Why your body needs iodine
IODINE is one of the important minerals the body needs. Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) cause conditions like goitre, mental retardation, hypothyroidism (failure to grow), decreased fertility rate and increased infant deaths.
By Thomas Pere
And Jackie Nake
IODINE is one of the important minerals the body needs. Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) cause conditions like goitre, mental retardation, hypothyroidism (failure to grow), decreased fertility rate and increased infant deaths.
Dr. Sam Okware, the commissioner for community health in the Ministry of Health, says pregnant women can ensure intelligent offspring by just consuming iodised salt.
Dr. Jacinta Sabiiti, a senior medical officer responsible for prevention and control of Micronutrient Deficiencies at the Ministry of Health, says the Government introduced a policy of Universal Salt Iodisation in 1993, requiring all household salt to be iodised. Non iodised salt was banned.
Okware says iodine is used by the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones, which promote normal physical and mental development.
“When the diet contains insufficient iodine, the thyroid gland enlarges due to its desperate efforts to produce the hormone; this enlargement is known as goitre, which is the outward sign of iodine deficiency.â€
The brain of an unborn child is particularly sensitive to iodine deficiency.
Even during early childhood, physical growth and psychomotor development are most severely affected by iodine deficiency. Deficiency is mainly in highland areas where cassava or millet are major staple foods.
With adults, inadequate iodine levels in the body leads to laziness and reduced socioeconomic development as a result of compromised vigour to work.
Iodine can be taken from iodised salt, seafood, yogurt, cow’s milk, egg yolks, strawberries, cheese and other plants grown in iodine-rich soil. But Dr Hanifa Bachou of Mwanamugimu, Mulago Hospital, advises that iodised salt should be kept dry, closed or placed far from fire in order to retain the iodine in it.
“Elements in bitter cassava and purple cabbages also interfere with its uptake and use in the body.â€
And Jackie Nake
IODINE is one of the important minerals the body needs. Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) cause conditions like goitre, mental retardation, hypothyroidism (failure to grow), decreased fertility rate and increased infant deaths.
Dr. Sam Okware, the commissioner for community health in the Ministry of Health, says pregnant women can ensure intelligent offspring by just consuming iodised salt.
Dr. Jacinta Sabiiti, a senior medical officer responsible for prevention and control of Micronutrient Deficiencies at the Ministry of Health, says the Government introduced a policy of Universal Salt Iodisation in 1993, requiring all household salt to be iodised. Non iodised salt was banned.
Okware says iodine is used by the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones, which promote normal physical and mental development.
“When the diet contains insufficient iodine, the thyroid gland enlarges due to its desperate efforts to produce the hormone; this enlargement is known as goitre, which is the outward sign of iodine deficiency.â€
The brain of an unborn child is particularly sensitive to iodine deficiency.
Even during early childhood, physical growth and psychomotor development are most severely affected by iodine deficiency. Deficiency is mainly in highland areas where cassava or millet are major staple foods.
With adults, inadequate iodine levels in the body leads to laziness and reduced socioeconomic development as a result of compromised vigour to work.
Iodine can be taken from iodised salt, seafood, yogurt, cow’s milk, egg yolks, strawberries, cheese and other plants grown in iodine-rich soil. But Dr Hanifa Bachou of Mwanamugimu, Mulago Hospital, advises that iodised salt should be kept dry, closed or placed far from fire in order to retain the iodine in it.
“Elements in bitter cassava and purple cabbages also interfere with its uptake and use in the body.â€