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Avoiding Iodine Deficiency

With a few caveats, the best source of iodine is sea vegetables.

September 12, 2010 |
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Supplementary Info

Avoiding Iodine Deficiency, 4.6 out of 5 based on 5 ratings

Sources Cited

M. Gordon, C. Hall, and R. Amin. A rare cause of thyroid goitre in a UK adolescent. Acta Paediatr., 95(8) 1016, 2006.

S. J. Bae and Y. H. Choi. Methanol extract of the seaweed gloiopeltis furcata induces g2/m arrest and inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 activity in human hepatocarcinoma hepg2 cells.Phytother Res, 21(1):52-57, 2007.

M. Rose, J. Lewis, N. Langford, M. Baxter, S. Origgi, M. Barber, H. MacBain, and K. Thomas. Arsenic in seaweed: forms, concentration and dietary exposure. Food Chem.Toxicol., 45(7):1263-1267, 2007.

Acknowledgements

Transcript

Why does this 15 year old look so unhappy? Maybe it's because the iodine deficiency in her diet gave her this goiter. Everyone needs iodine but this is especially important for people who want to eat well, since many healthy plant foods like flax, soy and broccoli have what are called goitrogenic compounds, which can interfere with thyroid function in people with marginal iodine intake. So does that mean we shouldn't eat broccoli? Of course not. We just need to get enough iodine in our diets. It's actually really simple to do, rather than using natural sea salt, use iodized salt and you'll probably get all the iodine you need. But if for good reason, we don't add salt to our food, we just need to get our iodine somewhere. Cow milk drinkers get it because iodine containing disinfectants are used to disinfect the milk tanks and so the iodine sort of leaches into the milk. The best source is sea vegetables or you can get it in a multi-vitamin but I do encourage people to develop a taste for seaweed. It's a wonderful food, dark green leafies of the sea. It may even prevent cancer. Seaweed inhibits human cancer cell growth and this new study suggests it may even have a therapeutic potential for people battling liver cancer. Sea vegetables have lots of B vitamins and minerals, particularly the trace like minerals like iodine. The problem with seaweed is that we can actually get too much iodine. The recommended daily intake is 160 micrograms a day but the World Health Organization places the safe upper limit at 1,000 micrograms a day. So that's not a huge amount of wiggle room and it's less for kids, 300 micrograms or so may be too much for a five year old. This much Laver or Nori, a 2 ounce bag has enough iodine to last an adult a week. This much Dulse a month. This much Wakame two months. And one little bag of Kelp, five years. A quarter-gram a day of Kelp is too much. And it would be hard to spread that little amount of Kelp over five years so I recommend going with one of these other sources. Do not however eat Hiziki. The reason sea vegetables are so wonderful is that they are packed with trace minerals, they just soak them up right out of the sea water. Hiziki though may also absorb bad minerals like arsenic. One seaweed species in particular, Hiziki sucks up so much arsenic that governments around the world are now warning consumers not to eat it. From the US EPA, to the British government, to New Zealand to Canada, even the Chinese government. Here's what it looks like. Note the two different spellings. No longer should anyone eat this at least not on a regular basis. Lots of other wonderful types of seaweed out there without this problem so we can get the anti-cancer benefits without the arsenic.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

For more context, check out my associated blog post, Do Eden Beans Have Too Much Iodine?

  • JJ

    I have watched all five volumes of your DVDs, but it is a lot of information and I don’t have it all memorized. I know that you have a video somewhere about kombu, but I couldn’t find it on this site. So, I’m hoping it is OK to ask the question here under this video which is related:

    I thought I remember you saying that we should stay away from kombu because it has too much iodine? I like to put a sheet of kombu (maybe a 2 by 4 inch sheet) into pots of grains and beans that I cook. Mostly I throw away the kombu that is left at the end and eat the grains over the course of a week. So, would I be getting too much iodine if I do that?

    Also, sometimes I actually like to just snack on nori. But the nori goes down pretty fast. I give some to my dog, but most of it ends up in me. How many sheets would be too much in a sitting? In a week?

    (And fyi: a search on your site for Kombu turned up nothing – except for the kombuchi tea. Also, a search on nori turned up nothing. I do hope that lots of key words will be added to the videos.)

    Thanks for any guidance you can provide on kombu and nori. I want to get the iodine from food if I can, but I’m struggling to figure out how to get just the right amount (not too much or too little) easily.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      What an opportune time for this question–I’m actually going to posting about Kombu on Friday–stay tuned. I’m so glad you got so much out of my DVDs (all proceeds to charity).

