Iodine is thyroid’s closest friend.
Before getting to know thyroid gland, iodine wandered in the environment, from air to water, from soil to plants to animals. Especially in the sea, seawater has the highest iodine content.
The iodine in the environment can enter the human body through food, drinking water and air. After encountering the thyroid gland, the thyroid gland will firmly grasp the iodine and become the closest friend to synthesize thyroid hormone together.
However, this pair of good friends will also make a little awkward.
Iodine deficiency, thyroid swelling
If there is not enough iodine in the body, the thyroid gland cannot find enough iodine to synthesize thyroid hormones together. Adhering to the principle that “many people have great strength” and can pull more iodine, the thyroid gland tissue will continue to grow. The intuitive manifestation is [goiter]. Over time, thyroid nodules and even thyroid cancer may be induced.
If this happens to a pregnant woman, there is not enough thyroxine synthesis, the amount of thyroxine supplied to the fetus to promote growth and development will also be reduced, and the amount of iodine supplied to the fetus through the placenta will be more limited. All these may increase the risk of abortion, congenital malformation, and the fetus may also have problems of growth retardation and mental retardation at birth.
These are all possible problems caused by iodine deficiency.
Too much iodine also worries
There is a quota of thyroid hormones that the body needs. Excessive iodine will make the synthesized thyroid hormones exceed the body’s needs.
Therefore, the thyroid gland has another task [restriction]. The thyroid gland, which was originally in good order, has become confused, the work has become heavier, the attention has become distracted, and the efficiency of thyroid hormone synthesis may slow down and become [hypothyroidism]. May not be careful, did not control the amount of iodine, synthesized too much thyroid hormone, become [hyperthyroidism]; All kinds of hectic, may let small snacks take advantage of the situation, become [Hashimoto thyroiditis] [painless thyroiditis] and so on.
Iodine is more or less in the human body, which is a troublemaker.
How to control iodine intake?
Through the examination of urine iodine, the amount of iodine in the human body can be judged.
- Urine iodine below 50 g/L belongs to iodine deficiency. Less than 50 ~ 99 g/L is mild iodine deficiency. The suitable iodine state is between 100 g/L and 200 g/L; 200 ~ 300 g/L is iodine excess; More than 300 g/L is iodine excess.
In addition, the World Health Organization WHO also recommended the iodine intake standard for the population:
- 90 g/day for children aged 0 ~ 5 years; 120g/day for children aged 6 ~ 12 years; 150 g/day for 12-year-old children and adults; 250 g/day for pregnant and lactating women.
Taking our common iodized salt as an example, if the iodine content of iodized salt is 20 mg/kg, the intake of salt should be controlled at 6 g per day, so that 120 g of iodine can be eaten from salt alone, and the iodine contained in other foods can basically meet the daily demand for iodine.
Iodine 131, the sworn enemy of thyroid gland
Iodine 131 has nothing to do with iodine. Iodine 131 is a radioactive substance obtained from tellurium metal or its compounds.
If iodine 131 is mixed into the iodine team, the thyroid gland cannot recognize it at all and will firmly catch it in the past. Little imagine, iodine 131 can emit radiation and has the ability to radiate, destroying thyroid cells and reducing the number of thyroid tissue members in the process of intimate contact between the thyroid gland and it.
Of course, smart human beings will play it by ear and use this characteristic of iodine 131 to treat hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer and other diseases.