Iodine is a mineral that your body requires in trace amounts to make thyroid hormones, which help regulate your metabolism. Because your body cannot make its own iodine, you must obtain it from your diet. Other than iodized salt, foods that contain high levels of iodine include seafood, seaweed, dairy foods, eggs and beans, according to Medline Plus.
History
In 1811, the French chemist Barnard Courtois first extracted iodine from seaweed, but the mineral was not isolated from proteins produced by the thyroid gland until 1915---more than a century later. During that period, goiter, a swelling of the thyroid gland, was common in certain areas of the United States. David Marine and O. P. Kimball of Cleveland, Ohio, proved that iodine deficiency was the cause of this condition, according to the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders.
How It Works
Because your thyroid gland needs iodine to make its hormones, iodine deficiency leads to the underproduction of these hormones and various thyroid disorders. Deficiency can also lead to growth problems in children, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Your thyroid gland stores its hormones and releases them as needed by your body. Adding iodine to salt has become a convenient way of getting iodine into food. Because Americans today eat a much more varied diet than those in the past, you are much less likely to develop a deficiency.
Requirements
Your daily needs for iodine increase between childhood and adulthood. Children need about 90 micrograms, whereas adults require about 150 mcg. Pregnant and lactating women need the most: about 200 mcg. The amount of iodine present in foods can vary considerably. Although iodine deficiency is no longer common in the United States, people who live in less-developed areas in the world or who eat a limited diet may still require iodine supplementation. Iodized salt remains a common way of introducing iodine into the diet.
Additional Information
Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of preventable brain damage in the world. As many as 30 percent of the world's people may not be getting enough iodine in their diet. About 70 percent of households in the world consume iodized salt. When your intake of iodine is insufficient, your body produces thyroid-stimulating hormone, which causes the thyroid gland to enlarge, resulting in goiter.
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