How often do you eat oysters, seaweed, eggs, or Greek yogurt?
These foods are rich in iodine, a mineral that supports thyroid function and immune
health.
Low iodine levels can affect thyroid hormone production, leading to goiter, cognitive deficits,
or hypothyroidism, researchers also say that more than 683 million people worldwide don't
get enough of this nutrient in their diet.
Pregnant women, vegans, and individuals who eat few or no dairy foods, eggs, and fish
may be at risk for iodine deficiency.
The human body cannot produce this nutrient on its own, explains Harvard T.H.
Chan School of Public Health.
Therefore, it's essential to consume iodine-rich foods, such as sea vegetables, beef liver,
poultry, and iodized salt.
Dietary supplements may be necessary, too.
Your thyroid gland needs iodine to produce thyroxine and triiodothyronine, two hormones
that regulate metabolism and other biological processes.
The recommended daily intake is 150 micrograms per day for adults and children over 14 years
old.
If you're pregnant, aim for about 220 micrograms per day, recommends the NIH.
Let's see what happens when you're iodine deficient, and how to recognize the signs.
A diet low in iodine can affect your thyroid.
Therefore, vegans and individuals with lactose intolerance may have a hard time getting this
nutrient from food, low-iodine diets can affect thyroid function, increasing the risk of goiter
and hypothyroidism.
Goiter, or thyroid enlargement, may cause fatigue, muscle weakness, memory problems,
dry skin, drowsiness, constipation, and diminished mental focus.
Some people also experience difficulty breathing and swallowing.
Hypothyroidism has similar symptoms, including constipation, fatigue, and increased sensitivity
to cold notes the American Thyroid Association.
If left unaddressed, this condition can lead to impaired mental function and affect your
ability to work, says the NIH.
Chronic iodine deficiency may contribute to follicular thyroid cancer, a disorder that
accounts for 15-20% of all thyroid cancers, its symptoms appear in the later stages of
the disease and include a lump in the neck, breathing problems, couching, hoarseness,
and voice changes.
Iodine deficiency may also cause pregnancy complications.
As discussed earlier, pregnant women are more likely to become deficient in iodine.
If that happens, they may experience stillbirth or deliver their babies prematurely.
There is also a risk of miscarriage, warns the American Thyroid Association.
Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can affect your child, too.
This condition may cause hearing and speech problems, cognitive deficits, and cretinism.
On top of that, it can affect your child's growth and development.
The best thing you can do is to prevent these problems in the first place.
For starters, include more milk, yogurt, cheese, seafood, cod, eggs, and iodized salt in your
diet.
Dried seaweed (nori) is another option that provides 155% of the recommended daily iodine
intake per serving (per the NIH).
A 3-ounce serving of baked cod supplies 106% of the recommended daily iodine intake.
Another option is to swap regular bread for whole-wheat bread containing iodate dough
conditioners.
Pregnant women and other groups at risk for iodine deficiency can also take dietary supplements
formulated with potassium or sodium iodide, over 96% of supplemental potassium iodide
is absorbed into the body.
Prenatal supplements may contain iodine, high iodine intakes are likely safe for healthy
individuals.
However, some people are sensitive to this compound and may develop hyperthyroidism due
to excess iodine.
To stay on the safe side, consult a doctor before making any major changes to your diet.