Thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism can cause serious health problems if left untreated. Iodine is an important essential nutrient the human body requires to produce thyroid hormone. Several causes of hypothyroidism exist, including iodine deficiency; therefore, treatment for thyroid disorders may vary as well. Dietary iodine and iodine supplementation play an important role in the prevention of thyroid conditions, and thyroid prescriptions are commonly used to treat thyroid disorders.
Background
Iodine deficiency is uncommon in developed countries such as the United States. However, according to the American Thyroid Association, iodine deficiency is the most common cause of hypothyroidism worldwide.
Iodine Requirements
According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for iodine for adults is 150 mcg; pregnant women require 220 mcg and nursing women require 290 mcg of iodine per day. Sources for dietary iodine include iodine-containing multivitamin supplements, some prenatal vitamins, iodized salt, seaweed, ocean fish and dairy products. Smaller amounts of iodine are present in grains, fruits and vegetables. The tolerable upper intake, or the maximum amount of iodine safe to consume each day is 1,100 mcg for adults. Thyroid supplements can help treat or prevent iodine deficiency; thyroid prescriptions do not treat iodine deficiencies.
Causes of Hypothyroidism
In addition to iodine deficiency, hypothyroidism may also be cause by an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's disease, congenital hypothyroidism present at birth, removal of all or part of the thyroid gland, inflammation of the thyroid gland, thyroid gland radiation treatment and some prescription medications, according to the according to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service. Iodine supplementation will only help treat iodine deficiency, which is rare in the United States, and possibly improve hypothyroidism caused by iodine deficiency; however it will not treat hypothyroidism caused by other conditions. Synthetic thyroid prescriptions are used to treat hypothyroidism regardless of the cause.
Treatment
Taking an iodine supplement or multivitamin that contains iodine can help prevent hypothyroidism and other health problems caused by iodine deficiency. Consuming adequate amounts of iodine is especially important for pregnant and nursing women. Prescription synthetic thyroid hormone is used to treat hypothyroidism by increasing thyroid hormone levels in the body. Prescription synthetic thyroid hormone is generally safe to take when pregnant or breastfeeding.
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