Iodine benefits your body by helping yourthyroid glandmake thyroid hormone.
Your body can’t produce iodine independently.
Instead, you must obtain it through your diet or as a supplement.
Illustration by JR Bee for Verywell Health
Iodized salt is the primary source of this mineral in the United States.
That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says.
What is Iodine and How Does the Supplement Work?
What Is Iodine?
Iodine is an essential mineral found in foods, such as fish and dairy products.
Most people get enough iodine from iodized salt.
What Are the Health Benefits of Iodine?
Both of these hormones contain iodide (a form of iodine).
Some of these uses are better supported by research than others.
Fetal Development
About 50% more iodine isrequired during pregnancyto meet fetal developmental needs.
Later, they also measured the children’s intelligence quotient (IQ) at age 8.
The study found that even mild iodine deficiency in pregnancy had long-term cognitive effects.
These effects did not resolve with sufficient iodine intake during childhood.
Iodine deficiency can impair cognitive and motor development in children.
In adults it can also lower IQ and affect productivity.
Fibrocystic Breasts
Fibrocystic breastsare a benign condition where breast tissue is lumpy.
Only use topical iodine under the guidance of a healthcare provider and follow the medication instructions carefully.
Thyroid cells need iodine to make thyroid hormone.
Goiter is often the first sign of iodine deficiency.
This enlargement happens because the thyroid grows to take a stab at absorb as much iodine as possible.
In addition to cancer treatments, iodine may also help prevent thyroid cancer after nuclear emergencies.
Nuclear accidents can release radioactive iodine into the environment, increasing the risk of thyroid cancer in those exposed.
The FDA recommends potassium iodide as a thyroid blocking agent in nuclear emergencies.
Side Effects of Iodine
Your healthcare provider may recommend you take iodine during pregnancy or for deficiency.
However, consuming a supplement like iodine may have potential side effects.
These may be common or severe.
In general, moderate iodine consumption from iodized salt or the food in your diet shouldn’t cause problems.
That is because the body eliminates extra iodine through the urine.
Allergies and sensitivities to iodine have been reported.
However, more recent research suggests thatiodine allergiesmay actually be due to another substance and not iodine.
Usually, this occurs with exposure to iodine contrast material for medical testing, not from iodine supplements.
Since the introduction of iodized salt, iodine deficiency has been rare in the U.S.
It is sometimes visible or palpable through the neck.
Newborn screening tests can detect iodine deficiency in infants.
Deficiency may cause babies to developcongenital hypothyroidism.
Symptoms may include trouble eating, excessive sleepiness, or constipation.
Sometimes, it may not cause any symptoms at all.
In addition, pregnant people need higher amounts to support the developing fetus.
The United States Institute of Medicine recommends the amount of iodine a person should ingest daily.
During pregnancy the recommended intake of iodine is 220 mcg per day.
When breastfeeding, it’s 290 mcg per day.
Normal urinary iodine concentrations range between 100 and 200 micrograms per liter.
Values lower than 20 micrograms per liter suggest inadequate iodine intake.
Iodine Sources
Iodine is found in food sources and is also available as a supplement.
Most people can meet their iodine needs through food sources.
However, this concentration may differ depending on the manufacturer.
For precise amounts, check the labels nutritional information.
In addition, plenty of foods contain iodine.
Fish andseaweedare the foods richest in iodine.
Other iodine-rich foods include:
Supplements
Vitamins and supplements vary in their iodine content.
you might find the specific amount of iodine on the label.
Talk with your healthcare provider before taking a supplement.
Iodine supplements most often come as potassium iodide or sodium iodide.
Iodine is quickly absorbed in the stomach andsmall intestine.
Next, it travels through the bloodstream.
From there, iodine receptors located in the thyroid bind to it and take it in.
Do not use iodine supplements unless you are diagnosed with iodine deficiency.
If you need iodine supplements, your healthcare provider will give you a prescription.
You might also be able to use an OTC supplement.
If so, verify that the dose is exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
These hormones have essential roles in regulating body weight and maintaining energy.
Iodine deficiency can result in an enlarged thyroid, called a goiter.
It can also lead to hypothyroidism, where the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones.
Common sources of iodine include salt, supplements, and foods like vegetables and seafood.
Consult a healthcare provider before taking any supplements.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Iodine.
2019 Jun 05;11(6):].Nutrients.
2017;9(12):1354.
Published 2017 Dec 13. doi:10.3390/nu9121354
World Health Organization.Nutrition: effects of iodine deficiency.
2018;27(3):333-340. doi:10.1089/jwh.2017.6406
UpToDate.Iodine content in some iodine-containing medications and radiographic contrast agents.
Chung HR.Iodine and thyroid function.Ann Pediatr Endocrinol Metab.
2014;19(1):8. doi:10.6065/apem.2014.19.1.8
Temple Health.Iodine deficiency.
American Cancer Society.Radioactive iodine (radioiodine) therapy for thyroid cancer.
Nauman J, Wolff J.Iodide prophylaxis in Poland after the Chernobyl reactor accident: benefits and risks.Am J Med.
Wulf NR, Schmitz J, Choi A, Kapusnik-Uner J.Iodine allergy: Common misperceptions.Am J Health Syst Pharm.
2013;22(3):149-154. doi:10.1055/s-0033-1348885
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.
Merck Manual Consumer Version.Iodine deficiency.
American Thyroid Association.Hypothyroidism (underactive).
American Thyroid Association.Hypothyroidism in children and adolescents.
U.S. National Library of Medicine.Congenital hypothyroidism.
Kalra S, Unnikrishnan AG, Sahay R.The hypoglycemic side of hypothyroidism.Indian J Endocrinol Metab.
2014;18(1):1-3.doi:+10.4103/2230-8210.126517
