Articles — iodine deficient

Adequate amounts of iodine are essential for normal thyroid function. Your body requires iodine to properly produce enough thyroid hormone. When the thyroid doesn’t have enough iodine available for the production of T4 and T3, thyroid cells enlarge and begin to proliferate. If you are iodine deficient, your thyroid gland increases in size (goiter) and becomes unable to produce the right amounts of thyroid hormone, which leads to hypothyroidism. Deleterious Effects of Iodine Deficiency Approximately 200 million people in the world have iodine deficiency, which leads to goiters. Pregnant women required a higher intake of iodine to support their thyroid...