Iodine Deficiency: Symptoms, Related Conditions, and Treatment

Iodine deficiency affects about 2.2 billion people worldwide. It’s most common in developing countries where people may lack access to enough healthy food. But it can also affect people who lack an adequate diet or whose bodies don’t correctly process iodine.
Pregnant people and people who are nursing require more iodine. Because of this, they’re likely to experience a deficiency if they don’t make a conscious effort to consume high-iodine foods or take a supplement containing iodine, such as a prenatal vitamin.
A lack of iodine can cause your thyroid gland to become enlarged, along with other problems.
Your body doesn’t naturally make iodine, so your diet is the only way to get it. Adults typically require 150 micrograms (mcg) per day. Pregnant people need 220 mcg per day, while those who are nursing need 290 mcg daily.
If your doctor suspects you have an iodine deficiency, they usually check your iodine levels to confirm a diagnosis. Tests can include:
Urine test: You can get results in minutes, but it’s not as accurate as some other iodine tests.
Blood test: This is a simple and accurate test for iodine levels in the body, but it takes more time to read than a urine test.
Iodine patch test: The iodine patch test is a test where doctors paint a patch of iodine on your skin and check how it looks 24 hours later. This test is inexpensive and relatively quick, but may not be as accurate as others.
Iodine loading test: This test measures how much iodine you excrete in your urine over a 24-hour period. You need to collect every urine sample you have in a 24-hour period. It can be more accurate than other tests.
Most people with iodine deficiency can fix their health issues by changing their diet and adding iodine supplements.
Medication
Doctors may recommend that people with hypothyroidism, especially infants and children, take levothyroxine (Synthroid, Tirosint, Levoxyl). This medication treats an underactive thyroid.
The doctor may adjust your dose every 6 to 8 weeks until your level of thyroid hormone is stable.
Thyroid hormone
People with myxedema typically require hospitalization.
At the hospital, doctors typically give intravenous fluids and other stabilizing treatments. They may also administer thyroid hormone to correct the condition.
After a person with myxedema is stable, the doctor typically monitors their thyroid function and determines if a change in diet to ensure they are consuming enough iodine can keep their hormone levels stable.
Recovery timeline
How long it takes to recover from an iodine deficiency can depend on the severity of the condition and your thyroid function.
It can take 24 weeks to improve a mild iodine deficiency with iodine supplementation.
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