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Iodine
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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[ What does everyone need to know about iodine?
The human body contains about 25 grams of iodine. About 15 grams of iodine is in the thyroid gland, and the remaining 10 grams are in different organs of our body. Some of it is contained in liver cells, a little in hair and nails, and the rest of the iodine is concentrated in the kidneys, prostate gland in men and ovaries in women.
Iodine can be found in absolutely everything: both in organic compounds and inorganic ones. In addition, it is in a volatile state in the air, so during precipitation it can get back into the soil with water.
How much iodine do we need per day?
It is simply necessary for each person to receive about 100-150 mcg of iodine per day. Unfortunately, not everyone listens to this advice.
When does the need for iodine increase?
The need for iodine greatly increases (up to 200-300 mcg) in women during pregnancy or breastfeeding. With heavy physical exertion, it is also recommended to increase the daily dose of iodine to 300 mcg. If you work at an enterprise where the activity of your thyroid gland may be suppressed, you definitely need to eat more seafood and iodized salt.
How to ensure that iodine is better absorbed?
Iodine is best absorbed from food products, not from pharmaceutical mineral collections. For example, seaweed or coelacanth (in scientific language) is perfectly absorbed by the human body and covers all its iodine expenditure per day.
The beneficial effects of iodine on the body
The role of iodine in the human body is simply enormous! Thanks to it, iodine-containing hormones are produced in the thyroid gland - thyroxine or triiodothyronine. They regulate the development of the body as a whole, "monitor" heat exchange and metabolism. At the cellular level, iodine enhances the oxide of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Thyroxine and triiodothyronine are very important for the central nervous system, they help dissolve cholesterol and thus protect against cardiovascular diseases! Iodine is also a strong biostimulant, stimulates the immune system and prevents the formation of blood clots.
What happens when there is a lack of iodine in the body?
With a lack of iodine in the body, a person feels very tired, he may have memory impairment, possibly deterioration of vision or hearing. He may suffer from prolonged headaches, constipation and dry mouth. Also, people suffering from a lack of iodine in the body automatically fall into the risk group of people with excess weight. A sharp drop in blood pressure, a decrease in the number of heartbeats (to 60-50), an irregular menstrual cycle in women and loss of sexual desire in men are a clear sign of iodine deficiency.
Endemic goiter is a consequence of iodine deficiency in the body. This disease manifests itself in people who live in areas with low iodine content in food products.
The amount of iodine in plant and meat products in such places is 3-7 times lower than the norm.
In children, iodine deficiency in the body manifests itself in mental and physical retardation, and nervous system disorders. Excessive salivation, insomnia, and rash are also clear signs of iodine deficiency.
What happens when there is too much iodine in the body?
The main symptoms of iodine overload in the body are increased sweating - hyperhidrosis - and diarrhea. Iodine in its pure state is extremely toxic! Therefore, with an iodine "overdose" a person can die from shock, since all the nerve endings are very irritated. Excessive iodine levels in the body cause a disease called Graves' disease.
What influences the amount of iodine in foods?
Iodine is greatly lost during heat treatment of food products, so when baking bread you lose up to 80% of iodine, when boiling potatoes - up to 32%, when cooking porridge - 65%, when frying meat and fish - up to 50% of iodine. This should be taken into account when calculating the daily dose of iodine.
What causes iodine deficiency?
The amount of iodine in vegetables and meat products depends on how much iodine is in the water or soil of the region where these vegetables and animals grow and live. Therefore, if you want to maintain your health and know that the amount of this element is limited, be sure to stock up on iodized salt. This will help maintain the iodine balance in your body.
Products containing iodine
Products containing iodine include seaweed, squid, and shrimp. The amount of iodine in them ranges from 80 to 300 mcg. Seafood contains a lot of iodine, so hake, pollock, tuna, flounder, and other sea fish contain from 50 to 150 mcg of this element. Eating seafood not only helps increase the amount of iodine in the body, but also benefits digestion.