According to a study conducted by a team in Norway, the growing prevalence of a vegan-based diet is leading to a serious but previously hidden health problem: an increasing number of people are becoming Iodine deficient.
With Iodine deficiencies found to be most common among vegans, research has revealed that only 14 percent of those who eat plant-based have a high enough Iodine intake from their diet.
While this might sound like a minor issue, it can actually have some serious consequences, ranging from weight gain, fatigue, and weakness through to more troubling symptoms such as changes in heart rate and problems with cognitive function.
Here’s what you need to know about the UK’s hidden health crisis.
At-risk groups
Most of us are aware that a balanced diet is important to ensure our continued good health, and that any deficiencies can be detrimental to both our physical and mental wellbeing. That being said, one issue we don’t often hear about is Iodine deficiency, but according to research, this is a problem that is on the rise.
Found to be most prevalent among certain groups, including vegans, the elderly, pregnant women, and women of childbearing age, Iodine deficiency can cause some unpleasant side effects for those who are impacted, which is why it’s important to understand not only what symptoms it can cause, but how to address it too.
As Anne Lise Brantsaeter, leader of the study, explains: “The current study shows that dietary sources of iodine do not secure adequate Iodine intake in all groups of the population, and [that] use of Iodine-containing supplements is required to meet Iodine recommendations in vegans and individuals who cannot meet Iodine recommendations from diet alone.”
Put simply, what this means is that certain individuals may find it helpful not only to source a more Iodine-rich diet, but to consume additional supplements to increase their Iodine levels.
The importance of an Iodine-rich diet
As we mentioned, one way to avoid and/or address Iodine deficiency is to rework your diet so that it contains more of what you’re lacking. Certain foods are particularly good at providing this, including milk products and yoghurts. Indeed, according to researchers, it was the increased consumption of milk and dairy foods among younger age groups that explained why most of the children studied tended to have higher levels of Iodine than their mothers.
In addition to this, many members of at-risk groups who were found to be Iodine insufficient took additional supplementation, which provided them with (on average) 147 micrograms per day of Iodine. One of the most popular and efficient of these was found to be kelp supplements.
The takeaway from this is simple: that diet is essential in helping to prevent iodine deficiency among at-risk groups.
Symptoms of Iodine deficiency
While Iodine deficiency can be simple to prevent, the symptoms and side effects that affect those who fall victim can nonetheless be unpleasant. It is for this reason that it’s so important to be aware of the risks associated with the condition, which can include:
• A swollen neck
• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
• Tiredness, fatigue, and a general feeling of weakness
• Hair loss and/or alopecia
• Dry and flaky skin
• An inability to maintain body heat
• Changes in your heart rate
• Troubles with learning, memory, and recall
• Problems during pregnancy
• Heavy and/or irregular periods
Not only this, but there is some evidence to suggest that mild to moderate deficiency can also be detrimental to child cognitive development, with an increased risk to the foetus in instances where pregnant women have insufficient levels.
Why Iodine is important
While the above does much to suggest the importance of Iodine, it is nonetheless useful to take a deeper look into what Iodine is and the role it performs within the human body. Essentially, Iodine is a micro-mineral, small amount of which are found in our thyroid glands.
Used by our bodies to make a number of important hormones, such as thyroxine and triiodothyronine, Iodine impacts a number of essential functions, from growth through to metabolism.
Where it plays a particularly vital role is in foetal maturity, with hormones produced by the thyroid directly contributing to the development and growth of a number of organs – in particular, the brain - with levels of the mineral impacting both pre-birth and early childhood development.
How to increase the amount of Iodine in your diet
With experts noting an unprecedented rise in the number of cases of Iodine deficiency, it pays to not only recognise the symptoms but to understand how to avoid developing the condition entirely.
According to UK government dietary recommendations, those over the age of 15 should be ingesting around 140-150 micrograms of Iodine a day (the figure is higher for pregnant and breastfeeding women), and there are lots of different sources that can contribute toward this figure. What this means is that it is most certainly not necessary for vegans to abandon a plant-based diet: rather, it’s about recognising what you need to eat in order to get enough of the mineral.
For those who do eat animal products, fish and shellfish can both be great sources of Iodine, as can dairy and eggs. While milk and yogurt, in particular, are helpful, increasing your seafood intake is a good idea nonetheless, especially because this food group has many other benefits besides being rich in Iodine.
For those who wish to avoid animal-based products, seaweed is also a highly concentrated source, so it can be wise to incorporate this into your diet. Foods that will not help you, however, include alternatives to milk, such as soy, almond, coconut, oat, rice, hazelnut, and hemp drinks, so don’t fall into the trap of thinking these are suitable substitutes when it comes to your Iodine intake.
Aside from seaweed, there are also supplements that you can add to your diet if you feel like you might be lacking in the mineral and in need of a boost. It can be especially important to explore these during pregnancy and while breastfeeding and/or if you’re a member of another at-risk group.
That being said, not all supplements are created equal, so it’s important to do your research carefully and make sure that any product you do use has been thoroughly vetted and developed to ensure that it doesn’t deliver an Iodine overload.
Conclusion
Iodine deficiency is an issue that the UK population has not had to worry about in a long time, and yet that doesn’t mean it can be ignored. With the number of cases on the rise, those suffering from a general sense of malaise, lack of energy, or any of the symptoms listed above may be wise to consider consulting a naturopathic therapist.
While it’s vital to seek medical advice if you are concerned, it’s also important to remember one golden rule: that prevention is better than cure. For this reason, we recommend that you make an effort to review your diet and consider whether it’s delivering sufficient levels of Iodine, especially if you belong to a particularly at-risk sector of society.
