Do you know iodine deficiency can make your thyroid worse? Yes, it’s true! 

Most of us know that our thyroid gland is located in the neck and it is responsible for the secretion of both Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4) hormones. On the other hand, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) regulates the levels of both T3 and T4 in the blood. When the T4 hormone is high, the condition is called hyperthyroidism. When it is low, it is known as hypothyroidism, which leads to weight gain, hair fall, dry skin, loss of appetite, and constipation. However, did you know that iodine deficiency in your body can make your thyroid worse?

How is iodine deficiency related to thyroid?

For those caught unaware, iodine is needed by our body to produce the thyroid hormone. Since our body doesn’t make iodine by itself, it has to come from our diets.

Nutrition coach Simrun Chopra, in her latest Instagram video, explains how it works. “When the TSH levels rise, our thyroid gland uses iodine to make thyroid hormones. The body doesn’t make iodine, so it has to come from your diet. And if you’re not getting enough of it, the body can’t make the thyroid hormones. If that happens, the thyroid gland has to work harder, which causes the cells to grow and eventually lead to a goiter,” she mentions in her post.

Goiter is caused when there is an enlargement of the thyroid gland.

How does adding iodised salt help?

According to Chopra, while thyroid can be genetic, you can still work to give your body a fighting chance by adding iodised salt to your diet as it will give you nearly 50 percent of your daily requirement.

“Switching to pink salt or Himalayan can lead to an Iodine deficiency. In fact, salt is iodised to help prevent an iodine deficiency in the population,” she explains.

What are the benefits of iodised salt?

Iodised salt means the salt only contains small amounts of sodium iodide or potassium iodide. The best part is that it looks and tastes the same, and comes with loads of benefits. You can find traces of iodised salt in dairy products, seafood, grains, and eggs. You can also combine it with normal table salt to reduce iodine deficiency.

Also, read: Iodine is essential for pregnant women and new mothers, confirms a top gynaecologist

As mentioned, it not only boosts thyroid function, but also regulates blood pressure, body temperature, and heart rate. It is also imperative to have iodine for the development of bone and brain function during pregnancy and infancy.

Others foods you can try for iron deficiency

1. Apart from iodised salt, you can have one large cup of yoghurt as it can also give you up to 50 percent of your daily requirement.

2. Adding eggs to your daily diet also helps.

People who are at a higher risk of iodine deficiency are pregnant women, women at their pre-pregnancy age, children, vegetarians and vegans.