Optimizing Growth: The Case for Iodine
Iodine is an essential micronutrient and component of thyroid hormone. An adequate dietary iodine intake is critical to maintain and promote normal growth and development, especially during vulnerable life stages such as pregnancy and early infancy. The role of iodine in cognitive development is sup...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/4/814 |
| _version_ | 1797618973324345344 |
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| author | Jessica Rigutto-Farebrother |
| author_facet | Jessica Rigutto-Farebrother |
| author_sort | Jessica Rigutto-Farebrother |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Iodine is an essential micronutrient and component of thyroid hormone. An adequate dietary iodine intake is critical to maintain and promote normal growth and development, especially during vulnerable life stages such as pregnancy and early infancy. The role of iodine in cognitive development is supported by numerous interventional and observational studies, and when iodine intake is too low, somatic growth is also impaired. This can be clearly seen in cases of untreated congenital hypothyroidism related to severe iodine deficiency, which is characterized, in part, by a short stature. Nevertheless, the impact of a less severe iodine deficiency on growth, whether in utero or postnatal, is unclear. Robust studies examining the relationship between iodine and growth are rarely feasible, including the aspect of examining the effect of a single micronutrient on a process that is reliant on multiple nutrients for optimal success. Conversely, excessive iodine intake can affect thyroid function and the secretion of optimal thyroid hormone levels; however, whether this affects growth has not been examined. This narrative review outlines the mechanisms by which iodine contributes to the growth process from conception onwards, supported by evidence from human studies. It emphasizes the need for adequate iodine public health policies and their robust monitoring and surveillance, to ensure coverage for all population groups, particularly those at life stages vulnerable for growth. Finally, it summarizes the other micronutrients important to consider alongside iodine when seeking to assess the impact of iodine on somatic growth. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:20:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c28b0bad31c143c48abdea2c6cb868ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:20:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-c28b0bad31c143c48abdea2c6cb868ea2023-11-16T22:29:21ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432023-02-0115481410.3390/nu15040814Optimizing Growth: The Case for IodineJessica Rigutto-Farebrother0Laboratory of Nutrition and Metabolic Epigenetics, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zürich, LFV E 14.1, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zürich, SwitzerlandIodine is an essential micronutrient and component of thyroid hormone. An adequate dietary iodine intake is critical to maintain and promote normal growth and development, especially during vulnerable life stages such as pregnancy and early infancy. The role of iodine in cognitive development is supported by numerous interventional and observational studies, and when iodine intake is too low, somatic growth is also impaired. This can be clearly seen in cases of untreated congenital hypothyroidism related to severe iodine deficiency, which is characterized, in part, by a short stature. Nevertheless, the impact of a less severe iodine deficiency on growth, whether in utero or postnatal, is unclear. Robust studies examining the relationship between iodine and growth are rarely feasible, including the aspect of examining the effect of a single micronutrient on a process that is reliant on multiple nutrients for optimal success. Conversely, excessive iodine intake can affect thyroid function and the secretion of optimal thyroid hormone levels; however, whether this affects growth has not been examined. This narrative review outlines the mechanisms by which iodine contributes to the growth process from conception onwards, supported by evidence from human studies. It emphasizes the need for adequate iodine public health policies and their robust monitoring and surveillance, to ensure coverage for all population groups, particularly those at life stages vulnerable for growth. Finally, it summarizes the other micronutrients important to consider alongside iodine when seeking to assess the impact of iodine on somatic growth.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/4/814iodinegrowthiodine deficiencythyroid function |
| spellingShingle | Jessica Rigutto-Farebrother Optimizing Growth: The Case for Iodine Nutrients iodine growth iodine deficiency thyroid function |
| title | Optimizing Growth: The Case for Iodine |
| title_full | Optimizing Growth: The Case for Iodine |
| title_fullStr | Optimizing Growth: The Case for Iodine |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizing Growth: The Case for Iodine |
| title_short | Optimizing Growth: The Case for Iodine |
| title_sort | optimizing growth the case for iodine |
| topic | iodine growth iodine deficiency thyroid function |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/4/814 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jessicariguttofarebrother optimizinggrowththecaseforiodine |