The symptoms of iodine deficiency are similar to those of other ailments and so, it is not easy to identify this during early stages. Lethargy, weight gain, puffy face, muscle aches, etc. are the initial symptoms and they can be easily misconstrued for other less serious ailments. People suffering from these symptoms must get themselves checked for deficiency of iodine and take proper treatment to avoid complications.

A large number of people in the world suffer from iodine deficiency and most of the times; this deficiency is not identified in the initial stages. This can lead to a situation where additional iodine supplements are needed to reverse the health complications caused by this deficiency. So, many physicians prescribe these supplements. In fact, iodine supplements are one of the largest sold health supplementary products in the world.

While buying iodine supplements, people must ensure that they buy products that are manufactured by reputed companies. They must also ensure that the manufacturing of these products are done in hygienic conditions and also comply with governmental guidelines. Contaminated iodine supplements can cause the iodine content in the products to become inactive. People who consume contaminated products do not get the required amounts of this substance and therefore stand the risk of not complying with the treatment regimen. Iodine supplements also have a smaller shelf life, when compared to other products. So, people must ensure that they only buy adequate quantities and not over stock these products. Iodine supplements are abundantly available in the market and also do not cost much. But, people must ensure that they ingest only the prescribed amounts of this substance because over dose of iodine can cause side effects that can be very dangerous.

The fact of the matter as to what is iodine, is contained in the thyroid gland. The thyroid is crucial and delicate gland that is deeply involved in the balancing of the body’s metabolism. The thyroid requires trace amounts of iodine create the hormones needed for that metabolic regulation. Low amounts can lead to hypothyroidism and resulting side effects such as impaired range functioning, while excessive amounts of iodine in the system can result in hyperthyroidism, which results in an overactive gland that produces effects such as nervousness, insomnia, fatigue, hair and excessive weight loss.

In addition to these problems on either end of unbalanced thyroid, the wrong level of the substance can affect the brain or body’s ability to destroy harmful toxins. What is iodine, or other trace elements like selenium, doing beyond acting as a potentiator for proper gland function, filtering toxins from the brain? It turns out that substance is helpful for newborns, especially in the first trimester, in furthering infant brain development. As people have recently been reminded by major nuclear disaster such as those that plagued Japan in 2011, iodine can help neutralize or blunt the effects of excess airborne radiation.

The quickening of our health is greatly assisted by maintaining proper levels of iodine in the body and in our diet. The importance of what is iodine to our health is also spelled out by other uses that have been discovered with a trace element, such as relieving pain and soreness associated with fibrocystic breasts, in increasing the simulation of certain salts to support normal metabolism, and other associated benefits. A person concerned about their state of iodine levels encouraged to improve their diet accordingly, or to center iodine supplements to rectify a deficiency.

Episodes of hypothyroidism are the results of an iodine deficiency, symptoms of which are all the above. This also leads to enlargement of the thyroid gland, which increases in size in order to produce more thyroid hormones to make up for the lack of iodine. This condition is called “goiter” and may be hard to reverse once it sets in. Additional signs of the deficiency are low levels of energy, scaly, yellowish or dry skin, personality changes, anemia, heavy and prolonged menstruation periods in women, numbness or tingling in the extremities, depression and forgetfulness.

Sometimes location or geographic area contributes to conditions leading to iodine deficiency symptoms. Remote island areas and semi arid climates create a situation where there are no ready sources of iodine from the local foods (since there’s no marine food or other sources of iodine available in such areas). Physical activity, or lack of same can also add to the problem – those possibly affected are encouraged to take frequent walks, which will offset the issue by improving circulation, lessening depression, improving sleep, and decreasing the onset of headaches.

Additional outcomes from lack of iodine can be problems with pregnancy, considering iodine is critical for women as it concentrates in the breasts and ovaries, and is important for early child brain development. If a person is experiencing iodine deficiency symptoms despite having an apparently normal dietary intake of of the nutrient, it may be because other aspects of the diet are displacing any iodine ingested. Fluoride, chloride and bromide are known to displace iodine, so subject should be very careful to examine these and other factors that may be inhibiting its bioactivity within the body.

The thyroid gland contains 75% of the 20 to 30 mg of iodine that is within the body at any given time. Although 15 to 30 mg of iodine is often stated to be more than sufficient for daily intake, this does not count factors that cause a loss or removal of iodine from the system, nor for unique medical conditions that may result in iodine deficiency. An iodine supplement can make up for this absence or loss of availability, and therefore head off the development of serious deficiency problems that may result in hypothyroidism, poor concentration, depression, low energy, blood sugar fluctuations and a host of other symptoms.

A moderate dose of iodine of 3 mg a day is sometimes recommended, in order to slowly saturate body tissue and avoid the “flood the system” approach that results in the body excreting most of what it does not use. For more chronic cases of deficiency a higher daily dose of an iodine supplement may be required to best restore thyroid function. It is recommended to always take selenium, another important trace element, along with the iodine, since selenium also supports thyroid gland health and is useful for hundreds of other important functions throughout the different metabolisms of the body.

The third national health and nutrition examination survey, also called NHANES III, reported that iodine levels in the population dropped by more than 50% of the last generation. Clearly, iodized salt (instituted in the 1920s) is not resolving the problem of an iodine deficiency. The increasingly nutrient depleted soils from which manufactured foods are created have led to multiple deficiencies in the nutrients we are supposed to receive naturally from the food supply. Iodine supplement, and dietary choices are designed to deal with the problem of augmenting the body’s requirements regard to iodine, and are recommended for anyone desiring optimal thyroid system.

An iodine deficiency, in other words, is not going to be resolved by a nutrient depleted food supply, or by use of iodized salt. Many such salts also contain chloride, bromide or other agents that are known to aid in displacing iodine from the body, meaning its presence in salt becomes a bit of a wash. Taking extra salt is also not recommended for those suffering from possible or actual high blood pressure. Fluoride is also known to his place iodine, so taking in large amounts of water may be contributing to iodine deficiency. The best solution appears to be iodine supplements, may store the amount of bio active iodine optimal thyroid functioning.

Consumers should choose iodine made by a pharmaceutical GMP compliant manufacturing source. This assures safety and quality behind the making of the product. Use of iodine for emergency purposes, such as nuclear radiation situations, should be properly reserved as the last resort, and those taking iodine saved for that contingency should realize that their ‘reserve stash’ of iodine may have expired for the disaster scenario actually happens. Consumers should also be aware that excess iodine can cause hyperthyroidism and problems stemming from excessively stimulating the thyroid glands.

For those using food sources to get a proper intake of the nutrient, appropriate choices are fish, fish oil, condensed milk, some breads, cod, sea weeds and sea kelp, most sea foods and eggs. Should these sources not be enough, sensible use of iodine supplements can help deliver the remaining bio active iodine needed to be helpful to best the thyroid in regulating the metabolism. If consumers are truly concerned about their iodine levels, a preliminary conversation about the use of supplementation with their physician is recommended