Iodine in the human body - symptoms of deficiency and excess, tests, advice. Iodine in the human body. What foods contain iodine? What is iodine responsible for in the body?

What is iodine?

• An ordinary bottle of brown liquid that can be found in almost every medicine cabinet?
• A substance with healing properties that bears the beautiful ancient Greek name “violet”, given to it by the French chemist Bernard Courtois?
• Or a chemical element with atomic number 53?

Each option deserves primacy in the characterization of a given substance, revealing its properties from one side or another.

Chemists describe iodine as black/gray crystals with a characteristic purple glow and a pungent odor. When heated, violet-colored vapors are released, which is how the element got its name.

INTERESTING! The discovery of the chemical substance dates back to the 18th century, although the well-known medical iodine solution began to be used much later.

Element in Mendeleev's periodic table denoted as I (from Iodum), has atomic number 53, belongs to the active non-metals and the halogen group.

The chemical properties of the element are similar to Chlorine, only it is extracted from seaweed/petroleum sources, resulting in characteristic crystals with a metallic sheen/pungent odor.

The substance also turned out to be volatile even at room temperature. With minimal heating, it may ignite and begin to evaporate. The vapors have a bright purple hue.

Being in nature

Iodine is quite dispersed in nature, due to which it is found in almost all bodies on the planet. But it is almost impossible to detect it in its pure form. Small deposits are found in Chile and Japan, but in most cases the substance must be extracted from algae, saltpeter, and waters of petroleum origin.

Significant concentrations of the element are found in sea water, black soil, and peat. The main “reservoir” of halogen is considered to be the World Ocean, from which the halogen enters the atmosphere and continents. The territory remote from the ocean is rightly considered poor in this substance. The same goes for mountainous areas.

Chemical/physical properties

Iodine, as a chemical element, a halogen, an inactive metal, has several features:

• is a strong oxidizing agent;
• a number of acids are formed on its basis;
• is distinguished by a special reaction of the compound with starch in the form of a blue color;
• interacts with metals (resulting in the appearance of iodides);
• due to heating it combines with hydrogen;
• the vapors of the substance are toxic (under their influence, the mucous membrane is especially vulnerable, which suffers first).

Physical properties of halogen:

• the element consists of only one isotope (iodine-127);
• usually it is a crystalline substance of solid consistency, dark color, with a metallic sheen and a peculiar odor;
• iodine vapor is bright purple in color and is formed even with a slight increase in temperature;
• when cooled, the halogen vapor immediately crystallizes, bypassing the liquid form;
• If you heat iodine with an additional source of pressure, you can obtain a liquid state of the trace element.

Iodine in the human body

The beneficial properties of iodine are of particular importance for the entire human body, since the use of this substance in medical practice has long been justified.

According to many sources, the element is especially necessary for the thyroid gland, since it is an indispensable component of her hormonal background.

It is in this part of the body that the concentration of the chemical element is more than 65%, the remaining 35% is concentrated in muscle tissue, blood, and ovaries. In micrograms it is at least 50 per day for a child’s body, 120-150 for an adult, 190-210 for pregnant and lactating women.

Moreover, the influence of this substance on all life processes is truly invaluable:

• iodine controls body heat regulation;
• promotes metabolism, metabolism, water and electrolyte processes;
• responsible for the proper development of muscle tissue and the musculoskeletal system.

IMPORTANT! Don’t forget about psychological/emotional health, the stability of which largely depends on the concentration of the microelement.
BUT! Organs and tissues cannot produce halogen on their own, so external sources of the element are so important for their full functioning: food, sea air, medications.

Signs of iodine deficiency

Is regular iodine really that important for human life? AND

As practice shows, everything should be evenly distributed. After all, the harm of iodine is not a fictional fact, since this
This refers to halogen poisoning, chronic or acute. In the first case, the body consistently receives a significant dose of the chemical, but this is not enough for a clear clinical picture. That's why the first signs may appear years later.

The acute form of poisoning manifests itself immediately, causing disruption of the cardiovascular/respiratory systems. The patient's life is in danger, and his health is in danger of disability.

