National Iodine Deficiency Disease Prevention and Control Day is celebrated on May 15 every year.
Iodine is an essential micronutrient for metabolism and growth and development.
Why iodine supplementation?
I believe that friends in the 80s and 90s must have grown up from eating iodized salt; even went through several stages of crazy grabbing iodized salt; Do you know why we need to eat iodized salt to supplement iodine?
If you consume too little iodine, you can develop some iodine deficiency disorders. However, due to the vast geography of China, iodine deficiency in the natural environment in some areas has caused iodine malnutrition in the body, and iodine deficiency has different manifestations in different stages of human growth and development, specifically:
Figure: Distribution of water iodine at the county level (μg/L)
Fetal period:
miscarriage, stillbirth, congenital malformations, increased perinatal mortality, increased infant mortality, endemic cretinism, delayed neuromotor development, fetal hypothyroidism;
Neonatal period:
neonatal hypothyroidism, neonatal goiter;
Childhood and adolescence:
Goiter, adolescent hypothyroidism, actotin, intellectual developmental disorders, physical development disorders, simple deaf-mute;
Adulthood:
Goiter and its complications, hypothyroidism, intellectual disability.
Do I still need to eat iodized salt now?
Since 2010, the continent has been eliminating iodine deficiency disorders. However, iodine deficiency is almost all in the external environment (water, soil, etc.) in most areas of the mainland, especially in mountainous areas, hills, river valleys, desertification areas and river erosion areas. It is difficult to change the current situation of iodine deficiency in the external environment, and if iodine supplementation is stopped, the iodine stored in the human body can be maintained for up to 3 months, so it is necessary to insist on eating iodized salt for a long time.
Is more iodine supplementation better?
Although iodine is important for human health, the more you supplement, the better.
Excessive iodine intake will disrupt the normal function of the thyroid gland, which can lead to hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, and maternal exposure to high iodine can lead to neonatal goiter and hypothyroidism.
How to properly supplement iodine in daily life?
According to the recommendations of the Chinese Nutrition Society in the "Dietary Nutrient Reference Intakes for Chinese Residents" (2022 Edition), the recommended/appropriate daily iodine intake for healthy people is: 85 μg for 0-6 months, 115 μg for 6 months -1 year, 90 μg for 1-10 years old, 110 μg for 11-13 years old, 120 μg for adults aged 14 years and above, 230 μg for pregnant women, and 240 μg for pregnant women.
In areas where water iodine is below 10.0 μg/L, residents should consume iodized salt to prevent the harm caused by iodine deficiency.
In areas where water iodine is 10.0-100.0μg/L, the National Health Commission will establish standards for the classification of iodine-deficient areas and iodine-appropriate areas to provide a basis for scientific and accurate iodine supplementation.
In areas where water iodine is above 100.0 μg/L, residents should consume uniodized salt, and residents in areas with high iodine disease (areas with water iodine above 100.0 μg/L and a >5% rate of thyroid swelling) should drink low-iodine water to prevent the harm of high iodine.
For pregnant women, in addition to the use of iodized salt, they should also consume iodine-rich seafood 1-2 times a week, such as: kelp, seaweed, scallops, mussels, sea fish, sea cucumbers, jellyfish, shrimp, etc., which can be made into potato roasted kelp, seaweed egg drop soup, cucumber mixed with mussels and other delicious dishes, for example, potato roasted kelp made of 100g of fresh kelp and 50g of potatoes contains 115 μg of iodine.
These groups of people need to do "subtraction"
1. Residents of areas with high iodine
The daily iodine intake of residents in high-iodine areas in mainland China is more than 800~1000μg, and there is no need for iodine supplementation. If the iodine intake is excessive, it is easy to cause hyperthyroidism, thyroid tumor, thyroiditis, thyroid cyst, etc.
2. Patients with Upper Condition
Patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases (common hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, etc.) can skip or reduce iodized salt as prescribed by the doctor due to the need for treatment.
Can using iodized salt induce thyroid cancer?
First, there is no direct evidence that iodized salt consumption or increased iodine intake is associated with the development of thyroid cancer.
In recent years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing in major countries around the world, regardless of whether iodine supplementation measures are taken, whether iodine intake is increasing, stabilizing or decreasing, and the increase is mainly in microcarcinoma with a diameter of less than 1.0 cm. A considerable number of thyroid microcarcinoma has the characteristics of indolent progression, low malignancy, and good prognosis.
Patients should follow the clinician's instructions for proper treatment or follow-up. Thyroid microcarcinoma has a high prevalence in the population, is insidious and difficult to detect. According to autopsy reports in many developed countries, the prevalence of undetected thyroid cancer is as high as 5.6%~35.6%, of which microcarcinoma accounts for 67%.
Source: Picture Worm Creative, Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Bibliography:
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National Expert Committee on Food Safety Risk Assessment. Risk Assessment of Salt Iodization and Iodine Nutritional Status of Residents in China, May 14, 2010
National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China. The Ministry of Health reported on the prevention and treatment of iodine deficiency diseases in mainland China.May 10, 2011. http://www.nhfpc.gov.cn/zwgkzt/wsbysj/201105/51605.shtml
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