Iodine is a common element and an important constituent in the thyroid hormones of organisms. These hormones are produced by the thyroid gland in your neck. They regulate the metabolic rate of your cells by controlling and maintaining growth, fertility, energy production and body temperature. Iodine deficiencies are rarer in the developed world due to the proliferation of a balanced diet and iodine-rich foods. Nevertheless, it is a serious condition that can lead to brain damage, impaired growth, speech and hearing defects and hypothyroidism, a state in which production of the thyroid hormones is below normal. Iodine deficiency requires immediate treatment from a medical professional.
Iodine Consumption
The most common form of treatment for iodine deficiency is the addition of iodine-rich foods to the diet. Iodine is primarily found in dairy products, plants grown in iodine-rich soil and seafood such as cod, sea bass, haddock, perch and kelp. In the United States it's also added to table salt, a ubiquitous presence in most modern foods. If iodine in the diet is not enough, then a doctor may prescribe iodine supplementation --- sometimes in combination with medication to support the thyroid hormones --- the consumption of which is typically a life-long endeavor.
Prevention
Iodine deficiency is particularly acute in women, often due to pregnancy, and adolescents who may not consume enough iodine. Whereas the typical adult man or woman only needs about 150 micrograms per day, the recommended daily allowance from the Institute of Medicine is 220 micrograms for pregnant women and 290 micrograms for breastfeeding women per day. Iodine deficiencies have significant consequences for unborn and infant children who require iodine for proper growth and development. For this reason the American Thyroid Association recommends that all pregnant and breastfeeding women in the U.S. and Canada take a prenatal vitamin containing 150 micrograms of iodine per day to prevent deficiencies. This will benefit both the woman and child.
Absorption and Utilization
For many nutritional deficiencies, malabsorption in the stomach and intestines is a major potential cause of diseases. However, gastrointestinal absorption of iodine is usually quite high, so iodine deficiency is a problem with consumption rather than digestion within your body. Doctors only tend to use injections of iodine oil in regions of the world that lack widespread use of iodized salt. If the thyroid hormone itself has trouble utilizing iodine and producing hormones, then the standard treatment is daily use of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine, an oral medication that restores hormone levels to normal.
Research
A 1992 study published in the journal "Thyroidology" looked at the effects of various treatments on reducing the presence of a goiter, which is a swelling of the thyroid gland in the front of the neck. Goiters correspond strongly with iodine deficiencies and thyroid problems that have already developed. The study found that three different treatments --- 400 micrograms of iodine, 150 micrograms of levothyroxine and a combination of the two --- were effective for the reduction of the goiter. However, the second and third approaches were more effective than iodine treatment alone.
References
- University of Michigan Health System; Iodine Deficiency; Roger J. Grekin; January 2002
- American Thyriod Association: Iodine Deficiency
- Mayo Clinic; Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid); June 2010
- "Thyroidology"; Treatment of Iodine Deficiency Goiter with Iodine, Levothyroxine or a Combination of Both; G. Hintze and J. Köbberling; April 1992
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