Uses and Importance of Iodine

The minerals in your body have many important functions to perform. Calcium and phosphorus are needed for building strong bones and teeth. Without these the body would quickly collapse. Other minerals act somewhat like “sparking-plugs” for certain important chemical reactions. Still, others form intricate combinations with proteins, and thus are needed by the enzyme systems of the body.

But there are four (4) minerals — Iron, Iodine, Calcium and Phosphorus — that are very important.

In my previous post, Iron as a mineral element in the blood stream was extensively discussed. Read it here

Today, we dicuss Iodine, its functions, importance and effects; both negative and positive.

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Actually, we have a few grains of iodine in our bodies, but what we do have is important to the well being of the whole system. All kinds of things may happen when the iodine in the body gets out of balance. Like other minerals, iodine is found in the food we eat. From the digestive tract, the iodine passes into the blood stream and is soon picked up by the thyroid. This is a relatively large gland located in the front lower part of the neck, just below the voice-box or “Adam’s apple.”

There the iodine is changed into thyroxin, a powerful hormone with many important functions to perform all over the body. Thyroxin regulates all the activities of the various organs, it controls the rate at which a person grows, and even has some effect on how long he may live. People with too little thyroxin tend to feel the cold. Those with too much may feel too hot.

The thyroid gland also controls the condition of the skin. When a person has too little thyroid, the eyelids become puffy, and the face dull and pathetic. The hair may be coarse, dry, and brittle, the tongue swollen, and the speech hoarse and slurred. A young child whose thyroid is not functioning properly may develop into a dwarf with coarse features, thick lips, flat nose, and protruding tongue — a truly pitiable sight, known as cretinism. This trouble stems from a deficiency of iodine in the mothers diet during pregnancy. Such a child can now be helped, provided treatment is started early enough.

The same condition (hypothyroidism) may come on later in life, and also after complete removal of the thyroid gland. Such a patient may have to take a certain amount of thyroid every day for the rest of his life. Tumors of the thyroid gland occur frequently in certain areas of the world and often seem to run in families. However, a person with a slight swelling in the neck may not actually need to have a surgical operation. A few thyroid tablets may bring the gland back to normal activity, if the condition is mild.

Prevention of thyroid trouble is relatively easy today. Iodized salt is available almost everywhere, and in most cases it will prevent the trouble before it starts.

Image source: Pixabay

Other good sources of iodine include sea-foods and all vegetables grown near the seacoast. Extra iodine is often needed during the rapidly growing years of childhood and adolescence, and also during pregnancy. Foods selected from a wide area usually contain enough iodine to meet all normal needs, and if not, iodized salt will make up for any deficiency.

Restrictions to Iodine:

Common table salt, known as sodium chloride, is highly important in maintaining the normal acid-base balance of the body. Without a certain amount of salt in the system, we could not live for long. If a person has kidney or heart trouble his intake may have to be somewhat restricted, especially if he also has a high blood pressure.

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In any case, table salt should be used in moderation. Many people use far too much. They pour it on their foods, completely covering the natural taste. All this unnecessary salt puts an extra burden on the kidneys, and may even raise a persons blood pressure. A sensible person will always be moderate in the use of salt.

Oedema or swelling of the legs and ankles may occur when there is too much salt (or sodium) in the body. This is due to incomplete elimination of salt through the kidneys. The blood pressure may rise and may not go down again until the excess sodium has been removed from the body.

On the other hand, extra salt may sometimes be needed during hot weather. Heavy sweating removes large amounts of salt from the body, producing painful muscle cramps. During the hot weather, most people, even those with mild heart trouble, can take a little more salt, especially if they feel unduly tired or aching in the muscles. Salt also encourages thirst, so that they will drink more water — which they need.

References for further read:

• Iodine: Uses, effects and side effects

• Signs and Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency

• 7 foods rich in Iodine

• Treatment of Iodine Deficiency

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