      • JJ

        re: “I’m so glad you got so much out of my DVDs…” YES! I highly recommend the DVDs to people. This website is wonderful because people can see individual videos on-demand and because of the interactive nature of this site.

        However, seeing a video-here, a video-there does not give one the big picture. By seeing all the videos together and in order, one starts to see a pattern that is compelling. To people reading this: Go get those DVDs and show them to your whole family! And then to anyone else you care about.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/KarenLaVine/ Karen LaVine

    FYI: I have submitted an email question to Maine SeaCoast Vegetables re: some apparently incorrect information on the nutrition facts label on their Laver. The bag pictured in this video is labeled as containing 1 oz, not 2 oz, yet the label on the back of the bag says it contains 8 7gm servings. I’ll update when I hear back from them. Nevertheless, I am planning on purchasing some Laver to get my iodine from a nutritious whole food instead of from a supplement.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/EricNeeds/ Eric Needs

    I love you

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/wickedchicken/ wickedchicken

    I am just wondering, considering the massive contamination of fish in the sea all over the world [even the Antarctic as you said!], surely seaweed is also contaminated too? It is …from the same sea after all. Any evidence-based thoughts?!!!

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thea/ Thea

      wickedchicken: I don’t know the answer to your question as a fact, but I have some ideas that you might consider:

      1) Dr. Greger has one or more videos on this site that talk about contaminates getting concentrated the further one moves up the food chain. So, even if there are some contaminates in sea plants/seaweeds, there would be a lot more in sea animals. You should generally be able to greatly minimize exposure by sticking to the plants. In other words, it would not be appropriate to equate the two just because there might be some contaminates in seaweed.

      2) While there is sea contamination all over the world, it is probably not true that there is equal contamination in every part of the sea all over the world. Think about our air: Yes, the planet shares air. However, some cities have a lot more polluted air than others. Also, we know from Dr. Greger’s videos that some sea plants just seem to suck up the contaminants while others are not as bad.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/chrifou/ chrifou

    Hi Dr Gregger,
    I use half a teaspoon of agar-agar powder in 946 ml of soymilk to make my yogurt. Unfortunatly, I was unable to find the iodine content of agar-agar. Should I stop using agar-agar until until the iodine content is known ?

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/drdons/ DrDons

    Hi Chrifou, Agar-agar is a mixture of two polymers derived from red algae and should not contain iodine. So I would continue using the product.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/pabloc/ PabloC

    Dear Dr. Greger:
    I live in Chile, and here I haven’t seen any of those seaweeds… ¿What about Nori and cochayuyo (durvillaea antarctica)?
    Thank you!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/traxmom/ traxmom

    So how big ARE those bags of sea vegetables in your video?

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/pabloc/ PabloC

      2:16
      I hear these are 2 ounce bags.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/adah/ adah

    wow, thanks – this is new information to me. i probably am way overdosed on kombu kelp and hijiki – are we concerned even about organic and sustainably harvested hijiki that i get from small scale operations like natural food coop? too bad, it’s a nice sea veg in miso soups

  • Jola

    How does this guidance apply to someone who has Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and is taking Levothyroxine on a daily basis? Same guidelines?  I’d really hate to limit my intake of flax, broccoli, cabbages, etc.

    • http://www.DonForresterMD.com/ Don Forrester MD

       Since you are taking a thyroid supplement you don’t need to worry since the supplemental hormone already contains the iodine. So you should be able to consume the flax, broccoli, cabbage etc. There are other chemicals in the environment that can affect your glands see… http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-problem-with-organic-salmon/. Of course you will need to get your thyroid level checked periodically and work with your physician to make sure you are taking enough and not too much. 

      • Jola

        Thank you, Dr. Forrester. I really appreciate your response.  I had no idea that my Levothyroxine contained iodine. 

  • Michael Greger M.D.

    Please also check out my associated blog post Do Eden Beans Have Too Much Iodine?

  • Vegandaoist

    As for the arsenic, would that not depend on the source and lo0cation? Is arsenic in all ocean water all over the world and why would this one sea veggie suck up arsenic and the others do not?

  • http://nutrientuniverse.blogspot.co.uk/ JamesKB

    Here’s something to ponder on. Most people today get iodine from iodized salt, milk and fish. Vegans can get it from seaweed. I got thinking about when we were evolving. We didn’t always live by the sea so where did we get our iodine? Where do other primates get their iodine? Are their needs less perhaps?

    • Toxins

       Iodine is naturally occurring in plant foods in small amounts due to extraction from the soil. Current iodine levels in the soil due to current farm practices are near zero.

    • Occams_Razor

      Soil in some areas used to be undersea in previous geological ages, and has iodine in the soil.

