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Iodine deficiency leads to health problems: expert

ABU DHABI — Deficiency of iodine leads to serious health complications in all age groups including unborn children, a nuclear medicine expert has warned.

"Iodine deficiency could be one of the major and direct causes for abortion, stillborns and congenital deformities in unborn children. Physical retardation in youth as well as enlargement of the thyroid glands in adults also result from iodine deficiency," said Dr Zuhair Yassir Al Haider, Consultant, Nuclear Medicine at Mafraq Hospital, who has been in the field for the past 30 years.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Dr Haider said iodine deficiency affects the functions of the thyroid gland whose hormones greatly enhance functions of body organs, namely heart, vessels and the nervous system.

Therefore, he said, inactivity in thyroid gland hormones excretions cause a feeling of sluggishness and fatigue, voice hoarseness, hair fall and continuous constipation, which are considered to be indirect impact of iodine deficiency in humans.

On the sources of the chemical element, the expert explained iodine has been identified as an essential dietary element and plays an important role in the prevention of goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland). Persistent iodine deficiency can result in hypothyroidism.

Since the early 1900s, iodine has been added to food, typically in the form of iodised salt. Iodine supplements in food continues to be recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"Natural sources of iodine are vegetables and fruit cultivated in iodine-rich soil. Sea food, mainly fish, and iodised salt are available and are basic sources of iodine," said Dr Haider.

He noted that the human body needs a small quantity of iodine on a daily basis "that is equal to 150 micrograms or less than 250mg."

Answering a question on diagnosis of thyroid gland disease, he said to determine the problems of thyroid disease, three steps should be taken — serum hormone assay (T3,T4 and TSH), isotope scan or ultrasound.

"These methods are used to localise any abnormalities of the gland and to see whether it is toxic goiter or non-toxic goiter," said Dr Haider.