Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

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...

 Home
Diseases
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
ICF syndrome
Ichthyophobia
Ichthyosis vulgaris
Idiopathic...
Imperforate anus
Inborn error of metabolism
Incontinentia pigmenti
Infant respiratory...
Infantile spinal muscular...
Infective endocarditis
Inflammatory breast cancer
Influenza
Inguinal hernia
Insulinoma
Interstitial cystitis
Iodine deficiency
Iridocyclitis
Iritis
Irritable bowel syndrome
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Medicines

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.

Read more at Wikipedia.org
• [List your site here Free!]

Iodine levels - Brief Article
From Pediatrics for Parents, 7/1/03 by Richard J. Sagall

For infants and children, proper thyroid function is essential for their growth and development. Many foods, including salt and milk, contain added iodine. Inadequate iodine consumption, resulting in poor thyroid function (hypothyroidism), causes growth retardation, delayed skeletal growth, decreased physical activity, and other problems.

Doctors at Boston University School of Medicine measured the iodine content of the breast milk of 14 women. Five had iodine levels less than 10 micrograms per deciliter. For proper growth and development, the World Health Organization recommends that infants consume between 90 and 110 micrograms of iodine per day. The average daily breast milk consumption is around 1 liter. This means some of these infants aren't getting the recommended amount of iodine.

Infant formula contains varying amounts of iodine, sometimes more than the amount stated on their labels. Iodine is found in many other foods: milk, bread, and, of course, iodized salt.

Elizabeth Pearce, MD, the lead researcher of this study, suggests that pregnant and lactating women take a supplement containing iodine. However, she said that iodine supplements are hard to find. One solution is drinking extra milk since it contains a high level of iodine.

Family Practice News, 3/1/03.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Pediatrics for Parents, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

Return to Iodine deficiency
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay