Iodine Benefits
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Iodine's benefits include:
- Iodine prevents thyroid goitre
Iodine is vital for the healthy functioning of the thyroid gland and helps to prevent thyroid goitre, a non-cancerous condition in which the thyroid gland enlarges in size and which can be caused mainly due to an iodine deficiency. When the diet does not provide sufficient iodine, the thyroid swells up in an effort to make more hormones and this is how thyroid goitre develops. - Iodine prevents certain birth defects in pregnancy
Iodine is required in pregnancy (at higher levels than normal) to ensure that the unborn child will not develop brain/mental development retardation and will grow up healthy mentally. - Iodine prevents thyroid cancer
Studies show that iodine prevents thyroid cancer, specifically radiation-induced thyroid cancer, which is caused when high levels of radioactive iodine are absorbed from any type of radioactive substances with this radioactive isotope (such as in nuclear reactor accidents). Studies also show that when potassium iodide is administered in pharmaecological doses either 48 hours before or within 8 hours after radiation exposure from a nuclear reactor accident can significantly reduce thyroid uptake of and decrease the risk of radiation-induced thyroid cancer. Other recent studies show that a preference for eating rock salt instead of iodised salt has resulted in an increase in the number of thyroid cancers in some areas of Australia.
Iodine is vital for the healthy functioning of the thyroid gland and helps to prevent thyroid goitre, a non-cancerous condition
- Iodine prevents benign fibrocystic breast disease
Recent research has suggested that women with benign fibrocystic breast disease could be deficient in iodine, because supplementation resulted in a 70% improvement in symptoms. Other research shows that iodine deficiency can lead to developing benign fibrocystic breast condition and iodine supplementation was found to reverse the breast changes. - Iodine may prevent some types of hearing loss
Recent research suggests that some forms of hearing loss could be due to an iodine deficiency. - Iodine keeps skin, hair, nails healthy
Iodine is essential for healthy skin, hair and nails - it ensures hair is shiny and soft, skin is supple and glowing and nails are healthy and strong.