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Iodine is a trace element and performs many tasks in our body. It participates in important processes. One of them is the production of thyroid hormones, which are responsible for metabolism. Our body cannot produce iodine itself and can only store it to a limited extent. Therefore, you can take it both in food and in the form of food supplements.
In our iodine test 2023 we show you various products that you can take in addition to your diet. We provide you with all the most important information and present the advantages and disadvantages of the individual iodine products. This should help you in your final purchase decision.
Summary
- Iodine is an important element that is essential for the production of thyroid hormones. Iodine is equally important during pregnancy, as it is involved in the growth processes of the foetus.
- You can get iodine supplements in different forms – capsules, tablets, powder or as a solution.
- It is important to consult a doctor before taking iodine. A deficiency or excess of iodine can have serious consequences for you personally and for your baby.
The Best Iodine: Our Picks
To give you a small overview of the various possible preparations, we would like to present a small selection of iodine products
Buying and evaluation criteria for iodine
Before you decide on an iodine supplement, we recommend that you first compare them with each other. There are a few important criteria that you should keep in mind when buying. The following aspects will help you in your decision:
In the following section, we will go into more detail about the individual criteria so that you understand their importance for your purchase decision.
Dosage form
There are only two ways to take iodine. Either you get the important trace element from food or you buy preparations and supply your body with an additional supplement. Iodine is mainly found in the form of tablets, capsules, powder or as a solution. You have to find out for yourself which form is suitable for you.
Iodine tablets and iodine capsules are probably the classics for many people. However, the capsules are only suitable for you if you have no problem swallowing them. In comparison, you can let the tablets melt in your mouth until it has a more powdery form and swallow the active ingredient.
Iodine drops or powder are easier to take. These are good alternatives if you do not want to take tablets or capsules. You can simply add both iodine preparations to water or mix them with other drinks. Depending on the intensity of the taste, you can also integrate the iodine into your food.
Dosage / Amount
The correct dosage of iodine supplements is important for you. On the one hand, it depends on the iodine content of the food you eat. The higher the iodine content, the less you need to take in food supplements. In addition, the daily requirement is higher for pregnant women, which is why a higher dosage is not a bad choice.
Each supplement has a different high iodine dosage. However, it is also possible to find different levels of iodine in the different forms.
Always consult a doctor first about how much iodine you should take. An overdose can have undesirable consequences.
Algae in particular have a high iodine content. That is why they are mostly used in capsules, but also in other preparations. However, many types of algae contain almost too much iodine, which can lead to side effects. Especially with these preparations, you should first find out how high the iodine content is. Depending on how high the dosage is, you have to adjust or regulate the amount you take.
Additives
Like many food supplements, there is a risk that iodine supplements contain undesirable additives. Therefore, you should always read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. You should avoid additives such as dyes, binders or fillers. These are not good for your body.
Also, not every iodine supplement is suitable for everyone. Allergens such as soy, shellfish or nuts can be found in the various products; however, as an allergy sufferer you should not consume them.
To avoid undesirable consequences, we recommend iodine supplements that are free of any additives. These can inhibit the effect of iodine and may harm your body instead of helping it.
Shelf life
Many users still ask themselves how long an iodine supplement will keep. Depending on how often you take it, you may want to keep a product for a longer period of time. Basically, we can say that iodine products do not go bad and you can continue to take them later.
With iodine solutions or drops, however, you have to bear in mind that the iodine can lose its effect. Every time you open the bottle, it loses a little of its effect, but it does not go bad. Nevertheless, we recommend that you never take iodine supplements without consulting your doctor. Not even those that you find again after months or even years.
Guide: Frequently asked questions about iodine answered in detail
In the following section, we want to inform you about the effectiveness of iodine and give you an understanding of the current state of science. For this purpose, we have summarised all the important information on the topic of iodine.
What is iodine and how does it work?
As you will see in the following sections, iodine is involved in many processes in the body and is therefore indispensable. It plays an enormously important role for you personally as well as for your baby in case of pregnancy. We would like to tell you about its effects and importance in the following.
Effect on the metabolism
Iodine is an elementary component that contributes greatly to the production of thyroid hormones and to normal thyroid function. As a result, iodine, among other things, influences and regulates our metabolism, making us feel fitter and more balanced. (1, 2, 3)
Because of iodine’s crucial role in the body’s metabolism, it is also an essential element for fat metabolism. Initial studies found that iodine can be good as a dietary supplement. It can decisively support weight loss. (4) However, this possible causal connection should be underlined in further studies.
Effect on body composition
Due to the regulation of thyroid hormones, iodine also has an effect on bone and muscle formation. It is therefore significantly involved in the strength and mobility of your body.
With sufficient iodine intake, it supports your musculoskeletal system. In addition, iodine makes an important contribution to muscle regeneration after strenuous physical exertion. (5, 6)
The strength of your body and thus the amount of iodine in your body can affect your energy balance and vitality. If your thyroid hormone levels are too low and your body lacks strength, you will become tired more quickly and feel listless and lacking in energy. With your daily iodine intake you can help your body to have more energy and thus more vitality. (3)
Effect on growth processes
The thyroid hormones, for whose production iodine is responsible in the body, are responsible for the growth processes in your body. This includes the mental and physical development of babies, children and adolescents. (7, 8)
Iodine plays an important role especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It supports the development of nervous systems and the formation of brains in foetuses. You can actively support the health development of your child through supplementation. This is important for both pregnancy and the time after. (1, 7, 8)
Effect on cancer
A study by Rösner et al from 2016 shows that iodine can have a positive effect against cancer cells. It can destroy the dangerous tumour cells. It thus shows a preventive effect against some types of cancer. Good cells are not damaged in the process. (9)
Iodine is also used in the treatment of thyroid and breast cancer.
