Iodine is a necessary nutrient that your body needs for adequate thyroid and brain function. Since the late 20th century, iodine has been added to table salt to help address pervasive deficiencies. If you're cutting back on salt, however, you won't necessarily develop an iodine deficiency. Make sure you eat iodine-rich foods, watch for the symptoms of deficiency and talk with your doctor if you're concerned about your iodine intake.
Salt and Iodine
In the 1980s, recognizing that the dangers of iodine deficiency affected people around the world, the World Health Organization began promoting the idea of adding iodine to table salt. Salt was chosen because it's used regularly in all parts of the world, and because the cost to iodize it can be as low as 5 cents per person per year. In 1993, universal salt iodization became a reality. In the United States, this particularly benefited people in the Great Lakes region, where iodine is not available in the soil. It also benefits populations in parts of Asia and Africa, where iodine deficiency was rampant. Thanks to iodized salt, the WHO predicts that iodine deficiency will soon be effectively eliminated.
Iodine in Food
One-quarter teaspoon of iodized salt contains 95 micrograms of iodine, a significant portion of the 150-microgram recommended intake for an adult. A 6 oz. piece of ocean fish, on the other hand, contains 650 micrograms of iodine. Plants grown in iodine-rich soil also provide the nutrient, as do dairy products from cows who live in iodine-rich areas. Unless you live in an iodine-poor area and depend on locally grown foods, you can meet your daily recommended intake for iodine by eating a diet rich in seafood, vegetables and dairy.
Addressing Concerns
With doctors and dietitians recommending that people reduce their salt intake for obesity and other health-related reasons, other concerns have surfaced over lose of iodine consumption. In a 2010 review published in the "British Journal of Nutrition," two Dutch scientists examined the potential effect of reducing salt on iodine intake. They found that even if people reduced their salt intake by 50 percent, most of them would be getting enough iodine. However, a significant number of children could be at risk for iodine deficiency, which could be addressed simply by adding more iodine to table salt.
Reducing salt intake by 50 percent is an extreme example. The Harvard Heart Letter also points out that, for many people, excess sodium comes from processed and canned foods, which don't contain iodine. You can cut out sodium from those sources without reducing iodine intake. Overall, however, it's best to get your iodine from a healthy diet.
Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency
If you don't consume table salt, don't eat ocean fish or other seafood and don't take iodine-fortified vitamins, you might be at risk for deficiency. Iodine deficiency is more common in women, especially pregnant women, than in men. In the United States, it's generally not a problem. An early sign of iodine deficiency is impaired mental function. Without enough iodine, the thyroid enlarges, causing a goiter in the neck. This can produce a feeling of choking. Long-term iodine deficiency can result in hypothyroidism. If a pregnant woman has an iodine deficiency, her child can be stillborn, premature or even have mental retardation.
References
- World Health Organization: Micronutrient Deficiencies -- Iodine Deficiency Disorder
- "Schweizer Monatsschrift für Zahnmedizin"; "Salt as a Carrier of Iodine in Iodine-Deficient Areas"; H. Burgi et al; 2005
- MedlinePlus: Iodine in Diet
- "British Journal of Nutrition"; "Reduction of Salt -- Will Iodine Intake Remain Adequate in The Netherlands?"; J. Verkaik-Kloosterman et al; December 2010
- "Harvard Heart Letter"; "Cut Salt -- It Won't Affect Your Iodine Intake"; June 2011
- American Thyroid Association: Iodine Deficiency
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