15 Facts About Iodine deficiency

Iodine deficiency is a lack of the trace element iodine, an essential nutrient in the diet.

Iodine deficiency is an important global health issue, especially for fertile and pregnant women.

The introduction of iodized salt since the early 1900s has eliminated this condition in many affluent countries; however, in Australia, New Zealand, and several European countries, iodine deficiency is a significant public health problem.

Congenital iodine deficiency syndrome, previously known as cretinism, is a condition associated with iodine deficiency and goiter, commonly characterised by mental deficiency, deafness, squint, disorders of stance and gait and stunted growth due to hypothyroidism.

In rats treated with estradiol, iodine deficiency has been shown to lead to changes similar to benign breast changes that are reversible by increased iodine in the diet.

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Diagnostic workup of a suspected iodine deficiency includes signs and symptoms as well as possible risk factors mentioned above.

General idea of whether a deficiency exists can be determined through a functional iodine test in the form of an iodine skin test.

Iodine deficiency is treated by ingestion of iodine salts, such as found in food supplements.

Iodine deficiency has largely been confined to the developing world for several generations, but reductions in salt consumption and changes in dairy processing practices eliminating the use of iodine-based disinfectants have led to increasing prevalence of the condition in Australia and New Zealand in recent years.

In iodine-deficient or mildly iodine-deficient areas of Europe, iodine deficiency is frequent during pregnancy despite the widespread use of iodised salt, posing risks to the neurodevelopment of foetuses.

In one study performed in a mildly iodine-deficient area, iodine deficiency was found to be present in more than half of breastfeeding women; in contrast, the majority of their newborns had iodine excess, mostly due to neonatal exposure to iodine-containing disinfectants.

Iodine deficiency is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation, a result which occurs primarily when babies or small children are rendered hypothyroidic by a lack of the element.

The addition of iodine to table salt has largely eliminated this problem in the wealthier nations, but as of March 2006, iodine deficiency remained a serious public health problem in the developing world.

Iodine deficiency is a problem in certain areas of Europe.

Iodine deficiency was previously a common disease in Norway, because the content of iodine in the drinking water was low.