Health in the CNMI: Are you deficient in iodine?

MOST people are deficient, because the foods we eat do not contain enough dietary iodine, and this can cause — or contribute to — a vast array of health problems.

Once again I revisit Dr. Axe: https://draxe.com/iodine-deficiency/# and he has many interesting and valuable things to say about iodine.

“Did you know that iodine deficiency is now regarded by the World Health Organization as the most prevalent and easily preventable case of impaired cognitive development in children in the world? There are at least 30 million suffering from this preventable condition.

“Iodine is a trace mineral and an essential component of the thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine and thyroxine. These hormones regulate the metabolic activities of most cells and play a vital role in the process of early growth and development of most organs, especially the brain. Inadequate intake of iodine-rich foods leads to insufficient production of these hormones, which adversely affect the muscle, heart, liver, kidney and the developing brain.

“Here are iodine deficiency statistics which may surprise you:

“The National Health Nutritional Examination Survey reported that iodine levels have decreased by 50 percent in the last 30 years.

“More than 96 percent of over 5,000 patients tested were iodine deficient, in a clinical study conducted by thyroid expert Dr. David Brownstein.

“According to the WHO, iodine deficiency affects 72 percent of the world’s population.

In 2011, 70 percent of households globally had access to iodized salt.

“The term iodine deficiency disorders has been coined to represent the different array of disorder that result from iodine deficiency in a population. These disorders are all preventable if the appropriate dose of iodine is administered. Common disorders that result from iodine deficiency are: hypothyroidism, increased cholesterol levels, endemic goiter, cretinism, decreased fertility rate, increased infant mortality, fibrocystic breast disease, atherosclerosis and breast cancer.

Six possible risk factors linked to iodine deficiency

“When iodine intake becomes severely low, the thyroid compensates for the decreased levels by developing a swollen thyroid gland, known as a goiter, in order to absorb as much available iodine. The FDA currently has set RDA for iodine at 150 micrograms, which is efficient enough to eliminate goiters which are prevalent in iodine-deficient areas. The following are potential risk factors that may lead to iodine deficiency.

1. Low dietary iodine

“Unlike nutrients such as calcium, iron or vitamins, iodine does not occur naturally in specific foods; rather, it is present in the soil and is ingested through foods grown on that soil.

“In the early 1920s, Switzerland was the first country to fortify table salt with iodine to control cretinism and endemic goiter. In the 1970s and 1980s, controlled studies showed that iodine supplementation before and during pregnancy not only improved cognitive function, but eliminated new cases of cretinism.

“Iodine is obtained primarily through diet, but can be obtained from iodine supplementation. Food that is found primarily in sea life, iodine is absorbed into the body through the consumption of sea vegetables and seafood. Other food sources such as nuts, seeds, beans, turnips, garlic and onions are good sources, provided that the soil contains sufficient quantities of iodine.

2. Pregnancy

“According to the journal Pediatrics, about one-third of pregnant women in the U.S. are iodine-deficient. Currently, only about 15 percent of breastfeeding and pregnant women take iodine supplements.

“Supplemental iodine is commonly in the form of sodium iodide or potassium iodide. Severe iodine deficiency is associated with stunted mental and physical growth, and even marginal iodine deficiency can impair brain functioning in infants. Supplementation should include at least 150 micrograms of iodide, and use iodized table salt. Combined intake from supplements and food should be 290 to 1,100 micrograms a day. Potassium iodine is the preferred form.

3. Tobacco smoke

“This contains a compound called thiocyanate. The inhibitory effects of thiocyanate on the uptake of iodide is through competitive inhibition of the iodide transport mechanism and may be responsible for the reduction of levels. Other substances in tobacco smoke that can impair thyroid function are hydroxypyridine metabolites, nicotine and benzapyrenes. Tobacco smoke, not only has an effect on thyroid function, but can also block thyroid hormone action.

4. Fluoridated and chlorinated water

“Tap water contains fluoride and chlorine which can inhibit the absorption of iodine. In a study, where researchers used the Wechsler Intelligence Test to determine the IQs of a total of 329 eight to fourteen-year-old children, living in nine high-fluoride, low-iodine villages and in seven villages that had only low levels of iodine. As discovered, the IQs of children from the high-fluoride, low-iodine villages, were lower than those from the villages with low iodine alone.

How you can prevent iodine deficiency

“Good sources of iodine include seafood, dairy products (usually due to the use of iodine feed supplements and iodophor sanitizing agents in the dairy industry) and eggs. Dairy products, especially raw milk and grain products, are the major contributors of iodine to the American diet. Iodine is also present in infant formulas and human breast milk.

“Iodine content in fruits and vegetables varies, depending upon the iodine content in the soil, irrigation practices, and fertilizer that was used. Iodine concentrations in plants can vary in range as little as 10 mcg/kg to 1 mg/kg dry weight This variability influences the iodine content of animal products and meat because it affects the iodine content of foods that the animals consume.

“In the United States, iodized salt contains 45 micrograms iodine per gram of salt, which can be found in one-eighth to one-fourth teaspoon. Non-iodized salt is almost always used by food manufacturers, considering the majority of the salt intake comes from processed foods.

“This is one of the reasons, however, that I recommend that you use benefit-rich sea salt instead and get your iodine through it, certain foods and supplementation rather than iodizing table salt. Sea salt (Himalayan or Celtic salt) contains more than 60 trace minerals and doesn’t pose a risk for over-consuming iodine the way table salt can. It’s more beneficial and natural; plus it tastes better.”

Although I use Himalayan salt exclusively, I use it sparingly. Therefore I often add a drop of liquid supplemental iodine to my daily health drink.

As Ben Franklin once observed: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Opinions expressed by Marianas Variety contributors are their own.