Iodine is an essential mineral that you need to obtain from dietary sources in order to prevent health problems caused by iodine deficiency. Iodine is provided by certain foods such as table salt, as well as seafood, including sea vegetables like kelp or seaweed. Dietary supplements made from sea kelps such as bladderwrack, laminaria and rockweed also provide iodine, although they may contain harmful contaminants. Consult your doctor before taking iodine or kelp supplements.
Thyroid Function
Correcting an iodine deficiency by taking iodine medications or consuming iodine-rich foods like salt or kelp may help improve thyroid function as iodine is essential for thyroid health. You need iodine to produce thyroid hormones, which affect many cellular functions including key metabolic processes such as converting food to energy. Iodine deficiency can cause thyroid disease and resultant metabolic dysfunction like goiters, hypothyroidism and a slow metabolism. In extreme cases, reduced thyroid hormone production from iodine deficiency can cause a life-threatening coma or enlarged heart.
Brain Development and Cognition
Iodine is also needed for proper development and functioning of the brain. Even mild iodine deficiency can cause reduced mental function and low intellectual capacity, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Consuming enough iodine is particularly important during pregnancy, as iodine-deficient mothers may give birth to infants with severe mental retardation. Iodine is also integral for cognitive development during childhood. A study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2009 determined that mildly iodine-deficient children treated with iodine supplementation registered significant improvements in two key measures of cognition.
Other Kelp and Iodine Uses
Besides preventing and treating iodine deficiency and related health problems, iodine and kelp are also used to treat certain medical conditions. Medications providing iodine, such as potassium iodide tablets, may be used to prevent radiation poisoning in the event of a radiation emergency such as a nuclear accident. Iodine is also "possibly effective" in treating fibrocystic breast disease, mouth sores caused by chemotherapy and foot ulcers associated with diabetes, according to MedlinePlus. Kelp supplements such as bladderwrack are used to treat obesity, constipation, arthritis and other health problems, although there is insufficient evidence to rate the effectiveness of kelp supplements to treat any medical condition, notes MedlinePlus.
Warning
While kelp provides iodine, an essential nutrient for thyroid and cognitive health, taking kelp supplements may not be safe. According to MedlinePlus, the amount of iodine provided by seaweed supplements varies widely, making kelp an inconsistent form of iodine. Kelp supplements may sometimes contain dangerously high levels of iodine, which can actually make thyroid problems worse. Additionally, kelp products may contain contaminants such as heavy metals like arsenic. Iodine supplements are also associated with certain health risks, such as thyroid problems and allergic reactions, and should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor.
References
- University of Michigan Health System; Iodine Deficiency; January 2002
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Iodine Supplementation Improves Cognition in Mildly Iodine-Deficient Children; R.C. Gordon, et al.; October 2009
- MedlinePlus; Bladderwrack; July 2011
- RaySahelian.com: Kelp Supplement Benefit and Side Effects
- MedlinePlus; Iodine; April 2011
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