However, not every excess of iodine can be called poisoning. Most often, pathology manifests itself as a complex of symptoms:

• Yododerma or skin lesions
• The patient (face, neck, arms, legs) develops a characteristic rash, somewhat reminiscent of acne. A distinctive factor is considered to be severe discomfort, burning, itching, as well as a peculiar fusion of several formations into one spot with a purple tint.
• Conjunctivitis. The mucous membranes are especially vulnerable to halogen, which manifests itself as inflammation, lacrimation, and blurred vision.
• Respiratory diseases. Triggered by irritation of the respiratory mucosa.
• Increased salivation. The salivary glands also suffer from increased concentrations of iodine in the body and become swollen/inflamed.
• Additional symptoms
  It occurs less frequently, but still occurs: metallic taste in the mouth, unpleasant odor, discomfort in the throat mucosa, malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract/genitourinary system, decreased immunity, severe weakness, lack of will, toxic hepatitis. Graves' disease often indicates excess iodine.

The use of iodine in life

Considering the healing properties of the microelement, its main role is to maintain the full functioning of the human body, as well as eliminate certain diseases:

• Just a few drops of iodine in a glass of water (especially with soda or salt) will help quickly get rid of a sore throat or other purulent processes on the throat mucosa.
• Iodine mesh is an excellent pain reliever, resolves blood clots, relieves inflammation and swelling. It is enough just to draw it with a cotton swab and a pharmaceutical solution of iodine, renewing it every few days. The exception is small children, whose delicate skin can be affected quite aggressively by the substance.
• No less popular is Lugol's solution, which is used to lubricate the throat for sore throat/increased pain/angular stomatitis.
• Using an iodine solution, it is easy to disinfect damaged skin.

INTERESTING! However, not only medicine has appreciated the beneficial properties of iodine. Thanks to this substance, forensic scientists take fingerprints, industries continue to produce batteries, and additional light sources become available.

The benefits and harms of iodine for the human body

In order for iodine not to cross the forbidden line, posing a threat to human health, the level of its concentration in organs and tissues must correspond to the norm.

Headache? - There is not enough iodine. Fatigue and apathy? - There is not enough iodine. It feels like iodine is a miraculous element that saves you from everything. Let's figure out why we really need iodine and exactly how much!

For normal functioning, the human body requires certain vitamins and microelements, such as iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C. The list of the most essential such substances includes iodine. Little of, The World Health Organization has named iodine deficiency as one of the global problems facing humanity., and health disorders associated with it are the most common non-communicable diseases worldwide.

First of all Iodine is necessary for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, which regulates the functioning of the entire body. It produces hormones that affect the reproduction and growth of tissues. If your body lacks iodine, metabolism is disrupted, the thyroid gland ceases to function properly, the immune system is weakened, the condition of the skin, nails and hair worsens, and the risk of developing atherosclerosis and obesity increases. The risk of cold infections also increases, and brain dysfunction may occur, and in advanced cases, diseases such as goiter and cretinism.

A lack of iodine in the body can be caused by the following factors:
- low iodine content in food;
- selenium deficiency (this is a substance that promotes the absorption of iodine);
- age (children are more likely to suffer from iodine deficiency);
- gender (women have a higher risk of iodine deficiency);
- pregnancy;
- smoking and alcohol;
- taking oral contraceptives.

There are established daily intake norms for different age categories:
- infants - 50 mcg;
- children from 2 to 6 years old - 90 mcg;
- children from 7 to 12 years old - 120 mcg;
- healthy adults - 150 mcg;
- pregnant and lactating women - 200 mcg.

To compensate for the lack of iodine in the body, it is not necessary to take special supplements, Iodine is also found in food, which you just need to include in your diet. Sources of iodine: fatty sea fish and seafood, seaweed, cheese, cottage cheese, milk, iodized salt.

You also need to know that not only iodine deficiency leads to health problems, but also its excess. If iodine is consumed uncontrollably, especially in the form of supplements, it can lead to the destruction of thyroid cells and disruption of its functioning.

