For nearly 100 years, it has been known that insufficient iodine levels can lead to lowered IQ levels in children. Australian researchers studied whether children born to mothers with mild iodine deficiency during pregnancy have poorer educational outcomes in elementary school as compared to peers whose mothers did not have mild gestational iodine deficiency. All of the children grew up in an “iodine-replete environment”—that means they had access to iodized salt and other dietary sources of iodine which are thought to maintain iodine sufficiency. The children were followed for nine years where they were assessed with standardized tests.
The researchers found that nine years later, as compared to children of mothers who did not have mild iodine deficiency in pregnancy, mildly iodine-deficient pregnant women’s children experienced significant reductions in spelling, grammar and English literacy. The authors summarized their findings by stating, “This study provides preliminary evidence that even mild iodine deficiency during pregnancy can have long-term adverse impacts on fetal neurocognition that are not ameliorated by iodine sufficiency during childhood.” (J. Clin. Endcrin. and Metab. May, 2013. 98(5):1954-62)
Comment: Folks, this is another in a long list of studies which show that maternal iodine deficiency adversely affects their IQ of children. Iodine is a crucial substance needed for normal neurological and brain development of the fetus. Inadequate iodine intake of the mother can have long-term ramifications, as shown in this study.
This is an important study. It reiterates what I have been writing about—iodine deficiency is a present-day problem. At my office, we have now tested over 6,000 patients for their iodine levels. I can assure you that iodine deficiency is occurring at epidemic rates—over 96% of our patients have tested low in iodine. Most have tested for severely low iodine levels. Those are my statistics. The U.S. Government’s statistics from NHANES show that almost 60% of pregnancy-aged women are suffering from inadequate iodine intake. (1) Iodine deficiency should be considered a national emergency.
We are suffering from an epidemic of childhood neurological disorders such as ADHD and autism. (2) I have no doubt that iodine deficiency is a part of these problems. Other researchers have correlated low iodine levels with a concomitant rise in autism and ADHD in EVERY Western country in which it was studied. (3) Although the research in autism and ADHD is not totally clear, I feel iodine deficiency, as an underlying cause, should be more closely examined.
Over the last 40 years, Iodine deficiency has been exacerbated due to our increasing exposure to toxic halides such as bromine, chloride, and fluorine that competitively inhibit and compete with iodine for absorption and receptor binding in the body. As our exposure to these toxic halides has increased, it is no wonder that we are suffering with the consequences of iodine deficiency. These consequences include more than just neurological problems—they include cancer of the breast, thyroid, ovaries, uterus, and prostate. Also, this list includes other thyroid problems such as hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disorders.
What can you do? Find a health care provider knowledgeable about iodine—that can be difficult as more doctors know little about it. Next, have your iodine levels examined. If you are low, supplement with iodine. Average iodine doses vary between 6-50mg/day for most patients. More information about iodine can be found in my lecture DVD and book—Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It.
(1) Thyroid. Vol. 21 N. 4. 2011
(2) J. Clin. Endocrin. 12/2004
(3) Arch. Des. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2004. Sep;89(5):F436-9
Med. J. Aust. 2003;178(4):159-162
Asia Pac. J. Clin. Nutr. 2003;12. Suppl. S15
BMJ Letters. 10.13.04. http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/328/7433/226-c
Nancy, I have been wondering the same thing about my father with Alzheimers and also my 9r.o. son with some of his learning difficulties. I am also curious about what Dr. Brownstein thinks about these two subjects.
Monica
Nancy,
Learning difficulties can be tied to iodine deficiency. I have seen many patients improve their educational abilities when iodine levels are optimized.
Alzheimer’s disease can be caused by toxicities such as mercury and nutritional deficiencies including vitamin B12. Also, in my opinion, long-standing dehydration is a causative factor for Alzheimer’s disease. A holistic approach can help treat Alzheimer’s. However, a holistic approach only works in an early stage of Alzheimer’s. It is best to detoxify and correct nutritional deficiencies when you are young, before symptoms of Alzheimer’s begin.
DrB
Dear Dr. Brownstein:
I have studied your work with iodine with extreme interest. I have also studied in great detail Dr. Abraham’s amazing document in which he totally debunks the strange phobia surrounding iodine in this country, which has done our country great harm, and the project “Iodine” he subsequently initiated so recently, and the apparent fact that iodine requirements in the human body had never been studied.
This whole development is so mindboggling when one realizes how many cases of breast disease, including the big C, could have been avoided; prostate cancer too,of course. The Japanese study Dr. Abraham quotes seems as clear as the nose on my face. What the hell is wrong with our medical establishment?
