Deficiency Diseases and Good Nutrition
Iodine
Even though iodine is only 0.0004 % of your total body mass, it plays a major role in determining your body's weight. Iodine is an essential element in thyroxin. This hormone, along with other iodine containing hormones, controls your carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Without iodine, none of the metabolizing hormones could be produced, and your body wouldn't know what to do with its fuel. You could not grow physically or mentally. In fact, babies who don't have enough iodine suffer from cretinism, a syndrome characterized by spastic diplegia or quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs). The infants are sometimes, deaf, mute, have a shuffling gait, and are shorter in stature as adults. Acute deficiencies can affect the infants intellect and neuromuscular ability.
I Iodide (not iodine) is pushed into the cells of the thyroid gland via the sodium potassium pump. It moves into the cells 25 times faster using this electrochemical pressure, as it would naturally seep by osmotic pressure. Once inside, the iodide is activated by the protein iodine peroxidase, and can be used to synthesize thyroxin.
Thyroxin not only has a function with metabolism, but with vitamins as well. Carotene from plants cannot be transformed to vitamin A without the help of thyroxin. Vitamin A helps in vision and the immune system. Therefore, if you don't have enough thyroxin, your vision and immune system will both be impaired.
RDA for Iodine Age RDA 0.0-0.5 40 mcg 0.5-1.0 50 mcg 1-3 70 mcg 4-6 90 mcg 7-10 120 mcg 11+ (men & women) 150 mcg Pregnant 175 mcg Lactating 200 mcgIodine deficiency is what causes most goiters. In some populations, goiters are so common they are considered a normal characteristic. When the thyroid gland doesn't get enough iodine, its tissue degenerates. Massive hemorrhaging occurs in such a large scale that the degenerative tissue gets caught in a pocket of blood. When the thyroid heals itself, brittle, fibrous scar tissue forms instead of healthy thyroxin producing cells. Your body needs just as much thyroxin as it did before, but now it doesn't have as many cells to produce it. To compensate for this loss, the thyroid produces more cells, enlarging your thyroid gland. The enlarged gland is visible on the front of your neck, and known as a goiter. Once you have a goiter, increased iodine won't help it. Remember that the scar tissue is the reason for the enlarged gland, and iodine won't heal scar tissue. Try vitamin E.
There was once a big problem in the United States with people getting goiters. Because of this, the government decided to require iodine in salt. Iodine deficiency remains a problem for many countries, despite their efforts to iodize water, salt, and distribute iodine pills. If iodine isn't in the soil, it's just about impossible to get.
Foods High in Iodine Salt, iodized, 1 tsp. 400 mcg Bread, made with iodate dough conditioner, 1 slice 142 mcg Haddock, 3 oz. 104-145 mcg Bread, made w/regular process, 1 slice 35 mcg Cheese, cottage, 2%, 1/2 cup 26-71 mcg Shrimp, 3 oz. 21-37 mcg Egg, 1 18-26 mcg Cheese, cheddar, 1 oz. 5-23 mcg Ground beef, 3 oz. 8 mcg
hiziki, and wakame are great sources of iodine.It is just about impossible to get an iodine toxicity, as there is a very wide range of safety. Ironically, goiter is also a sign of iodine toxicity. You may also experience chronic fatigue, forgetfulness, lack of interest in sex, impotence, overweight, and irritability.
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Revised: 14 Sep 99