Health Benefits of Iodine
Iodine is an essential trace element, which is vital for normal growth and development of the body. Around 60% of the iodine in the human body is stored in the thyroid gland. Its health benefits play a very important role in the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which secretes thyroid hormones that control the base metabolic rate of the body. In fact, without it, thyroid hormones could not even be synthesized. Here are some health benefits of iodine.
Health Benefits of Iodine
Iodine controls the functioning of thyroid glands, which, in turn, has a significant influence on the metabolic processes in the body. It helps in the optimum utilization of calories, thereby preventing their storage as excess fat. Other benefits include removal of toxins from the body and assisting the system in utilizing minerals like calcium and silicon.
Optimizes Energy
Iodine plays an important role in maintaining optimal energy levels of the body by ensuring the efficient utilization of calories without allowing them to be deposited as excess fats.
Skin & Hair Care
The health benefits of it include the formation of healthy and shiny skin, teeth, and hair. It is an important element for hair care, as lack of this mineral can result in hair loss. Moreover, it also speeds up hair growth and increases follicle strength.
Prevents Stillbirths
A sufficient quantity of it in pregnant women is essential to prevent stillbirths or neurocognitive conditions like cretinism in the newborn babies.It can lead to gestational hypertension, which can result in a number of complications during infancy. It ensures proper movement and growth of the baby, along with speech and hearing abilities. Furthermore, besides affecting the health of the baby once it is conceived, a deficiency of it can make women infertile.
Treats Fibrocystic Disease
It can significantly reduce conditions like fibrosis, turgidity, and breast tenderness. It gives relief from fibrocystic diseases and is widely used in therapies, both traditional and modern. Studies have shown a significant correspondence between molecular iodine and a reduction in the signs and symptoms of fibrocystic breast disease.
Prevents Cancer
Probably the most important health benefit of it, apart from its thyroidal influence, is its anti-carcinogenic property. Studies have shown that cancer cells shrink after being injected with iodine, and at times, they even undergo apoptosis (automatic cell death) and are then replaced with healthier cells. The exact mechanism of this process is still unknown, but studies have found this positive connection, particularly in terms of its effects on inducing apoptosis in breast cancer carcinoma cells.
Induces Apoptosis
It ensures apoptosis or programmed cell death, which is essential in the formation of new organs as well as in the removal of malignant cells like cancer or diseased cells, which might prove harmful to any individual.This function is mainly derived from its effects on the thyroid gland and subsequent hormonal secretion and regulation.
Removes Toxic Chemicals
Iodine can flush out harmful chemicals like fluoride, lead, mercury, and biological toxins. The role of this extra thyroidal iodine that does other work throughout the body is very important. It has certain antibacterial qualities, particularly against Helicobacter pylori, which is a dangerous bacterial infection in the stomach, more commonly called H. Pylori and has been connected with gastric cancer.
Important Sources of Iodine
It is present in large quantities in both marine plants and animals, including shellfish, deep-water whitefish, and brown seaweed kelp, which can absorb iodine from seawater. Be sure to include abundant quantities of canned sardines, canned tuna, lobster, oyster, clams, cod, haddock, halibut, herring perch, salmon, sea bass, and shrimp in your diet. Dulse, kelp, seaweed, garlic, lima beans, Swiss chard, summer squash, sesame seeds, soybeans, turnip greens, and spinach are some of the other sources of iodine. Iodized salt is another important source and bakers regularly add iodine to bread dough as a stabilizing agent.
