Many people have heard of goiter (regulates metabolism throughout the body, controlling how quickly the body uses energy). Not to mention the pain, the swelling alone can make a big difference to your appearance. Everyone has a desire for beauty, and of course, you don’t want to delay your appearance because of edema, so you must iodine supplementation.
Before the 1920s, goiter was very common, especially in much of the northern United States, the Pacific Northwest, and around the Alps. By 1917, an Ohio physician, David Marin, conducted an experiment in which he gave small doses of iodine in the diet of more than 2,000 healthy children, while the control group (more than 2,000 children) was given no iodine.
The results were certainly encouraging: only five of the iodized children developed thyroid disease, compared to 475 in the control group. As a result, in 1922, Switzerland began promoting the use of iodized salt, and in 1924, the state of Michigan in the United States publicly sold iodized salt, which immediately became a favorite of history and people couldn’t get enough of it.
What you may not know is that iodine deficiency not only leads to goiter but also makes it difficult to lose weight.
Weight Loss Is Easier With Iodine Supplementation
To lose weight, you have controlled your diet for more than 1 month, you can’t eat this and don’t dare to eat that, you go to the gym every day to punch the clock, but after half a day of hard work, you not only don’t lose weight but sometimes you somehow gain weight. This may be caused by iodine deficiency because iodine deficiency will first affect metabolism, immunity will follow, and become particularly easy to catch a cold.
In addition to immunity, people with iodine deficiency have the following symptoms: dry skin, dry hair, sensitivity to cold, cold hands and feet, decreased libido, depressed moods such as anxiety and depression, high emotional ups and downs, and lack of energy throughout the day. When these symptoms appear, hypothyroidism is likely caused by iodine deficiency, and when iodine deficiency escalates further, the thyroid gland can develop more problems and even lead to organ failure.
Why Iodine Supplementation?
To regulate metabolism and promote weight loss
Iodine helps the body produce hormones that increase metabolism. A normal metabolism ensures that the body’s systems function properly, so that people have more energy throughout the day, sleep well at night, eat well during the day, digest and absorb food efficiently, and promote effective fat burning, which leads to weight loss.
Prevention of abnormal thyroid function
Iodine deficiency has been widely recognized as a major cause of abnormal thyroid function, which predisposes to memory loss, hair loss, allergies, and other conditions.
The immune system is strengthened
Bacteria and viruses do not reproduce easily in an environment rich in iodine, so iodine protects your body from many diseases and builds a strong defense system for your body.
Helps with breast health and even prevents breast cancer
Some parts of the world have a low incidence of breast cancer, especially Japanese women, whose diet is rich in iodine. Studies have found that iodine plays a large role in eliminating breast lumps and reducing fibrosis, as well as having a pain-reducing effect. Girls with large breasts especially need iodine supplementation.
Improves cognitive ability and intelligence
Iodine deficiency in pregnant women has a particularly strong impact on the fetus and is likely to affect the baby’s IQ, leading to poor memory and brain damage.
Prevents hair loss and improves skin condition
Rough, dry, or inflamed skin is a common sign of iodine deficiency. Therefore, if there is enough iodine in the body, the skin will be very shiny and will also speed up scarring, and wound healing. If iodine is deficient, it also tends to lead to hair loss and a lack of shine in the hair.
Of course, not everyone can take iodized salt. If there are problems with the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto, thyroid tumors), it is recommended to do so under medical supervision. Some people cannot take too much-iodized salt, in addition to those who are in areas with high levels of water iodination.
What are The Reasons for Iodine Deficiency?
The following conditions in life may lead to iodine deficiency:
- A diet with less oil and salt can easily lead to iodine deficiency in vegetarians. Firstly, less salt often leads to iodine deficiency, and secondly, vegetarians do not consume fat, which may lead to too little bile, which may also lead to impaired conversion of thyroid hormones.
- Pesticides, heavy metals such as mercury, and bromides in food or fruit may also lead to reduced iodine absorption.
- Too much estrogen may also affect the absorption of iodine. The body needs more iodine, and when a woman is pregnant her estrogen rises, which can lead to thyroid problems and obesity issues that are associated with too little iodine.
- Eating too much over the family has a little bit of an iodine-lowering effect, so if you usually eat too much broccoli, remember to eat more seafood or add some iodized salt.
Conclusion
Iodine toxicity rarely occurs with a normal diet, and even when the recommended maximum intake is reached, many people’s bodies regulate to help excess iodine, which is excreted through the urine. Iodine deficiency is considered a public health problem involving 118 countries, with more than 1.5 billion people worldwide, at risk of iodine deficiency. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as vegetarians, are more likely to suffer from iodine deficiency, so care must be taken to eat more iodine-rich foods and not to refuse iodized salt.
The recommended maximum amount for adults is 1,100 micrograms per day. Too much iodine intake may lead to thyroiditis, while very high iodine intake may lead to iodine toxicity, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and coma. In these cases, it is important to reduce iodine intake.
