Iodine Deficiency Is on the Rise—Experts Share Symptoms and How to Protect Your Thyroid
Experts warn that the condition is making a comeback
A trace element known as iodine plays a major role in our health, powering the thyroid gland to regulate metabolism. But a recent paper published in Nutrients reveals that “mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency is common and appears to be increasing.” As many as 45 percent of people worldwide are currently considered deficient in the mineral. Here, everything you need to know about iodine deficiency symptoms and how to keep yourself safe from this sneaky nutrient shortfall.
What does iodine do, and why do we need it?
In short: The body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones. “As the key mineral to support thyroid health, iodine is essential for health and weight control. It is found in every single one of the body’s trillion cells,” explains Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, a New York Times bestselling author who has worked on the front lines of integrative and functional medicine for four decades.
“If we don’t have enough iodine, we don’t make enough thyroid hormone to regulate our metabolism and our heart rate and all of the things that make our body work correctly,” adds biochemist and doctor of clinical nutrition Dee McCaffrey, CNS, founder of Processed Free America. “So iodine is crucial.”
Woman's World Answers
Iodine deficiency was once very common
More than 100 years ago, Americans were becoming deficient in the mineral iodine. It was causing problems like swelling in the neck—called a goiter—which signals that the thyroid had become inflamed from too much work and a low level of thyroid hormones. You may have heard of the Rust Belt and the Bible Belt. Well, the Upper Midwest became home to the “Goiter Belt” because this health problem was so pervasive.
That’s when the government stepped in and decided to implement a public-health initiative to fortify table salt with iodine. And it worked to correct deficiencies. But now, a century later, deficiencies are becoming common once again. McCaffrey, host of the Diet Science podcast, even called it, “A dietary problem from the past that is making a comeback.”
Iodine deficiency symptoms
Seeing a lump or swelling in the neck (aka goiter) is a sure sign of iodine deficiency triggering an underactive thyroid or hypothyroid disease. More subtle signs of mild iodine deficiency include:
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Trouble swallowing
- Feeling cold
- Developing thinning hair or brittle nails
If you’re concerned you may be deficient, ask your doctor for a thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) blood test.
What causes an iodine deficiency?
Today, our bodies are under constant assault from environmental toxins that deplete vital mineral stores. Various toxins need minerals to be neutralized so they are less harmful, while other toxins can block or interfere with mineral absorption and use.
For example, chemicals from pesticides, fertilizers, flame retardants and cigarette smoke can disrupt our endocrine glands, including our thyroid, according to research published in the International Journal of Molecular Science.
“One toxin called perchlorate can “interfere with thyroid hormone production by blocking iodine uptake,” explains Fred Pescatore, MD, author of The Hamptons Diet.
Gittleman adds, “Sadly, iodine is often displaced by fluoride, chlorine and bromine in today’s toxic environment, so it is more important than ever before to be on the lookout for deficiencies.”
Why iodine deficiencies are becoming more common
There are several factors that are driving the increase in iodine deficiency…
- Changing salt habits. People aren’t eating iodized salt like they used to. In the 1950s, 70 percent of households used iodized salt. But a 2015 Nutrients study found that only 53 percent of table salt now sold in US grocery stores contains added iodine. Instead, people are embracing popular trends for sea salt, Kosher salt and pink Himalayan salt, which are not fortified. They only hold trace amounts of iodine and not enough to correct a deficiency.
- Lack of seafood access. Many people, especially those living away from the coasts, aren’t eating enough sea vegetables (like kelp and seaweed) or wild seafood, which are the richest food sources of iodine.
- Weakened farm soil. It has been reported that minerals in most agricultural land have been depleted over the years, reducing the amount of iodine available.
- Using plant-based dairy alternatives. As some people move away from drinking traditional milk, they are consuming more dairy alternatives like soy milk. Soy is believed to interfere with iodine absorption, finds a study published in Thyroid.
Women are more susceptible to iodine deficiency
Women are as much as 12 times more likely to suffer from iodine deficiency than men, according to data from Cambridge University Press. The report, which followed participants for 19 years, also confirmed that “iodine deficiency increased substantially with age.”
“The iodine need for older women is much greater than we ever suspected.” – Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS
In the past, iodine deficiency popped up mostly in women of child-bearing age, especially those who were pregnant or breastfeeding. But Gittleman explains, “The iodine need for older women is much greater than we ever suspected. Iodine is crucial for post-menopausal age as it protects against excess estrogen from environmental assaults.”
She notes that iodine isn’t just stored and used in the thyroid, it is also needed in the breast tissue and ovaries. What’s more, women’s ability to absorb minerals through the gut decreases over their lifetime. And many women adopt low-sodium diets for health reasons as they age, taking iodized salt literally off the table.
How to treat iodine deficiency
“Iodine is a trace mineral, so we don’t need a lot of it, but we do need some of it,” says McCaffrey. A normal iodine level in your body is around 15 to 20 mg, with up to 80 percent of that needed in the thyroid.
Surprisingly, using iodized salt isn’t considered the best solution for people treating iodine deficiency. Why? Those fortified salts can contain hidden sugar (or dextrose), which can affect people including diabetics who are watching their blood sugar levels. McCaffrey says, “It’s a very processed type of salt.”
Instead, here are healthier ways to boost your iodine intake:
Tweak your diet
Eat seafood like tuna and shrimp or sushi wrapped in seaweed. Eggs can also be rich in iodine if the chickens ate feed grown in iodine-rich soil. For an easy, on-the-go snack try Gimme Organic Roasted Seaweed sheets.
Swap your salt
McCaffrey suggests a special sea salt to her clients that contains finely ground dried seaweed. Try: Selina Naturally Celtic Sea Salt Gourmet Seaweed Seasoning.
Take iodine supplements
The recommended daily intake of iodine is 150 to 220 mcg per day (the equivalent of 0.15 to 0.22 mg) “which is incredibly insufficient considering that the thyroid alone can require 5 to 7 mg,” says Gittleman. “In order to neutralize the toxic elements displacing iodine from our food and water, I feel everyone can benefit from a 6.25 mg or 12.5 mg daily dose of iodine.”
She adds, “I would suggest a supplement that contains a combination of molecular iodine, potassium iodide and sodium iodide.” One to try: EuroMedica Tri-Iodine.
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