Who’s at Risk of Iodine Deficiency?
Iodine, a mineral naturally found in some foods and added to others, helps our bodies run smoothly. Data presented in a study published in Endocrine Reviews, a peer-reviewed journal, indicated that as of 2009, approximately two billion individuals around the world have an inadequate iodine intake. While people living in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are most at risk of iodine deficiency, about 50% of all Europeans are mildly iodine deficient and rates of iodine intake are falling in countries including Australia and the United States too.
The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements states that certain people have a greater risk of developing iodine deficiency. Factors that increase your risk of iodine deficiency include:
- Not using iodized salt: The whole reason iodized salt was developed was to create an affordable and practical way to combat iodine deficiency. Consuming just half a teaspoon will meet the daily iodine requirement for most people. It is possible to meet your iodine intake requirements without salt if you include enough foods high in iodine in your diet.
- Being pregnant: During pregnancy, you need about 50% more iodine to support safe, healthy fetal development. Research makes it clear that in the United States as well as other countries, many pregnant women don’t get an optimal supply of iodine.
- Living in regions with iodine-deficient soil: Foods grown in iodine-depleted soil consequently contain less iodine, meaning that people living in those regions who consume those foods get less iodine from their diets. Places known to have soil with low iodine levels include mountain regions like the Himalayas, the Alps, and the Andes, as well as river valleys in South and Southeast Asia.
- Eating foods that contain goitrogens: Goitrogens, compounds that inhibit your body’s use of iodine, can be found in soy as well as cruciferous vegetables such as cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. If you regularly include these foods in your diet, you’ll need to counteract that by eating plenty of iodine-rich foods.
For most adults, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for iodine is 150 micrograms. Failing to meet that minimum threshold can result in symptoms like:
- Dry mouth
- Difficulty digesting food
- Fatigue
- Changes to skin health, including dry skin
- Poor concentration
- Widespread muscle pains and weakness
- Weight gain or loss unrelated to diet and activity
- Shifting moods
- Hormone imbalances
AGING = MUSCLE LOSS = DISEASE ARE YOU AT RISK: LEARN MORE
