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Iodine deficiency

Iodine is an essential trace element; the thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodotyronine contain iodine. In areas where there is little iodine in the diet—typically remote inland areas where no marine foods are eaten—iodine deficiency gives rise to goitre, so called endemic goitre. more...

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Iodine deficiency is particularly common in the Western Pacific, South-East Asia and Africa. Iodine deficiency is also associated with poverty. In many (but not all) such areas, this is now prevented by the addition of small amounts of iodine to table salt in form of sodium iodide, potassium iodide, potassium iodate—this product is known as iodized salt.

Iodine deficiency is the leading cause of mental retardation, producing typical reductions in IQ of 10 to 15 IQ points. It has been speculated that deficiency of iodine and other micronutrients may be a possible factor in observed differences in IQ between ethnic groups: see race and intelligence for a further discussion of this controversial issue.

In a not widely accepted theory, geographer Jeremy Dobson has suggested that Neandertals exhibit characteristics similar to modern humans with iodine deficiency, or cretinism.

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Hypothyroxinemia, iodine deficiency, and subtle changes in migration and cytoarchitecture - Correspondence
From Environmental Health Perspectives, 4/1/04 by Offie P. Soldin

In the Guest Editorial in the September issue of EHP, Zoeller (2003) commented on an article by Lavado-Autric et al. (2003). Lavado-Autric et al. (2003) used the term "hypothyroxinemia" in this article to indicate that thyroxine ([T.sub.4]) or free [T.sub.4] concentrations are low compared with values usually found at the same stage of pregnancy in normal women with adequate iodine intake, with or without the presence of clinical or subclinical hypothyroidism (when thyroid-stimulating hormone is above normal values). This is important because, in many instances, women in iodine-deficient populations are hypothyroxinemic; these women are not clinically hypothyroidal because they have normal or above-normal levels of circulating 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine ([T.sub.3]) that can be supplied to the tissues.

It is important to note that the rats in the study were treated drastically by Lavado-Autric et al. (2003). The dams were first fed a diet with a low iodine content (LID) for 10 days and given an incredibly high amount of a goitrogen--1% perchlorate (KCI[O.sub.4])--in the drinking water re lower the initial content of iodine-containing compounds in the thyroid gland; the 1% KCI[O.sub.4] was then withdrawn. After dividing the rats into three groups, Lavado-Autric et al. (2003) treated one group with LID containing potassium iodide (LID-plus-KI) to ensure a normal iodine intake (approximately 10 [micro]g iodine/day), the second group with LID alone (LID-1), and the third group with LID containing 0.005% KCI[O.sub.4] (LID-2). This third treatment was used to further decrease thyroid uptake of the small amounts of iodine contained in the LID itself and in the supplements given to the rats throughout pregnancy and lactation to prevent nutritional deficiencies other than iodine.

In his editorial, Zoeller (2003) stated the following:

This was not subtle TH insufficiency. In fact, Lavado-Autric et al. (2003) stated that

As a result,

The author declares he has no competing financial interests.

Offie P. Soldin

Lombardi Cancer Center

Georgetown University Medical Center

Washington, DC

E-mail: os35@georgetown.edu

REFERENCES

Lavado-Autric R, Auso A, Garcia-Velasco JV, Arufe Mdel C, Escobar del Rey F, Bethel P, et al. 2003. Early maternal hypothyroxinemia alters histogenesis and cerebral cortex cytoarchitecture of the progeny. J Clin Invest 111(7):1073-1082.

Zoeller RT. 2003. Thyroid toxicology and brain development: should we think differently? [Editorial]. Environ Health Perspect 111:A628.

COPYRIGHT 2004 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

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