11 Benefits of Iodine

Iodine, one of nature's important elements, plays many vital roles in health and is also indispensable in industry and technology. The benefits of iodine are critical for the proper functioning of the human body, and they also underpin the effectiveness and innovation of industrial processes.

What Is Iodine?

Iodine is a mineral found naturally in the soil of the earth and in ocean waters. Many saltwater and plant-based foods contain iodine, but the mineral is found most commonly in iodised salt.

It is important to get enough iodine in your diet, because this mineral helps regulate hormones, foetal development and more.

What Are the Benefits of Iodine?

The benefits of iodine include:

Supports Thyroid Health

Iodine plays a vital role in thyroid health, because your thyroid takes in small amounts of iodine to make thyroid hormones. Without iodine, thyroid hormone production can fall. An "underactive" thyroid gland can lead to a condition called hypothyroidism.

While iodine supports overall thyroid health, taking in too much iodine can have a negative effect on the thyroid gland. For this reason iodine supplements should not be used without a doctor's advice.

Lowers the Risk for Some Goitres

A goitre is an enlarged thyroid gland. Your thyroid can become enlarged as a result of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Non-cancerous thyroid nodules (cysts) can also cause the thyroid gland to enlarge.

Sometimes a goitre develops as a direct response to iodine deficiency. This is the most common cause of goitre worldwide. However, it is not such a common cause in the United States and other countries where people have access to iodine-rich foods.

Goitres caused by iodine deficiency can be reversed by adding iodine-rich foods to the diet, as guided by your doctor.

Used in the Care of an Overactive Thyroid

To treat an overactive thyroid gland, your doctor may recommend a special form of iodine called radioactive iodine, also known as radioiodine. This medicine is taken by mouth. It is used to destroy extra thyroid cells and so help reduce the excess thyroid hormone.

The risk of radioactive iodine is that it can destroy too many thyroid cells. This can reduce the amount of hormone produced, leading to hypothyroidism. For this reason radioactive iodine is usually recommended only after anti-thyroid medicines have not worked.

Used in Some Thyroid Cancer Care

Radioiodine can also be a possible treatment option for thyroid cancer. It works in much the same way as for an overactive thyroid.

When you take radioactive iodine by mouth, the medicine destroys thyroid cells, including cancerous ones. It can be used after thyroid surgery to help make sure all cancerous cells have been removed from the body. This is always decided and supervised by your doctor.

Supports Neurodevelopment in Pregnancy

The benefits of iodine also stand out during pregnancy, because more iodine is needed in pregnancy. This is because iodine intake during pregnancy is linked with brain development in the foetus.

One review reported that babies born to mothers with iodine deficiency during pregnancy are more likely to grow up with lower IQs and other intellectual delays.

The recommended daily iodine intake in pregnancy is 220 mcg. By comparison, the recommended amount for non-pregnant adults is 150 mcg a day. Talk to your obstetrician about what is right for you.

Supports Cognitive Function

The same neurological benefits of iodine during pregnancy can extend to healthy brain function in childhood. This includes a lower risk of intellectual disability.

Supports Healthy Birth Weight

Iodine is linked with a healthy birth weight in pregnancy, just as it is with brain development. Research on pregnant women with goitre has looked at the effect of iodine on goitre caused by iodine deficiency, and on birth weight in newborns.

Unless your doctor has determined that you are iodine deficient, taking a supplement is unlikely to affect your baby's birth weight. Taking iodine unnecessarily can even cause health problems.

Fibrocystic Breast Condition

There has been some interest in whether iodine supplements or medicines might play a role in the care of fibrocystic breast disease. This non-cancerous condition is most common in women of childbearing age and can cause painful breast lumps.

Although there have been some reports that iodine may help with fibrocystic breast cysts, you should not try to treat yourself. You should take iodine for this condition only if your doctor specifically advises it.

Water Disinfection

The benefits of iodine also include its use as a disinfectant for water. This is especially important if you do not have access to drinking water because of travel or the effects of a natural disaster.

Iodine is used in emergencies for water disinfection, but you should follow official guidance on how to use it. There are also concerns that it could increase total iodine intake in people and lead to negative health effects, so the total iodine intake should not go above 2 mg a day.

Protection in Nuclear Emergencies

In nuclear emergencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the use of potassium iodide (KI) to protect the thyroid gland from radiation injury. It is available in tablet and liquid forms.

Although it is not completely foolproof, the sooner KI is taken, the better the thyroid is thought to be protected in this kind of emergency. Follow the instructions of the health authorities.

Used on the Skin to Help Prevent Infection

Iodine can be used topically in liquid form to help prevent infections. It works by killing bacteria in and around minor cuts and scrapes.

Topical iodine should not be used on newborn babies. It should also not be used for deep cuts, animal bites or burns.

This article is for general information only; please consult your doctor and dietitian about your own situation.