Idone: How much is enough? too much?
While iodine deficiency has been largely eradicated from North America, it remains a major challenge in many areas of the world, primarily south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. For the most part, debate on the necessity of proper iodine nutirtion for health (scientisits now agree the problem is primarily mental development, not goiter) was concluded a century ago, but occasionally the issue is still raised in medical journals. It was, a month ago in the June 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine where W. Teng and a team of Chinese researchers examined the "Effect of Iodine Intake on Thyroid Diseases in China."
Teng's article prompted an accompanying editorial by R.D. Utiger appropriatedly entitled "Iodine Nutrition -- More is Better." Utiger's editorial is likely to spark debate.
The World Health Organization recommends 100 - 200 micrograms of iodine daily (the U.S. averages 146, having declined from 320 a generation ago). Utiger would have us return to the higher 300-400 level; others disagree.
If you have a library on the subject, you may want to save both articles.
Teng: N Engl J Med 2006; 354:2783-2793, Jun 29, 2006
Utiger: N Engl J Med 2006; 354:2819-2821, Jun 29, 2006