Symptoms of excess iodine in the body: headache, pustular rashes on the skin, swelling, nausea, vomiting, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, fever, joint pain, upset stomach, sleep disturbance, increased excitability, severe and sudden weight loss.

But don’t rush to run to the doctor, You can check whether there is enough iodine in the body yourself at home. Draw a mesh pattern on the inside of the forearm using a cotton swab and iodine tincture. If after two hours the yellow lines have disappeared, it means that you have an iodine deficiency and urgently need to replenish it. If the stripes are only slightly faded, you are doing everything right.

Iodine is so familiar and so accessible; in any pharmacy you can literally buy a bottle of iodine for pennies. But what is iodine deficiency then? Why do they talk and write so much about him?

Dry skin, dullness, hair loss, brittle nails, swelling, puffiness of the face, dull eyes, fatigue, drowsiness, tearfulness, etc. - this is all a lack of iodine in the body. If there is enough iodine in the body, a woman’s eyes shine! I want to fly!

The thing is that iodine is not only an alcoholic pharmaceutical infusion for treating wounds, but also one of the most important microelements necessary for the smooth functioning of the human body. The lack of this micronutrient is a serious concern for doctors around the world. Iodine deficiency is truly a global problem that affects more than one and a half billion people on the planet. In Russia, more than 35% of the population suffers from iodine deficiency. According to the Endocrinology Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, a Russian consumes 40-80 mcg of iodine per day, which is 2-3 times less than his daily requirement!

The danger of a lack of this microelement in the body is great, because The function of the thyroid gland affects not only our appearance, but also the hormonal system.
In children, iodine deficiency is expressed more simply - they cannot concentrate on doing schoolwork, they are tired, and whiny.

Iodine is an essential microelement for the human body.

But the human body contains this microelement in negligible quantities: only 20-30 mg, of which about 10 mg is in the thyroid gland.
The thyroid gland is a unique organ; it captures inorganic iodine compounds from the blood flowing through it and synthesizes its organic compounds - the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which play an important role in human life.
Thyroxine controls the intensity of basal metabolism and energy production by the body, including the level of heat production. It actively affects physical and mental development, differentiation and maturation of tissues, participates in the regulation of the central nervous system and emotional status of a person, and affects the activity of the cardiovascular system and liver. Thyroxine affects other endocrine glands (especially the pituitary gland and gonads), water-salt metabolism, protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
That is, thyroxine is involved in providing the body with energy, which, as is known, is needed not only for performing mechanical work, but also for full metabolism, the normal course of biosynthesis processes, growth and development of the body and renewal of its tissues.
So, as long as a person receives a sufficient amount of energy, he is cheerful, full of strength, cheerful and healthy. But as soon as a failure occurs in at least one of the energy chains, his well-being worsens. Well, if there are major problems in energy metabolism, a person can get sick.

There is a close connection between all vitamins, minerals and microelements: they seem to “help each other” to provide a person with vital energy. If there is a deficiency or excess of at least one of them, any other element that is sufficient in the body may be poorly absorbed, but for the above reason it cannot perform its function in full.

Thus, for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, in addition to iodine, selenium, cobalt, manganese, calcium, strontium and vitamin A are needed. Without them, iodine, even if it enters the body in sufficient quantities, cannot be completely absorbed.

In addition, scientists have identified a number of goitrogenic substances that negatively affect the absorption of iodine. These substances are found in cruciferous vegetables (for example, cabbage), sweet potatoes, some varieties of legumes, mustard oil, and millet.
Iodine has a beneficial effect on coronary heart disease and heart rhythm disorders

If there is not enough iodine

With insufficient intake of this microelement into the human body, the synthesis of thyroid hormones is disrupted. At the same time, a feedback mechanism is triggered: a signal is sent to the thyroid gland: “not enough hormones!” Receiving it, gland A begins to increase in volume, trying to compensate for the production of missing hormones through tissue growth.

But this, naturally, does not happen, because it lacks the building material - iodine. As a result, endemic goiter develops (a disease colloquially called “goiter”).

