The health problems caused by a lack of iodine intake among the population were ‘solved’ around 1925 by making iodine mandatory on the ingredient list of bread through so-called ‘bread salt’. Adding baker’s salt is no longer mandatory these days. And baker’s salt contains less iodine than the bread salt of the past. Together with a decrease in the amount of bread eaten, an iodine deficiency is lurking again. I can applaud the fact that less bread is being eaten, but a lack of iodine and reduced thyroid function are indeed problematic for health.
The recommended daily allowance of iodine is 150 mcg for adults and is aimed at preventing goiter (goitre) and cretinism (retarded growth, developmental delay).
Natural sources of iodine can be found in food that comes from the sea such as fish and seaweeds, sea vegetables (samphire, sea lettuce, wakam) and brown algae (kelp). But on average we eat too little of it to meet our iodine requirements. Be honest, how often do you eat a sheet of seaweed?
How can you recognize a possible iodine deficiency and sluggish thyroid function (hypothyroidism) as a result?
– cold hands and feet
– fragile nails and hair
– swollen throat
– hoarse voice
– fatigue
– weight gain
– growth retardation, developmental disorder
– swollen face
– constipation
– red dots (blood dots) on the torso
– Reduced fertility
A number of cancers are related to iodine deficiency including (thyroid, prostate, ovarian and breast)
How can you recognize an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
– feeling agitated, palpitations
– increased appetite
– weight loss
– heat, excessive sweating
– diarrhea, accelerated digestion
– abnormal menstrual cycle
For a properly functioning thyroid gland, it is important that iodine is in balance with selenium. Brazil nuts are rich in selenium. About 5 Brazil nuts per day already meets the daily selenium requirement.
Supplementing iodine independently is not without risk and I therefore advise you to always do this in consultation with a therapist. It can have a serious adverse effect such as triggering/exacerbating Hashimoto’s disease (autoimmune disease).
Do you want to know about your iodine status and thyroid function and any antibodies? You can have this examined through blood and urine tests.