The thyroid gland absorbs almost all the iodine in the body. Radioactive iodine can therefore help in the treatment of thyroid cancer. This involves destroying the thyroid tissue that could not be removed during surgery. However, this treatment cannot be used for every type of cancer because not every type can absorb iodine. (10, 11)
In addition to treating thyroid cancer, iodine can also help with breast cancer. For one thing, more iodine in the body can generally reduce the likelihood of breast cancer. (12, 13) In addition, iodine supplementation before surgery can reduce the growth rate of cancer cells. (14)
For whom is an iodine supplement useful?
The iodine content in food depends primarily on the iodine content in the soil of the growing regions. Since Europe is still one of the regions with a high iodine deficiency, the daily requirement cannot always be guaranteed through the daily diet. (15)
Iodine is essential for all of us. Different groups of people need different amounts of iodine. Inform yourself in good time.
However, the iodine content in the soil is not the only reason why certain regions or groups of people need more iodine than others. The following groups have an increased risk of iodine deficiency and therefore need a higher daily iodine intake (15, 16)
- Pregnant women
- Vegetarians and vegans
- People who do not use iodised salt
Especially for pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding, we recommend a food supplement. The daily requirement is higher than usual and can hardly be covered by the diet. We will show you why iodine intake is so important for pregnant women in a separate section.
What iodine supplements are available?
| Preparation | Description |
|---|---|
| Iodine tablets | Iodine is sold here in the form of potassium iodide. The powder is pressed into tablet form. This allows it to be dosed accurately and taken easily. |
| Iodine capsules | contain mostly natural iodine from algae. Just like tablets, you can easily dose and take the iodine here. Iodine capsules with vegetable shells are also suitable for vegetarians and vegans. |
| Iodine drops | The solution is a good alternative to tablets and capsules if you have problems swallowing. The drops usually contain iodide and iodate. The drops can also be applied externally. |
| Iodine powder | like the capsules, the powder usually consists of dried and powdered algae. It is more pleasant to take. You can mix the powder with water or add it to your food. However, the powder is not pre-dosed, which makes the dosage a little more difficult for you. |
As you can see, your choice depends on your preferred way of taking the powder. Some people cannot or do not want to take tablets or capsules.
In this case, iodine powders and drops are a good alternative. However, all preparations have one thing in common. There are different doses of each preparation. So always find out how high your dose should be before you decide to take tablets, for example.
What is my daily iodine requirement?
However, these values do not correspond to every age group. The German Nutrition Society recommends the following reference values (18)
- up to 1 year: 40-80 micrograms
- 1-10 years: 100-140 micrograms
- 10-51 years: 140-200
- 51 years and older: 180 micrograms
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 230-260 micrograms
It is interesting that the values seem to be different from country to country and thus the iodine requirement is interpreted differently. While in Switzerland the reference values are lower than those of Germany, those of American health institutes are higher, especially for infants. (18, 19)
First and foremost, it is important that you do not take the iodine dosage yourself. The dosage must be adjusted to your iodine content. A wrong dosage can have serious consequences, as we will show you in the following.
What are the side effects of taking iodine?
However, in some cases there may be other side effects. Children and older people in particular are more likely to be affected by side effects because their bodies are more susceptible. The following side effects can occur (2)
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Fever
- Burning in the throat and mouth
- Stomach pain
Avoiding iodine is definitely not a solution to avoid these rather rare side effects. Often there are other health reasons behind them, which you should discuss with your doctor. However, iodine is involved in many processes in your body and is therefore very important for you. Not taking it or taking it excessively can have serious consequences.
What happens with iodine deficiency / iodine excess?
However, this is not the only consequence of taking iodine in the wrong way or not taking it at all as a food supplement. Excess iodine can lead to a reduction in testosterone levels and worsen reproduction. (21)
An iodine deficiency, on the other hand, has effects on heart function and the associated heart contractility, vascular resistance, blood pressure and heart rhythm. (22)
There are definitely other consequences that an iodine deficiency or excess can cause. However, as some of these relate to the period of pregnancy and beyond, we consider these in a separate section.
Since many people often cannot determine on their own that they have a deficiency or excess of iodine in their body, it is important to pay attention to certain symptoms. For lay people, one or the other symptom is not always immediately seen as an indication of a problem with the iodine balance.
Everyone knows fatigue and weakness, dry and flaky skin, a stronger feeling of cold and problems with learning and remembering things. But these symptoms can also indicate an iodine deficiency or iodine excess in equal measure. (23, 24) Even in the case of hair loss, it is often not a clear indication for us laypeople. (25)
But with some other symptoms, you should see a doctor sooner. One of the most common symptoms is swelling in the neck and throat area. (26) Other serious symptoms are unexpected weight gain (27), changes in heart rate (28) and heavy or irregular periods.(29)
How important is iodine for pregnant women?
During the breastfeeding period, women need a higher iodine intake, because in addition to their own iodine balance, they also have to provide for the baby through breast milk. Especially in this phase, iodine is essential for the newborn baby and for the development of the brain. (19)
The importance of iodine for pregnant women already hints a little at the consequences that can occur if iodine levels are not high enough. In women who suffer from an iodine deficiency during pregnancy, it can happen that the mental development is not well supported and then the child is born with a lower IQ or with a mental disability. (30, 32)
In extreme cases, iodine deficiency during pregnancy can also lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, congenital anomalies, infant and neonatal mortality and growth disorders. (8)
Image source: dolgachov / 123rf
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