But this is only one aspect of iodine deficiency (hypothyroidism). In addition, immunity decreases, therefore, the risk of infectious diseases increases, mental retardation is noted, general weakness is observed, vision problems appear, and bulging eyes may develop.

Several years ago, scientists, based on research using modern methods for assessing human intelligence, made a sensational conclusion: iodine deficiency primarily (long before external signs of hypothyroidism develop) affects a person’s mental abilities.

Iodine deficiency has a particularly unfavorable effect on the overall development of children: the brain and skeletal system develop poorly, the child begins to lag sharply behind in mental and physical development, and his immunity suffers. Children suffering from iodine deficiency do not grow well.

With iodine deficiency in pregnant women, the risk of miscarriages, the birth of deaf-mute and mentally retarded children increases. Research has helped to reveal that the concentration of iodine in the thyroid gland of the embryo is recorded as early as the 10th week of pregnancy.

Where does iodine come from?

The physiological need for iodine is 100-150 mcg per day.

It, like other microelements, enters the human body mainly through food. The main natural sources of iodine are soil and soil water and, therefore, everything that grows on the ground, as well as seafood (algae, fish, marine animals). Where the soil is poor in this microelement, a significant part of the population suffers from iodine deficiency diseases. More often, iodine deficiency is observed in mountainous areas and valleys of large rivers. One of the simplest and most reliable ways to prevent iodine deficiency is the use of iodized salt.

Seaweed contains the most iodine (up to 160-800 mg/100 g in dry kelp, 200-220 mg/100 g in dry seaweed). Large amounts of iodine are found in marine fish and seafood. The iodine content in meat, dairy products, eggs averages about 7-16 mcg/100 g. Sources of iodine also include fruits and berries (oranges, apples, grapes, peaches, plums, cherries), vegetables (potatoes, beets, carrots , salad, green peas), cereals, legumes, soybeans, rye and gray bread, walnuts and honey. A third of the total amount of iodine that our body receives from food is used by the thyroid gland, the rest is excreted in the urine.
Storage and culinary processing of food products lead to large losses of iodine (up to 65%). Iodized salt saves the situation - when used for cooking, losses during cooking are significantly reduced (22-60%).

Iodine is well absorbed into the body even from the surface of the skin, so sometimes for emergency introduction of it into the body it is enough to draw an iodine mesh on the skin. In the same way, you can check whether there is enough iodine in the body. Apply several perpendicular strips to the skin at a distance of 1-1.5 cm from each other and check how quickly they disappear. If this happens within a few hours, it means there is not enough iodine in the body.

Interesting:
Fish, seafood, seaweed and some other foods contain organic iodine. Its absorption is controlled by the liver. When there is a lack of iodine in the body, it produces special enzymes that promote the absorption of iodine. When there is enough iodine, enzymes are not produced, and the rest, without being absorbed into the blood, is naturally excreted from the body. In this case, the body receives exactly as much iodine as it needs.
Dietary supplements and other preparations containing iodine, which are sold in pharmacies, contain inorganic iodine - iodide and potassium iodate - they also enrich food products, salt, sugar, milk, bread.
Our body absorbs it completely, so an excess of iodine in the body is possible. According to doctors, increased iodine consumption can provoke hyperthyroidism, a disease that occurs due to excess production of thyroid hormones. Thyroidologists have noted that in countries where universal salt iodization has been legalized, the number of patients with hyperthyroidism is much higher than in countries where there is no such law.

Diseases that are associated with iodine deficiency are among the most common non-communicable diseases. 1.5 billion people in the world may have iodine deficiency, and 655 million suffer from dysfunction and enlargement of the thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 43 million people have mental retardation (mental retardation) of varying degrees of severity as a result of iodine deficiency.

Iodine- micronutrient, the initial deficiency of which often does not manifest itself clinically. Insufficient iodine intake from food and water gradually impairs the function of the thyroid gland. Iodine is necessary for the synthesis of thyroid hormones (thyroid hormones) - thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Because of this, there is an increase in the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) by the pituitary gland, and under the influence of the increased content of this hormone, the thyroid gland adapts to work under conditions of iodine deficiency. The volume and size of the thyroid gland increases - a goiter is formed - a compensatory reaction to maintain the required concentration of thyroid hormones in the body.