  • mbglife

    With regards to being too iodine laden, I buy an inexpensive shaker of kelp at the health-food store of Main Coast brand’s Sea Seasonings. They tell you on the label that just 1/4 teaspoon (note: not tablespoon) is 20 times the RDA serving. So I take measure out a few little shakes on a spoon that looks about 1/20 of a 1/4 tsp and then I don’t have to worry about it.

    This isn’t much of a bother, but the reason I choose this over other methods is that while I like sheets of seaweed, they give me reflux and/or diarrhea. And I don’t like the more measured supplements because of all the added “stuff”. After just a few times of doing this I’m pretty used to what a few sprinkles should look like, so I think I am getting the right amount each time.

    Still, having said all that, I would love it if I could get a little measuring spoon, like some of those horrid little sweeteners have, that gives you a tiny but precise amount. If anyone has a recommendation for where to buy a scoop that is .0125 of a teaspoon (1/20 x 1/4), I’d love to hear the suggestion.

  • Sam

    I am thoroughly confused about eating goitrogens. A few
    years ago, my TSH tested at the upper ranges of normal. I chose to lower it to
    an optimal (less than 2.0) level by taking Armour thyroid. I have found that
    the foods that make up most of my diet—cruciferous veggies, soy nuts,
    strawberries, almonds, peanut butter, sweet potatoes, and spinach—are the foods I am supposed to avoid. I understand that it is beneficial to eat them cooked, but should I avoid them? That is a lot of nutritious food to exclude. If I
    avoided these foods, would my TSH be lower on its own (without Armour?) Should I continue to eat those foods, but take Iodoral? Help!

    • http://www.DonForresterMD.com/ Don Forrester MD

      You need to maintain an adequate iodine intake and iodoral is a good choice if you are not consuming any iodized salt. See Dr. Greger’s video on goitrogens… http://nutritionfacts.org/video/overdosing-on-greens/. Even moderate intake of raw goitrogens are okay if in moderation… you can overdo just about anything including iodine… see http://nutritionfacts.org/video/too-much-iodine-can-be-as-bad-as-too-little/. As far as the diagnosis of low thyroid it is sometimes a challenge. Medical recommendations seem to always be lowering the treatment thresholds. It would be helpful to have baseline levels for individuals to check for the need for medication. The reality is the blood markers need to be evaluated in conjunction with symptoms so it is important to work with a knowledgeable physician.

  • maya

    Dr. Greger does not recommend Kelp as a good source of Iodine, however, what about the supplements at the store that are Kelp based. I think I looked at the nutritional info on the bottle and it was 600 mcg per dose which is about in the middle of Dr. Greger’s and the WHO recommendations. Another issue I’m confused about is that some of the companies are recommending that IODIDE be present in the supplement for better assimilation…is this a factor to consider while trying to choose a good supplement?

  • Daniel

    Get the Maine Coast dusle granules instead, they have about 300-350 mcg of iodine per teaspoon so you can measure a lot more easily.
    I’ead that the Japanese have around 5-10 mg of iodine a day, which is well over the upper limit of 1 mg. They don’t seem to have any problems. Shouldn’t this mean that the upper limit should be increased? Why is that amount of iodine ok for them but not for anyone else?

  • limor

    My mother (61 y.o) had a Subtotal Thyroidectomy in 1992 due
    to Papillary Carcinoma and had a radioactive therapy (I131). Since then and to this day she takes Eltroxine and the TSH is about 0.05. In 2010 she was diagnosed with recurrent tumor
    size 12 mm that wasn’t change in follow up U.S.
    I wonder if she can eat the broccoli family and other goitrogenic food? In
    addition, can she eat food that contain Iodine?

    • laloutre

      I saw Dr Greger this morning at a conference in Montreal and told him about my thyroid cancer (i had a total thyroidectomy last december) and asked him if i should avoid cruciferous vegetables or soy. His answer was that there is no problem as lon as i make sure to eat enough iodine.

      I wanted to ask him after the conference how much iodine someone with no thyroid should eat. Is it the same amount as someone with their thyroid, but i didn’t have the chance to ask him.

      Dr Greger, if you read this could you please give more information about this?

  • Gen Collett

    then explain asians that eat alot of seaweed?

  • suzy

    Hi, I have hypothyroidism but am not taking any meds. My bloods are always within normal range, but I strugglt to lose weight, have very dry skin, eyebrows have gone on outer edges, have carpal tunnel and fatigue etc etc. I have recently changed to a vegan diet and eat plenty of kale, saur kraut, broccoli, cauliflower and nuts, among other foods. Advice please on what is good for natural treatment of hypothyroidism.

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