In this current issue of the European Journal of Endocrinology, Reinhardt and his colleagues report that the administration of 250 mg potassium iodide daily for an average of 4 months (range 2–13 months) in mildly iodine-deficient Germany induced subclinical hypothyroidism in some patients (1). As mentioned in that report, when Dr Reinhardt was a postdoctoral fellow in this laboratory in the 19...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Iodine deficiency affecting both pregnant women and schoolchildren has been reported in Jaén. Iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of thyroid dysfunction and goiter, and adequate iodine prophylaxis with iodized salt, milk, and dairy products, or iodine supplementation have been shown to significantly improve iodine status in pregnancy. The purpose of this stud...

BACKGROUND An adequate iodine supply in utero and shortly after birth is known to be crucial to an individual's physical and mental development. The question of whether iodine supplementation later in life can exert a favorable influence on the mental performance of iodine-deficient populations was addressed in various studies, but with contradictory results. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study w...

Iodine deficiency is a common phenomenon, threatening the whole global human population. Recommended daily intake of iodine is 150 μg for adults and 250 μg for pregnant and breastfeeding women. About 50% of human population can be at risk of moderate iodine deficiency. Due to this fact, increased iodine supplementation is recommended, through intake of iodized mineral water and salt iodization....

I have been interested in iodine supplementation for years. I have a holistic family practice in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Michigan resides in the Goiter Belt of the United States where the soil is deficient in iodine. Although I long suspected iodine deficiency in many of my patients, my initial uses of potassium iodide gave suboptimal results. Some patients did improve, but many did not noti...

Administration of the anti-oxidative trace element selenium is currently being evaluated for its benefits in patients with inflammatory diseases. However, little is known about the risks of selenium. We report on a patient in whom, along with standard therapy, administration of large intravenous doses of selenite for sepsis secondary to pneumonia resulted in development of marked hypothyroidism...

Iodine deficiency is an important nutritional deficiency, with more than 2 billion people worldwide estimated to be at risk. The developing fetus and young children are particularly at risk. During pregnancy and lactation, iodine requirements increase, whether in iodine-poor or iodine-sufficient countries, making the mother and the developing fetus vulnerable. The American Thyroid Association (...

background : iodine deficiency produces the spectrum of iodine deficiency disorders (idds) including endemic goiter, hypothyroidism, cretinism and congenital anomalies. other factors, including goitrogens and micronutrient deficiencies may influence the prevalence and severity of idds and response to iodine supplementation. an ssociation between zinc and goiter has previously been reported. met...