Why Iodine Is A Nutrient You Can’t Live Without.

"Why Iodine Is A Nutrient You Can’t Live Without" SERIOUSLY.

WHAT IS IODINE DEFICIENCY? Iodine deficiency is when your body does not get enough iodine for the thyroid gland to work normally.

Thyroid cells need iodine to make thyroid hormone. If you do not have enough iodine in your body, you cannot make enough thyroid hormone. Iodine deficiency can cause: your thyroid gland to grow too big goiter – see Goiter brochure, your thyroid gland to not make enough thyroid hormone hypothyroidism see Hypothyroidism brochure, intellectual disabilities in babies whose mothers did not have enough iodine during pregnancy.

The body does not make iodine, so you need to get it from the foods you eat. Iodine is found in various food. Before the 1920s, iodine deficiency was common in the Great Lakes, Appalachian, and Northwestern United States regions and in most of Canada. When people started using iodized salt, iodine deficiency became much less common in the U.S. and Canada.

Today, people in many parts of the world still do not have enough iodine and iodine deficiency continues to be a public health problem. About 30% of the people in the world are at risk for iodine deficiency.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF IODINE DEFICIENCY?

All the symptoms of iodine deficiency are due to its effect on the thyroid gland: GOITER – When iodine levels are too low, the thyroid gland gets bigger a goiter as it tries to make more thyroid hormone. Worldwide, iodine deficiency is the most common cause of goiter (see Goiter brochure).

Within a goiter, thyroid nodules can develop. If you have a large goiter, you may have symptoms of neck pressure or a feeling of choking, especially when lying down, as well as difficulty swallowing and breathing.

HYPOTHYROIDISM – Without enough iodine to make thyroid hormone, hypothyroidism may develop. While this is uncommon in the United States, iodine deficiency is a common cause of hypothyroidism worldwide. Treating your iodine deficiency by getting iodine from your foods or supplements can help correct this form of hypothyroidism. Adding iodine through foods or supplements is not needed and will not be helpful if you have hypothyroidism from another cause such as autoimmune thyroiditis Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or if you are taking thyroid hormone medication.

IMPORTANT: PREGNANCY-RELATED PROBLEMS – Iodine deficiency is especially important in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Severe iodine deficiency in a pregnant mother can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm delivery, and birth defects in the baby. Babies born to mothers with severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy can have intellectual disabilities and problems with growth, hearing, and speech.

IMPORTANT: In the most severe form, an underactive thyroid due to iodine deficiency can result in the medical condition called cretinism, which can cause permanent brain damage, deaf mutism, spasticity, and short stature.

Iodine deficiency is still the most common preventable cause of intellectual disabilities in the world.

Even mild iodine deficiency during pregnancy, which may be present in some women in the United States, may be associated with low intelligence in children.

SEE: https://www.thyroid.org/iodine-deficiency/ Fore more Information on "Why Iodine Is A Nutrient You Can’t Do Without" SERIOUSLY.

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