It can lead to problems breathing or swallowing but often doesn’t cause other symptoms.
More than 2 billion people experience iodine deficiency, according to World Health Organization estimates.
Causes
Iodine deficiency occurs due to inadequate levels in the diet.
Illustration by JR Bee for Verywell Health
What is Iodine and How Does the Supplement Work?
These types of food include:
You may also find supplements that provide iodine.
Multivitamins and prenatal vitamins that contain iodine are recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Iodine is key to the production of hormones called thyroxine (T4) andtriiodothyronine(T3).
Thyroid tests can assess these hormone levels.
Without consuming enough iodine in your diet, your thyroid will be unable to produce enough of either hormone.
Treatment
Treatment of iodine deficiency may involve boosting intake levels as a first-line intervention.
It may relieve symptoms, including the size of any goiter that’s developed.
Your healthcare provider may recommend takinglevothyroxine(thyroid hormone replacement medication) as well as increasing your iodine intake.
Some people undergoingradioactive iodinetreatment for thyroid cancer may have intentionally low dietary iodine levels that need to be monitored.
Iodine intake also can affect how effective certain medications are.
Intellectual disability also can occur.
Summary
Iodine deficiency can occur when your dietary iodine intake is too low.
2021 Dec 14;13(12):4469. doi:10.3390/nu13124469
Office of Dietary Supplements.Iodine Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
American Thyroid Association.Thyroid and Weight.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Iodine and Breastfeeding.
doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2020.06.052
World Health Organization.Iodine supplementation in pregnant and lactating women.
Hatch-McChesney A, Lieberman HR.Iodine and Iodine Deficiency: A Comprehensive Review of a Re-Emerging Issue.Nutrients.
World Health Organization.Assessment of iodine deficiency disorders and monitoring their elimination.