Iodine deficiency- the most common cause of goiter. If iodine deficiency persists in the future, the compensatory mechanisms of the thyroid gland are depleted, an increase in TSH production does not lead to an increase in T4 biosynthesis, the function of the gland decreases, hypothyroidism is formed (in this case, in addition to the typical manifestations of hypothyroidism - lethargy, drowsiness and lethargy, mental and physical development, intellectual potential). Endemic goiter- one of the main causes of knots and thyroid cancer, hypothyroidism, mental impairment, decreased fertility, thyrotoxicosis, increased risk of having children with endemic cretinism. Iodine deficiency leads to increased absorption of radioactive iodine under unfavorable environmental conditions. There are a lot of variants of diseases caused by iodine deficiency, and the danger of disorders depends on the age at which the disease began. The most tragic consequences of iodine deficiency occur during prenatal period and in early childhood.

Iodine deficiency is noticeable affects the reproductive function of women, development of the fetus and child. In iodine-deficient regions, women experience miscarriages and stillbirths more often, and the number of children born with malformations, asphyxia, and malnutrition increases; perinatal and child mortality increases. The mother's thyroid hormones are the most important regulators of the formation and maturation of the unborn child's brain. They ensure the full development of the main components of the central nervous system in the first three months of pregnancy. At this time, the most important areas of the fetal brain are formed (cortex, corpus callosum, subcortical nuclei, striatum, subarachnoid tract), cochlea, eyes, facial skeleton, lung tissue.

Further maturation of nerve endings during the development of the unborn child is also regulated by thyroid hormones, only of the fetus itself, whose thyroid gland begins to function after the 12th week of pregnancy. With iodine deficiency, the full supply of thyroid hormones to the fetus is disrupted, and not only the child’s brain is affected, but also hearing, visual memory and speech. At birth, such a child is diagnosed with neurological cretinism: mental retardation, deaf-muteness, strabismus, dwarfism, hypothyroidism.

In healthy people iodine requirement is 120-300 mcg per day. When consuming less than 100 mcg of iodine per day, goiter occurs (compensatory enlargement of the thyroid gland). To diagnose iodine deficiency, iodine excretion in urine is analyzed. Iodine excretion in the amount of 25-50 mcg per day indicates a moderate iodine deficiency, less than 25 mcg per day is a sign of severe iodine deficiency.

Almost throughout the entire territory of Russia there is a more or less pronounced iodine deficiency. Iodine consumption throughout almost the entire territory of central Russia is only 40-80 mcg per day. The Moscow region is a zone of weak iodine endemicity. Insufficient iodine consumption poses a serious threat to the health of 100 million Russians and requires mass group and individual iodine prophylaxis. The problem of iodine deficiency has medical, social and economic significance and results in significant decline in the intellectual, educational and professional potential of the nation. WHO documents on this problem mention the elimination of iodine deficiency on a global scale by the year 2000 as one of the main tasks of the world community.

To compensate for the lack of iodine in the diet, individual, group and mass methods are used. iodine prophylaxis. In 1996, the WHO and the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders recommended the following: iodine standards for daily consumption:

• 50 mcg for infants (first 12 months of life);
• 90 mcg for children of primary preschool age (from 2 to 6 years);
• 120 mcg for school-aged children (7 to 12 years);
• 150 mcg for adults (12 years and older); 200 mcg for pregnant and lactating women.

Natural sources of iodine:

• shrimps;
• culinary yeast;
• canned salmon;
• milk;
• sea ​​fish (cod, haddock, herring);
• sea ​​salt;
• seaweed (seaweed salad);
• nuts, seeds, cereals;
• feijoa;
• iodized salt;
• oysters and other seafood.

