 Nutrient name (include common name and scientific name where applicable)

 iodine
 DRI amount. Include the recommended daily amount for adults. If the amounts are different
for men and women, then include this information. If the amounts are different for certain
populations, e.g. smokers, pregnancy, breastfeeding, then include this information. Make
sure to express the amounts using the correct units, e.g. micrograms vs. milligrams.
 The RDA for adults 19 years of age and older is 150 μg/day.
 3 key food sources
 inorganic salts in rocks, soil, plants, animals, and water as either iodine or iodide
 saltwater fish, shrimp, seaweed, iodized salt, and white and whole-wheat breads made
with iodized salt and bread conditioners.
 Main physiological functions of the nutrientBrea
 iodine is responsible for a single function within the body: the synthesisof thyroid
hormones.
 Main signs/symptoms of deficiency and/or toxicity
 Excess iodine intakes can cause a number of health-related problems, especially
related to thyroid gland function. Too much iodine blocks the synthesis of thyroid
hormones. As the thyroid gland attempts to produce more hormones, it may enlarge, a
condition known as goiter.
 Iodine toxicity generally occurs as a result of excessive supplementation. Thus, the
UL for iodine is 1,100 μg/day.17
 goiter is also the most classic disorder of iodine deficiency.
 iodine deficiency disorders, or IDDs, which include cretinism, growthand
developmental disorders, mental deficiencies, neurologic disorders, decreasedfertility,
congenital abnormalities, and prenatal and infant death.
 The World Health Organization (WHO) considers iodine deficiency to be the
“greatest single cause of preventable brain damage and mental retardation” in the
world.
 If a woman experiences iodine deficiency during pregnancy, her infant has a high risk
of being born with a unique form of mental impairment referred to as cretinism. In
addition to mental impairment, the infant may suffer from stunted growth, deafness,
and muteness. Among pregnant women, iodine deficiency may also increase the
occurrence of spontaneous abortion, stillbirths and congenital abnormalities, and
infant mortality.
 Iodine deficiency can also cause hypothyroidism (low blood levels of thyroid
hormone), which is characterized by decreased body temperature, an inability to
tolerate cold environmental temperatures, weight gain, fatigue, and sluggishness.
 Special notes about the nutrient (where applicable)
 Iodine is the heaviest trace element required for human health and a necessary
component of the thyroid hormones, which help regulate human metabolism.
 Iodine has been voluntarily added to salt in the United States since 1924 to combat
iodine deficiency resulting from the poor iodine content of soils in this country.