I, for one, am more than willing to forget the past and worry about the future. You and Dr. Abraham have started a revolution in medicine and we need to keep the ball rolling. Our country is so indebted to you. My background is Mathematics and Physics but I am so fascinated by human health and the holistic approach, especially Figure 3 in your book Iodine, and how iodide is oxidized and organified in thyroid cells. I love the idea that cells have this astonishing intelligence to take information that is coded onto the DNA molecules and turn it into a myriad of proteins, enzymes, iodinated lipids such as delta-iodolactone that actually controls cellular apoptosis, etc. To quote Alexander Graham Bell: “What hath God wrought?” It is so beautiful to understand. Einstein himself said: “The most inconceivable thing about the Universe is that it is conceivable.” By us little ole homosapiens! They say the late great chemist Dr. Linus Pauling might have won a 3rd Nobel prize if the state department had not blocked him from going to England to study some crystallography that Watson and Crick had access to.
Since you like his quotes try this: ” I collect as many ideas as possible and throw out the bad ones.”
Gratefully,
Andyogi.
Very interesting study. Love the long term aspect of it gives it far more weight. Great education for those mothers to be.
I have been receiving Dr. B’s newsletters for over a year now. I have also purchased several of his books dealing with the thyroid and iodine. I have always had thyroid problems since high school and finally had it destroyed with radioactive iodine. I wish I had known then what I know now. I have never been good at memorization, but usually had good grades in school. After reading Dr. B’s book on Iodine, I had my iodine blood level tested and discovered it was 40. I talked to my physician about it and started taking kelp drops daily. At the time I was taking a lot of bio-identical thyroid as the synthetic didn’t work. After I started with the iodine, my iodine level went up to 80 in about 2 mos. and surprising to the doctor and me my thyroid had leveled had to be adjusted downward so that I was not hyperthyroid. I feel better, am less tired, less depressed and my memory has improved. We were raised on iodized salt, however I can now see that it wasn’t enough. I now use only Celtic Sea Salt when cooking. I now wonder if my two grown boys maybe suffering the same fate. We also have Altzheimers Disease on my dad’s side of the family and I wonder if lack of Iodine has something to do with the development of the disease. When pregnant, I took all the necessary prenatal vitamins,, but that was back in the 70’s, now I would suggest that doctors re-evaluate the content of prenatal vitamins.
Nan Stapleton
Dr.B, what is your opinion on biofortification of vegetables with iodine?
I have been investigating increasing the mineralization of various plants using soil mineralization for the past couple of years. My company, Mighty Grow Organics, manufactures organic fertilizers that have a trace mineral clay added to the raw materials prior to pelletizing. From empirical evidence derived from eating the plants fertilized with my products I have been able to increase the flavor of various veggies, including tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and stevia.
What little research that I found published on the subject of biofortifying veggies to increase the iodine content dealt mostly with spinach, which appears to take up soil born iodine more readily than other veggies. I am adding iodine to my summer crops in the hope they will also take up some of the iodine that is present both in the soil and as a foliar spray.
Any additional information that you could provide (if any) would certainly be appreciated.
Michael LaBelle
Mighty Grow Organics
Michael,
The Japanese understand this process well. They use seaweed as a fertilizer for their crops. This is why their Japanese crops have higher iodine levels than ours do.
DrB
I wondered if they factored in other nutrients like dha, choline, B12, iron, etc. A child that is breastfed where the mother is consuming supplemental fish oil might be vastly different than one put on formula at birth. Lack of iron in children can cause all kinds of issues. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23082739]. People have to deal with GMOs, pesticides in their food, chemicals in their water, etc and I keep thinking to myself it is a wonder any of us turn out ok.
Thanks for all your work and research into these important issues.
I teach and have noticed over the years that *many* children have enormous difficulty memorizing their multiplication tables. I–and their parents–have drilled them repeatedly. This situation is not due to a lack of teaching. These are children with apparently normal IQs and who don’t have documented learning disabilities. They are not from educationally deprived populations: often their parents have college degrees. Something alarming is happening to America’s children. I don’t know if it is one factor or many, but we are losing huge numbers of our children due to some kind of cognitive deficiency that doesn’t fit the traditional categories.
When I was a child in the 1960s, nearly every kid knew his multiplication tables by the end of third grade. Now, it is no longer surprising to encounter middle and high school students who don’t know them. I reiterate that I am not talking about kids growing up in severe poverty or who are struggling to learn in a second language. This problem is widespread.
What is your opinion on testing iodine levels vial hair element analysis, i.e., Doctor’s Data? Thank you!
Adriane,
Urine, blood and saliva are acceptable fluids to measure iodine. Hair testing is not a reliable test for iodine testing.
DrB