Articles — iodine deficiency

Iodine is a mineral used in the body by the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, [thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3)]. It’s also an essential mineral required for metabolic processes, and is particularly important during pregnancy and lactation, as growing fetuses and infants require sufficient levels of Iodine in order to develop properly. Despite increased public awareness and government iodization programs, iodine deficiency remains a significant problem worldwide. Although iodine deficiency is not as common in the United States as in other parts of the world, there is some evidence to suggest it may be experiencing a resurgence in the...

Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a deficiency in thyroid hormone production from the moment a child is born. This disorder can be caused by nutritional deficiencies or excesses or other conditions such as thyroid dysgenesis; a partially or fully incomplete development of the thyroid. Unfortunately, it affects more than 1 in 4,000 infants. The thing about CH is that symptoms are often subtle or non-existent at the time of birth because the child often receives thyroid hormone from his or her mother. That means that around that time, there is no real way to tell whether the abnormality is present or not....