Mass iodine prophylaxis- the most effective and economical method of eliminating iodine deficiency. In many countries, targeted programs of universal iodine prophylaxis have been introduced and actively promoted at the state level: iodine salts (iodide and potassium iodate) are added to food products. Consumption of iodized salt (table salt specially enriched with stable potassium iodate), bread, and water are quite effective methods of prevention. Salt is used everywhere and is added to food in small quantities, which eliminates the possibility of overdose. These measures made it possible to completely eliminate the incidence of goiter in many areas.

Iodized salt consumption cannot compensate for iodine deficiency during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and expanding the salt regime in these conditions is irrational. The drug has proven itself to be used during pregnancy and lactation "Potassium iodide 200 Berlin-Chemie". But the use of drugs does not eliminate the need to replenish the body of a pregnant and lactating woman with other vital elements and vitamins. Currently, it is recommended that pregnant and lactating women be prescribed multivitamin preparations containing iodine. An example of such preparations containing balanced doses of vitamins, micro- and macroelements, selected taking into account the high needs associated with fetal development and further breastfeeding, are vitamin and mineral complexes"Materna", "Centrum", "Unicap M" and others, containing, among other things, 150 mcg of elemental iodine in one tablet, intended for once a day. Continuous prescription of iodine drugs in doses that make it possible to replenish iodine deficiency in the environment throughout pregnancy and during breastfeeding, prevents the formation of thyroid insufficiency in the developing fetus.

If there is a lack or absence of breast milk, the child is transferred to artificial or mixed feeding, as a rule, dry adapted mixtures. In this case, compensation for iodine deficiency in the environment should be carried out by choosing a mixture with a complete iodine content. Many products for artificial feeding of infants do not contain iodine supplements at all. Sufficient amounts of iodine, according to pediatricians, contain adapted milk formulas companies "Maria Humana", "Nutrizia", ​​"Valio", "Friesland Nutrition", "Nestlé", "Hipp". The correct choice of products containing iodine in quantities optimal for mixed and artificial feeding prevents the development of iodine deficiency diseases in young children.

After a year, children gradually switch to an adult diet. At the age of 1-2 years, basic eating habits are formed, the rationalization of which helps to develop appropriate tastes and is an important element of a healthy lifestyle.

For individual prevention iodine deficiencies use drugs that provide a physiological amount of iodine - for example, "Potassium iodide 200 Berlin Chemie", containing 262 mcg of potassium iodide in one tablet, which corresponds to 200 mcg of iodine, that is, the daily physiological dose of this microelement. The drug is taken daily after meals with water. "Potassium iodide 200 Berlin Chemie" has an advantage over drugs containing a weekly dose of iodine, since it provides a daily supply of a physiological dose of iodine without the risk of allergies associated with its high content. Recommended preventive doses: for children - 50-100 mcg (1/4-1/2 table of potassium iodide 200 per day), for adolescents and adults - 100-200 mcg per day (1/2-1 table of potassium iodide 200 ), during pregnancy and breastfeeding - 200 mcg per day (1 table of potassium iodide 200), prevention of goiter relapse after surgery for goiter - 100-200 mcg per day (1/2-1 table of potassium iodide).

For group iodine prophylaxis used: adequate nutrition (adapted formulas containing iodine for infants, iodized salt, etc.) and the use of preventive medications: iodine-containing vitamins (Centrum, Unicap, Materna, etc.). In addition, potassium iodide 200 and other agents containing physiological amounts of iodine (150-200 mcg) may be prescribed. This prevention should be carried out under the supervision of specialists in groups at greatest risk of iodine deficiency diseases (children, especially young children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women, organized groups of residents in iodine-deficient regions: kindergartens, schools, enterprises and institutions).

Endemic goiter and other diseases caused by iodine deficiency represent an important medical and social problem. Thanks to the implementation of measures to prevent iodine deficiency and endemic goiter, it is possible to significantly improve the health of the population of large regions of Russia and eliminate iodine deficiency diseases in a short time without high costs.

More and more often we hear that the diet of modern people lacks iodine. Why is this microelement so important for health, and what are the consequences of its absence?

Why is it needed?

