Iodine is a trace element your body needs to maintain a healthy metabolism, support a healthy thyroid, maintain normal growth and development and keep the brain functioning properly, according to the University of Michigan Health System. As a result, not getting enough iodine in your diet over an extended period of time may cause serious health problems.
Brain Damage
Iodine deficiency is the world's leading cause of brain damage even though it is easy to prevent, according to the World Health Organization. Iodine deficiency disorders can begin before a child is born and severely jeopardize his mental health. If a pregnant woman's iodine deficiency doesn't cause her to miscarry or deliver stillbirth, her baby may have an irreversible type of mental retardation called cretinism. A child who develops an iodine deficiency may also develop a mental impairment that hinders his ability to perform well in all aspects of life.
Goiter
A goiter, or enlargement of the thyroid gland, is an early and visible sign of an iodine deficiency. Your thyroid gland enlarges as an adaptive response to try to get more iodine. In some cases of mild deficiency, the response may be enough to keep your thyroid producing enough of the right hormone. However, it can also continue growing or become so damaged that your thyroid gland stops producing enough of the hormone, according to MedlinePlus. Although adults may develop goiters, children and teens with iodine deficiencies are more likely to get them. Teen girls are at an especially high risk.
Hypothyroidism
A severe case of iodine deficiency may lead to hypothyroidism, or inadequate production of the thyroid hormone. You may have no noticeable symptoms if you have mild hypothyroidism, but a worsened condition can lead to fatigue, weight gain, intolerance to cold, fatigue, excessive sleepiness, skin dryness, muscle cramps, constipation, trouble concentrating, high cholesterol and leg swelling, according to the University of Michigan Health System. If the condition progresses, you may develop more extreme symptoms such as a decreased heart rate, lower body temperature, heart failure and coma. Hypothyroidism may be treated with iodine or medication to support thyroid hormone production, but you may need supplementation indefinitely. Get medical advice if you believe you may have hypothyroidism.
Considerations
Iodine deficiency is a rare condition in the United States, thanks to a broad distribution of foods from areas with iodine-sufficient soil. Most salt in the United States is iodized, which also significantly reduces instances of iodine deficiency. You are more likely to develop a deficiency if you live in a high altitude with iodine depleted soil -- typically away from the seacoast -- or if you live in a country where salt isn't iodized. You are also more likely to develop a deficiency if you are a teen or pregnant woman. As a point of reference, most adults should get 100 to 200 mcg of iodine a day and ¼ tsp. of iodized table salt has 95 mcg.
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