Iodine supplements are used to treat iodine deficiency, which is more common in developing countries that lack iodine-rich soil. However, iodine deficiency is rare in the United States due to the availability of iodized salt and other iodine-rich foods. The University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, advises you to never use iodine supplements to treat a perceived deficiency unless your treating physician recommends them.
Iodine Facts
Iodine is an essential mineral that your body can't make --- you have to get iodine from the food you eat. You need this trace mineral to produce the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine and thyroxine, also known as T3 and T4. You need these hormones for normal growth and development, as well as a healthy metabolism and reproductive system. Up to 80 percent of your body's iodine is located in your thyroid itself, the small butterfly-shaped gland located in the base of your neck; the remainder is dispersed in the blood, ovaries and muscles, says UMMC.
Symptoms of Deficiency
The most obvious sign of iodine deficiency is goiter, or an enlarged thyroid gland. Low levels of iodine can cause hypothyroidism, which is characterized by weight gain, weakness, sluggishness, fatigue, a raspy voice, cold sensitivity, constipation, depression and brittle nails and hair. The Linus Pauling Institute indicates that iodine deficiency is the leading cause of preventable brain damage. Other complications can include mental retardation and abnormal growth and development in children. Certain populations are more susceptible to iodine deficiency. For example, iodine deficiency is more prevalent in the Andes, the Alps and the Ganges --- parts of the world located far from the ocean or where there's little iodine in the soil.
Iodine Supplements
Iodine supplements can be to protect the thyroid gland from radiation if there's a radioactive emergency; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved specific products for this use. However, most Americans get adequate amounts of iodine in their diet, making iodine supplements unnecessary, says the Linus Pauling Institute. According to Todd B. Nippoldt, Mayo Clinic endocrinologist, some alternative medicine practitioners recommend iodine supplements for people with hypothyroidism. But if your thyroid problems are not caused by a deficiency in this mineral, iodine supplements won't work, he states. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism; this autoimmune disease attacks your thyroid gland, rendering it in capable of producing thyroid hormones. Because Americans have access to iodized salt and foods with iodine, only very rarely is hypothyroidism caused by iodine deficiency. Hypothyroidism is usually treated with levothyroxine, a synthetic thyroid hormone replacement.
RDA for Iodine
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the tolerable upper intake level for iodine in people age 19 and older is 1,100 mcg a day. The recommended dietary intake for iodine for this same age group is 150 mcg a day; pregnant and nursing women need slightly more iodine --- 220 and 280 mcg a day, respectively. Iodized salt is the most common source of iodine in the United States, according to MedlinePlus. However other foods are good sources of iodine, including seafood such as sea bass, cod, haddock and perch, kelp, dairy foods and plant foods grown in iodine-rich soil. Please talk to your doctor before you take iodine supplements or any other dietary supplement to address your health concerns.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute: Iodine; J. Higdon, PhD; April 2003
- MedlinePlus Supplements: Iodine; April 2011
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Iodine in the Diet; June 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Hypothyroidism: Should I Take Iodine Supplements?; T. Nippoldt, M.D.; April 2010
- MayoClinic.com: Hypothyroidism; June 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Iodine; June 2009
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