Iodine is the only trace element that is directly involved in the synthesis of hormones. It is involved in the production of the thyroid hormone - thyroxine, the creation of which accounts for up to 90 percent of iodine consumed in food.

Thyroxine (and, consequently, iodine) controls and enhances the intensity of metabolism: water-salt metabolism, metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It also regulates heat exchange in the body, cell division and growth, the functioning of the liver and cardiovascular system.

In addition, the state of the nervous system, the emotional state of a person and his psychological health depend on this hormone.

If there is not enough iodine

If not enough iodine is supplied with food, the thyroid gland produces little thyroxine. This condition is called hypothyroidism or iodine deficiency.

Most often, the lack of iodine is the first to affect the functioning of the nervous system: a person becomes forgetful, his attention and reaction decrease, irritability and drowsiness appear, and sometimes even depression occurs.

In addition, the immune system weakens, fluid stagnates in the body, women's menstrual cycle is disrupted, and infertility may develop. Problems with the heart and blood vessels appear: arrhythmia, increased blood pressure, decreased hemoglobin levels in the blood.

Body weight also increases - after all, there is too little thyroxine for the process of energy consumption to proceed in a normal way, and it is deposited in the form of fat reserves. If you eat well and exercise a lot, but cannot get rid of really extra pounds, you should consult an endocrinologist - a slow metabolism is sometimes one of the signs of iodine deficiency.

If iodine deficiency is not replenished for a long time, thyroid tissue begins to grow, trying to compensate for the lack of thyroxine production in the number of cells. This enlargement of the thyroid gland is called a goiter.
For whom is iodine deficiency most dangerous?

Iodine deficiency is especially dangerous for pregnant women. If this important microelement is missing, the pregnancy may be terminated prematurely, and the baby may be born dead or with a serious developmental defect - cretinism.

The growing body of children suffers no less from iodine deficiency: they begin to lag behind in mental and physical development. As a rule, this is a slowdown in body growth and impaired perception of information and speech.

How much iodine do you need?

It is easy to check whether there is enough iodine in the body using a urine test, along with which its excess is eliminated.

The “mesh” will not show anything

But the common method of assessing the rate of “absorption” of an iodine mesh applied to the skin is nothing more than a delusion dangerous to health.

After all, only iodine salts – iodides – are absorbed in the body. And an iodine solution contains molecular iodine - that is, a completely different form of iodine. And the rate of disappearance of the mesh depends only on body temperature and the external environment.

How to replenish iodine deficiency?

The most iodine is found in seafood: in seaweed it is found about 220 mg per 100 g, and in shrimp - 150 mg per 100 g. In meat, milk and dairy products, the iodine content is only 7–16 mcg/100 g. And in drinking water There is very little of it in water in most regions of our country - 0.2–2 µg/l.

If there is a clear lack of iodine in the diet, the endocrinologist may prescribe special vitamin and mineral supplements. preparations containing iodine. You cannot start taking them uncontrolled - the type of drug and its dosage are selected only after detailed tests.

In order to enrich the diet with iodine, specially labeled food products are now produced, to which 10 to 30 percent of the daily requirement of this microelement is added.

The most popular among them is iodized table salt, which contains about 45 mcg/g of iodine. If you use it in food instead of regular food, you can get the entire daily requirement of iodine.

What you need to know about iodized salt?

Information about added iodine should be included on the salt package. For Russia, these are GOSTs 13830–91 and R 51575–2000. “Sea”, “fossil”, “phyto”, “with vitamins” salts do not contain a sufficient amount of iodine.

Iodized salt retains its properties for no longer than 3–4 months, even in a closed container.

Very much iodine evaporates from such salt during intense boiling. With different methods of preparing food, its losses range from 22 to 60 percent.

Iodine also quickly evaporates from wet salt and open salt shakers.

The main thing about iodine

Iodine deficiency prevents us from losing weight and enjoying life, and its deficiency can only be determined by an endocrinologist based on blood and urine tests. The easiest way to compensate for iodine deficiency in the diet is to use only iodized salt in the kitchen.