabolism is given a push and all the activities in the body are synchronized and sped up.
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Thyroid hormone conversion happens in the thyroid gland, in the intestines, and also in the liver. Good liver health and good intestinal health are very important as they support good thyroid health. No part of the body is an island; everything works together.
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Iodine can’t be made by the body, so it must be sourced from food. Trace amounts of iodine can be found in soil, but that is typically agricultural land that’s close to saltwater. Plants grown in iodine-rich soil will contain iodine. Milk-producing livestock that graze on iodine-rich plants and grasses will have iodine in their milk. Most soils are deficient in iodine, and hypothyroidism caused by iodine deficiency is a major global health problem.
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The United States RDA (recommended daily allowance) for iodine is 150mcg/ug.(Mcg and ug both refer to micrograms) 150mcg is the minimum amount of iodine needed to maintain good health. The upper safe limit for iodine is 1100mcg for adults, but it’s not recommended for people with thyroid disease to get that much iodine either through diet or from supplements.
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People who suffer from thyroid disease, whether under-active or over-active, are very susceptible to negative side effects from iodine. For most people, keeping the total daily amount of iodine below 500mcg is generally safe. Taking too much iodine can worsen thyroid disease, or even cause thyroid disease. In rare cases, too much iodine can lead to a life-threatening condition called thyroid storm. Iodine is necessary for good health, just don’t get over zealous and take too much; be sensible.
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Before adding or increasing dietary iodine, you must read this article on selenium.
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Animal sources of iodine are saltwater creatures like:
Other animal sources of iodine tend to be much lower in the mineral than sea animals:
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Raw milk from cows and goats can contain small amounts of iodine.
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Chicken eggs have small amounts of iodine in the yolks.
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Some cheeses can have iodine.
Non-animal sources of iodine
Sea vegetables vary in the amount of iodine they have, but the iodine content is generally much higher than in other plant sources:
Other plant sources of iodine can have the mineral if grown in iodine-rich soil, or fertilized with iodized fertilizer: