There is simply no question that optimizing your iodine levels is essential for thyroid health. Hypothyroidism disproportionately affects women at a rate of about 9 to 1 in the US. The reason for this is that the female hormone estrogen inhibits the absorption of iodine.
Your Body Needs Iodine for More than Just Your Thyroid
There are a number of interesting facts about iodine that are not widely known. For example, did you know that thyroid hormones are created not just in your thyroid, but also in a woman’s ovaries (thyroid T2), and in the white blood cells of your bone marrow? Iodine is not only required for proper function of your thyroid… other tissues that absorb and use large amounts of iodine include:
- Breasts
- Salivary glands
- Pancreas
- Cerebral spinal fluid
- Skin
- Stomach
- Brain
- Thymus
Iodine deficiency, or insufficiency, in any of these tissues can lead to dysfunction of that tissue. Hence the following symptoms could provide clues that you’re not getting enough iodine in your diet. For example, iodine deficiency in:
- Salivary glands = inability to produce saliva, producing dry mouth
- Skin = dry skin, and lack of sweating. Three to four weeks of iodine supplementation will typically reverse this symptom, allowing your body to sweat normally again
- Brain = reduced alertness, and lowered IQ
- Muscles = nodules, scar tissue, pain, fibrosis, fibromyalgia
The US RDA (which the world follows) May Be Insufficient
It is important to know that the current US daily recommended allowance (RDA) for iodine was set with the intention to prevent goiter only. Many physicians have made compelling arguments for the iodine recommendation being completely insufficient for overall physical health and prevention of diseases such as thyroid disease, fibromyalgia, and cancer.
If you have any questions about your health and nutrition, just let me know!