Iodine

You are probably familiar with iodine from the periodic table and chemistry class. Iodine is a chemical element bearing the symbol “I” and the atomic number 53. It is a solid, insoluble that is required as a trace element for living organisms. Iodine is bluish-black in color. It is a lustrous solid that, when volatized, turns into a blue-violet gas with an irritating odor. It probably got its name from the Greek “iodes” which means “violet.”

Iodine was discovered by Courtois in 1811. He found that this halogen occurs sparingly in the form of iodides in sea water. The iodides are then assimilated by seaweeds, Chilean saltpeter, nitrate-bearing earth (known as caliche), brines from old sea deposits, and in brackish waters from oil and salt wells. Iodine may also be produced through a reaction between potassium iodide and copper sulfate.

Health Benefits

Vital for good thyroid function, iodine is the element used to treat goiter. It helps maintain and regulate the vital functions of the thyroid gland, thus making it a key element in maintaining health. Deficiency of iodine during pregnancy and early infancy can result in an irreversible mental retardation and severe motor impairment called cretinism.

Low or high iodine intake in adults can cause hypothyroidism. This condition manifests itself slowly and that’s why only very few people are aware of it until too late. Hypothyroidism is characterized by low energy levels, dry or scaly, yellowish skin, tingling and numbness in extremities, weight gain, forgetfulness, personality changes, depression, anaemia, and prolonged and heavy periods in women. As a result of this condition, the thyroid gland may swell resulting in goiter. In addition, hypothyroidism may cause carpal tunnel syndrome and Raynaud’s phenomenon, both of which are severe nerve disorders. Cholesterol and homocysteine levels are also said to increase due to hypothyroidism. In cases of high cholesterol levels, about 10 percent were said to have hypothyroidism. When the condition was corrected, 30% dropped their cholesterol levels and thus implicating how this condition can affect cholesterol levels in humans.

Iodine is notorious for having a relatively narrow range of intakes in order to reliably support good thyroid function. Too little iodine results in hypothyroidism which brings with it a whole array of other diseases. However, it is important to know that too much iodine intake is bad as well. In fact, over consumption of iodine may result in complex disruptive effects on the thyroid. It may cause hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism in susceptible individuals, and even increase the risk of getting thyroid cancer.

Hyperthyroidism often occurs particularly in elderly people, due to long-term slight iodine deficiency, resulting in additional nodules on the thyroid. This condition is characterized by an enlarged thyroid (goiter), heart rate irregularities, tremor, sweating, palpitations, nervousness, and increased activity and eye abnormalities.

Special Tips

When speaking about the correct intake amount of iodine, 20 micrograms or less a day is considered severe deficiency. A moderate deficiency is 20-50 micrograms per day while 50-100 micrograms a day is considered only mild deficiency. The recommended dosage for iodine is about 150 micrograms per day.

If you’re using seaweeds as your source of iodine, make sure that you use those reported to have a fairly consistent iodine content. These are kelp (kombu) and hijiki. However, do not take kelp excessively in an effort to lose weight by overstimulating the thyroid. This is a dangerous practice.