Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm.D. — Written by Kristeen Cherney on March 14, 2019

 

What is iodine?

Also called iodide, iodine is a type of mineral that’s naturally found in the earth’s soil and ocean waters. Many salt water and plant-based foods contain iodine, and this mineral is most-widely available in iodized salt.

It’s important to get enough iodine in the diet. It regulates hormones, fetal development, and more.

If your iodine levels are low, your doctor might recommend supplementation. You shouldn’t take supplements without checking with your doctor first.

Read on to learn more about the uses and side effects of iodine, plus recommended daily amounts by age.

 

11 uses of iodine

Iodine is considered an essential mineral for our bodies. It’s particularly important during pregnancy, and exposure in the womb may even help prevent certain health conditions later in life.

The following is a list of some of the most important uses and how they benefit the body.

 

1. Promoting thyroid health

Iodine plays a vital role in thyroid health. Your thyroid gland, which is located at the base of the front of your neck, helps regulate hormone production. These hormones control your metabolism, heart health, and more.

To make thyroid hormones, your thyroid takes up iodine in small amounts. Without iodine, thyroid hormone production can decrease. A “low” or underactive thyroid gland can lead to a condition called hypothyroidism.

Given the wide availability of iodine in western diets, thyroid health isn’t typically impacted by low iodine levels in the United States.

You can get enough iodine from your diet by eating dairy products, fortified foods, and salt water fish. Iodine is also available in plant foods that grow in naturally iodine-rich soil. You also can get the mineral by seasoning your food with iodized salt.

While iodine promotes overall thyroid health, too much iodine can have a negative effect on the thyroid gland. That’s why you shouldn’t take iodine supplements without your doctor’s recommendation.

2. Reducing risk for some goiters

A goiter is an enlarged thyroid gland. Your thyroid may become enlarged as a result from either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is an overactive thyroid gland.

Non-cancerous thyroid nodules (cysts) can also cause thyroid gland enlargement.

Sometimes a goiter develops as a direct response to iodine deficiency. This is the most common cause of goiter worldwide, though it’s not as common a cause in the United States and other countries with access to iodine-rich foods.

Iodine-induced goiters may be reversed by adding iodine-rich foods or supplements in the diet.

 

3. Managing overactive thyroid gland

Your doctor may recommend a special type of iodine called radioactive iodine to treat an overactive thyroid gland. Also called radioiodine, this medication is taken by mouth. It’s used to destroy extra thyroid cells to help reduce excessive amounts of thyroid hormone.

The risk with radioactive iodine is that it can destroy too many thyroid cells. This can decrease the amount of hormone production, leading to hypothyroidism. For this reason, radioactive iodine is usually only recommended after anti-thyroid drugs have failed.

Radioactive iodine is not the same thing as iodine supplements. You should never take iodine supplements for hyperthyroidism.

 

4. Treating thyroid cancer

Radioiodine may also be a possible treatment option for thyroid cancer. It works in much the same way as hyperthyroid treatment.

When you take radioactive iodine orally, the medication destroys thyroid cells, including cancerous ones. It may be used as a treatment following thyroid surgery to make sure all cancerous cells have been removed from the body.

According to the American Cancer Society, radioactive iodine treatments significantly improve the chances of survival for people with thyroid cancer.