Did you know that a deficiency in iodine can put you more at risk of thyroid diseases? [i]
Iodine contributes to the normal production of thyroid hormones and normal thyroid function. The thyroid gland is extremely important for the body as this produces hormones that regulate the body’s metabolic rate [xiii].
However, this nutrient offers a whole host of additional health benefits. Iodine is the world's leading mineral in preventable brain damage due to its properties in aiding cognitive function, minimising the risks of neurological impairment and being a crucial nutrient during pregnancy for foetal brain development.
Iodine is an important nutrient for our body, but certain studies have identified that 2 billion people around the world are deficient in iodine, referring to this as a “major public health problem” [ii].
Iodine has been one of our most requested ingredients by Nourished customers, and we are happy to announce that from today iodine is joining our ingredient line-up.
Let’s get into what exactly iodine is, expand on the health benefits of this powerhouse nutrient and how you can add this to your very own gummy stack.
What is Iodine?
Iodine is a mineral that is naturally sourced from seaweed and underground brines and is used by the body to create the thyroid hormones thyroxin and thyronine, which help keep cells and the metabolic rate healthy [iii] [iv] [v].
This mineral cannot be synthesised in the body either, meaning that iodine needs to be sourced from food or supplements [iv].
Iodine consumption can offer a host of health benefits but can also cause a variety of health issues when a deficiency is present.
What Are the Benefits of Iodine?
Iodine is a crucial mineral for overall body health due to how this is tied into the thyroid gland which produces hormones that involve many organs within the body [iv].
Iodine Regulates Thyroid Hormones
A study into the impacts of iodine intake and thyroid volume evaluated the results of over 4600 subjects with ‘mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency. The study concluded that there was a significant relationship between iodine intake and thyroid volume, with those deficient in iodine, being more at risk of thyroid-related disease [i].
Being deficient in iodine means that the thyroid gland can increase in volume due to how it has to work harder to produce the required amount of thyroxin and thyronine (which is also known as goitre) [iv] [ix].
This can cause some major health risks, cause tiredness, muscle pains, aches and depression.
If you want to understand what your current iodine levels are then please consult your doctor [iv].
Increases Energy Levels
Because the thyroid gland can regulate metabolism and increase the metabolic rate, it also means that the body can have an improved production of energy, which in turn can lead to improvements in athletic performance, stamina and sleep quality [iv].
Improves Cognitive Function
As we mentioned earlier in this blog post, iodine is also the world’s leading mineral in preventable brain damage due to its properties in aiding cognitive function. Studies have suggested that this ingredient could be important in maintaining brain volume, and that brain shrinkage can occur in those who have low levels of iodine in their system, resulting in problems with thinking and memory [vi] [vii].
An additional study from 2018 also supported this finding, stating that iodine was “obligatory for achieving perfect cognitive performance” [viii].
Aids a Healthy Pregnancy
Studies indicate that iodine requirements are increased by up to 50% during pregnancy [x]. If a deficiency is present during pregnancy, then there could be an increased risk of “fetal hypothyroidism and impaired neurological development of the fetus”. Iodine supplementation before and during early pregnancy can aid the development scores in young children by 10-20%, reduce the rate of perinatal and infant mortality rate and decrease the likelihood of cretinism [x].
Another study that looked at data from 77,164 mother-child pairs in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, also stated that insufficient maternal iodine intake could be associated with an increased child ADHD symptom score at 8 years of age [xi].
How to Add Iodine to Your Diet?
This powerful new Nourishment can be added to your own personalised, freshly 3D-printed gummy today!
Gummy nutrients are chewable, easier to consume and studies have shown that gummy form can lead to higher absorption of certain ingredients. To add iodine to your personalised gummy, simply take our quiz or learn more about this multifunctional, game-changing nourishment here.
Want to Learn More About Iodine?
To find out more about iodine, visit the studies listed below for additional information regarding this exciting new nourishment or visit the research page here:
[i] https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/76/5/1069/4689576?login=true
[ii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21802524/
[iii] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/iodine/
[iv] https://glutathionepro.com/iodine-benefits/
[v] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/
[vi] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12603-017-0954-8
[vii] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22515-brain-atrophy
[viii] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.69
[ix] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213858714702256
[x] https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/442078
[xi] https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/11/1239
[xii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5327366/
[xiii] https://www.who.int/data/nutrition/nlis/info/iodine-deficiency
[xiv] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/339439/SACN_Iodine_and_Health_2014.pdf
