Home
>
Nutrition
>
The Benefits of Iodine

The Benefits of Iodine

Initially discovered as a new element in 1811 by Barnard Courtois, knowledge of this substance has come to include the host of benefits it brings to the body as an essential nutrient. For many years, getting enough iodine in the diet naturally was difficult in many geographic regions and remains so for an unfortunately high percentage of the world's population in the developing nations. With the introduction of iodized salt, meeting the daily iodine requirement became nearly effortless and inexpensive in the industrialized nations. In these nations, iodine deficiency is now rare. As developing nations are able to make the shift to iodized salt, their rates of iodine deficiency and the diseases associated with it have also begun to decrease.

One of the main ways that iodine affects the body and health is through its interactions with the thyroid gland. Approximately 80% of the iodine found in the body is located in the thyroid. With the help of iodine, the thyroid is able to produce its hormones: thyroxine and triodothyronine. These hormones play a major part in regulating processes relating to growth and development of the body and influence the maturation of the reproductive system.

Because of its influence on the thyroid's activities, iodine therefore plays a great role in the basic metabolism processes and levels in the body. It helps in overseeing that the body efficiently burns calories thus preventing excess calories from being stored as excess fats. It has a role in maintaining the energy level of the body and in helping the skin, teeth, nails and hair to he strong and healthy. Iodine also plays a big role in destroying toxins in the body and also helps the system in utilizing both the mineral calcium and silicone.

A deficiency in iodine can negatively affect the health and functioning of the body and mind in many ways some of which are more serious than others. The symptoms of iodine deficiency that affect the mind range from feelings of frustration and anxiety to depression to mental retardation stemming from an IQ point decrease of up to 15 points to the severe mental retardation relating to such diseases as cretinism which includes serious physical malformations. According to the World Health Organization, iodine deficiency is among the leading causes of mental retardation worldwide. Physical symptoms of iodine deficiency can include dry, scaly skin, fatigue, constipation, unusual weight gain, impaired thyroid operation, goiters, decreased fertility, increased rate of stillbirth, and growth abnormalities ranging in severity.

It is truly shameful that people suffer such horrific affects from a deficiency that could be resolved with mere pennies per person. Iodized salt is so inexpensive and if could be spread throughout the poverty centers of the developing nations, the needless suffering of millions could be alleviated. Infants need to have 40 micrograms to 50 micrograms per day if iodine, children from 1 to 3 years of age need 70 micrograms daily, ages 4 to 6 require 90 micrograms per day, ages 7 to 10 need 120 micrograms daily, and children aver 11 should have 150 micrograms per day. In turn, pregnant women need more iodine intake than the normal adult. A whooping 175 micrograms of iodine daily is needed daily for these women and breastfeeding women should have 200 micrograms daily. A mere quarter of a teaspoon of iodized salt contains 95 micrograms of iodine. So for a healthy mind and body, be sure to consume the required daily dose of iodine.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

Charlene J. Nuble 2005.

For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.n et/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/

efficient cleaning crew Highland Park ..

In The News:

Google has taken a major step toward the future of clean energy by partnering with Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), an MIT spin-out working to build one of the world’s first commercial fusion reactors.

If you create and share art online, you might have seen messages warning that Facebook's parent company, Meta, claims the right to use or even sell anything you post, whether it's pictures, poems, or artwork.

Cybercriminals hit Qantas in a major data breach that exposed information from up to six million customers.

Having reliable, loud, and timely emergency alerts on your phone or device is important because when severe weather strikes, every second counts.

Here's how your daily brew is becoming the foundation for greener buildings.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, are transforming how we learn. But what does this mean for AI and learning retention?

Modern AI data centers use much more electricity than traditional cloud servers. In many cases, the existing power grid cannot keep up. One innovative solution is gaining traction: repurposed EV batteries for AI data centers.

Microsoft 365 and Outlook users are being targeted by a tactic that injects fake billing alerts directly into their calendars.

Researchers are now showing us that old smartphones as data centers could be the next big thing in sustainable tech.

Scientists have created micro-robots for sinus infection treatment that can enter the nasal cavity, eliminate bacteria directly at the source, and exit without harming surrounding tissue.

Let's examine how your data is collected in everyday life, who is buying and selling it, what happens to it afterward, and, most importantly, what you can do to protect yourself.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the U.K. developed small robots called "Pipebots" that can travel inside water pipes to find and potentially repair leaks, all without any excavation.

A groundbreaking new study has uncovered disturbing AI blackmail behavior that many people are unaware of yet.

Four teams of autonomous humanoid robots competed in China's first AI soccer tournament, demonstrating advanced capabilities in ball detection and independent decision-making.

The ID. Buzz autonomous van features self-driving technology with 13 cameras, nine LiDAR units and five radars after Volkswagen partnered with Hamburg and Uber for 2026 deployments.

Social Security phishing scams use urgency and impersonation to steal personal data. Learn how to spot fake SSA emails and implement 10 protective measures.

French startup Pazzi Robotics created an AI-powered pizza robot that made pies in under five minutes without human help, but it closed in 2022 despite patents and expert partnerships.

Reclaim your time from big tech with effective screen time reduction strategies for iPhone and Android, featuring steps to limit app usage and create phone-free zones.

Amazon Prime Day shoppers face threats from 120,000-plus scam websites as cybercriminals prepare phishing traps and malware ahead of the July sales event.

Fox News' AI Newsletter brings you the latest on this rapidly evolving technology.

The AEON humanoid robot tackles labor challenges with Nvidia AI, Microsoft Azure cloud and advanced spatial awareness, working alongside industry leaders Schaeffler and Pilatus.

Google's Ask Photos feature brings AI-powered searches to your photo library, letting you find memories with natural language queries while maintaining privacy controls.

The return of blue book exams emerges as universities fight widespread AI academic dishonesty and educators debate whether to ban AI tools or teach responsible usage.

Signs your phone might be hacked include strange behavior, unauthorized texts, battery drain and pop-ups, while protection involves updating software and avoiding public Wi-Fi.

Tokyo startup H2L has launched Capsule Interface technology enabling full-body robot control with muscle sensors, offering immersive remote operation.

The Benefits of Iodine

Nutrition