Health bulletin
How much iodine is too much?
Iodine deficiency is a major health problem worldwide, but a new study points to the potential downsides of too much iodine.
Iodine deficiency during fetal and early-childhood development is a leading cause of brain impairments. As a result, most researches have been directed at the effects of inadequate iodine. Less is known about how much Iodine is too much.
In a recent study, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Chinese researchers randomly assigned healthy adults to take various doses of iodine supplements for four weeks. They found that at relatively higher doses — 400 micrograms a day and up — study participants began developing what is called subclinical hypothyroidism. That refers to a dip in the body's thyroid hormone levels, but with no obvious symptoms of hypothyroidism, but studies have linked it to an increased risk of heart disease over the long term.
Experts from the U.S., recommended that adults should get 150 micrograms of Iodine each day; pregnant women should get 220 micrograms, while breastfeeding moms are told to get 290 micrograms.
The American Thyroid Association recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women take a vitamin with Iodine because low Iodine can increase the risk of miscarriage and thyroid problems in moms, in addition to mental disabilities in babies.
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