Cebu City - What are the effects of iodine in the body? Is this trace mineral essential? Can this cause some adverse effects to our health?

Iodine is a vital trace mineral that the body cannot produce on its own and must be received through food or supplements. It is added to vitamins and some salt seasonings, and it is naturally present in some foods.

The thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which aid in the synthesis of proteins and the activity of enzymes as well as controlling regular metabolism, require iodine to be produced.

Without sufficient iodine, these thyroid hormones do not function as they should, which can result in an underactive or hyperactive thyroid gland and the diseases hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, which have a variety of harmful side effects on the body.

For food sources, iodine is found on the soil and ocean, which has a range in quantity and will have an impact on how much of the mineral is present in food. Iodine can also be found in fortified foods such breads, cereals, and milk, although it is mostly found in animal protein and sea vegetables.

Consuming a lot of iodine, specifically higher than the recommended amount may cause negative effects to the body (hyperthyroidism). Symptoms of this disorder are fast metabolism that promotes weight loss, fast or irregular heartbeat, hand tremors, irritability, weariness, and sweatiness.

A deficiency in iodine may lead to hypothyroidism which may interfere with how the body normally regulates metabolic processes like heart rate, body temperature, and weight. // PDO I Noah Vincent D. Gallo, RND, MSPH

Source:
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/iodine/#:~:text=Iodine%20is%20an%20essential%20trace,supplements%20and%20some%20salt%20seasonings.