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Iodinated Salt

Its not the salt, its the iodine!

• Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) are the single most common cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage in the world.
• Iodine (Greek, ioeides = violet) is an essential requirement for the synthesis of thyroid hormone.
• Thyroid hormone in turn is a key regulator of fetal neural development.

IDD causes goiters and decreases the production of hormones vital to growth and development.

Statistics

• 1.6 billion people are at risk
• IDD affects 50 million children
• 100,000 cretins are born every year

Children with IDD can grow up stunted, apathetic, mentally retarded and incapable of normal movement, speech or hearing. IDD in pregnant women cause miscarriage, stillbirth and mentally retarded children. A teaspoon of iodine is all a person requires in a lifetime, but because iodine cannot be stored for long periods by the body, tiny amounts are needed regularly. In areas of endemic iodine deficiency, where soil and therefore crops and grazing animals do not provide sufficient dietary iodine to the populace, food fortification and supplementation have proven highly successful and sustainable interventions. Iodized salt programs and iodized oil supplements are the most common tools in the fight against IDD.

In Australia, salt (where identified) and most breads (except organic varieties) are fortified with iodine.

Iodine Links: Iodine Deficiency | Endocrine - Thyroid Development | Neural System Development | Neural System - Abnormalities