Iodine

If you have ever wondered what is iodine? Then you came to the right spot to get some information. Iodine is one of the minerals needed by the human body in very small amounts. It is also called a trace element and is also needed by most other living organisms. Iodine is necessary for proper production of thyroid hormones in the human body. Iodine's primary uses are in medicine, photography, as catalysts, in halogen lights and water purification. In nature iodine occurs dissolved in seawater, in mineral ores and soils. Iodine has a dark gray or purple black color, it is a solid, which at room temperature can convert to a gas with an irritating odor.

Iodine rich foods fund in nature are kelp and other plants that have the ability to concentrate iodine. Since this is not always enough iodine for the daily needs of the body lots of countries have iodine salt on the shelf, which essentially is a fortified product. If iodine needs of the body are not met there is always the possibility to use iodine supplements. Sometimes to the group of iodine rich foods also belong plants that are grown on iron rich soils.

A kelp iodine appetite suppressants are a commonly used supplement for people with thyroid problems.

Iodine foods are not always good for everyone. Iodine can cause problems with high blood pressure, which for lots of people can lead to a necessary low iodine diet or even an iodine free diet. Some people even display a so-called iodine allergy, which is not necessarily the right term for it. These people are allergic to iodine applied to the skin or iodine used in several medicines in the body. Tincture of iodine is a treatment for open wounds. It is used to kill bacteria in the wounds and therefore promote healing.

Another use of iodine is iodine therapy. Radioactive iodine therapy is used for the treatment of thyroid cancer and it is suggested that it is very helpful in the fight of thyroid cancer.

In countries and remote places inland where there is little to no seafood consumption iodine deficiency is on the rise and a major concern. Deficiency symptoms of iodine include fatigue, mental slowing, depression, weight gain and low basal body temperatures. Mental retardation in young children and infants is one serious problem of iodine deficiency.

Iodine toxicity has very similar symptoms as iodine deficiency like abnormal growth of the thyroids and growth disorders. Very large overdoses of the elemental iodine can actually lead to death.

The most economical way to extract iodine is from the mineral ores. The biggest producers of iodine are Chile, Japan and USA in that order.

More iodine facts can be found on the pages and publications of the International Mineralogy Association.