9 Signs and Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency

NOTE: *MOST people, especially in developed nations, aren’t deficient. But as someone who loves science, it’s important to never say never. Because although it’s rare, there are a few who are deficient. Learn some of the signs leading up to it and treating low iodine levels.

What are the signs and symptoms of iodine deficiency? If you are experiencing the symptoms of low iodine, I wanted to explain why you might be feeling that way – as well as the most likely root cause. So, let’s talk about it…

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Table of Contents

What is Iodine Deficiency?
Iodine Deficiency Symptoms
Treatment Options
The Root Cause of the Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency

What is Iodine Deficiency?

Iodine deficiency occurs when we do not get enough iodine. But, it is a bit more complicated than that – and, while we may have enough iodine in our system, there are a few who may be feeling the effect of iodine deficiency due to not getting enough where they need it. Let me explain…

Iodine is necessary for the thyroid to make thyroid hormone. That includes T4 and T3 – in fact, the numbers ‘4’ and ‘3’ in this equation are the number of iodine atoms in this molecule!

Without iodine, we can’t make thyroid hormone and life itself could not exist. Even the earliest forms of life relied on iodine as an energy-trapping molecule.

How Much Iodine Does One Need?

There are some unique ways in which iodine works in the body. When it comes to most nutrients, while we may risk getting too little, it can be pretty difficult to get too much.

Take vitamin C, for instance. We need only a little bit daily to stave off something like scurvy. That said, there isn’t much of a risk of getting too much – the spectrum is quite wide.

But, iodine is different. Iodine requires a very specific amount in your system, and you can most certainly get too much.

How Does Iodine Work In the Body?

The key difference here is that your body has a ‘special pump’ for iodine. This is where the body pumps in iodine to places where it wants and needs it. Like the thyroid, for instance!

In this case, that pump exists because the amount needed for the thyroid is larger than what can be found in the blood. But, it also prevents too much from getting into the thyroid.

Due to this pump existing, we have a very narrow window for iodine. If we get too much, either the pump builds it up or shuts things down (and we get none).

In this case, too much can also look (and feel) like not enough – this might feel like iodine deficiency. That ideal range is likely no larger than 50-200 micrograms for most people.

Thankfully, this amount is not hard to hit. But, because you have to get it right within this window, we can start to see the issues of too much or too little.

Iodine Deficiency Symptoms

What does it mean to suffer from iodine deficiency? And, more importantly for our conversation today, what does it feel like? First, let’s talk about properly defining the concept of iodine deficiency…

An iodine deficiency is a state where someone has:

• A specific change in thyroid function
• Been found to have a low intake of iodine via various methods (like dietary analysis)
• Been given an amount of iodine which has made their issue go away

All of those things together are required to confirm that someone has what we could define as an iodine deficiency.

Take goiters, for instance. Many people have had their thyroids become enlarged, for reasons that have nothing to do with their iodine.

To be clear: Goiter alone is not proof of iodine deficiency.

But, there have been cases where people have:

• Had goiters
• Had restrictive, unusual, narrow diets
• Had measurable and very low levels of iodine
• Had their goiter resolved with a small uptake of iodine

Those things have happened, but you can see that there exists a lot of qualifying criteria to where we could call this iodine deficiency.

How Common is Iodine Deficiency?

Let’s dig into the numbers. In the United States, we have had seven documented cases in the last 42 years of iodine deficiency. That is one case every six years!

On the other side, in cases where there is too much iodine, many experts argue that is driving 30-80% of adult thyroid disease.

How Do You Know If You’re Getting Too Little Iodine?

As we have just outlined, the case for being iodine deficient is quite rare statistically. But, how would someone know if they are on too little? For starters:

• They can’t be on thyroid medications – thyroid medication supplies all the iodine you need to make thyroid hormone. If you are on them, you cannot be iodine deficient.
• They can’t be on an omnivorous diet – if you eat dairy, animal proteins, egg yolks, these all have a substantial amount of iodine.
• They can’t be consuming salt with iodine – Whether naturally-occurring or added, it is hard to be using any kind of salt with iodine and become deficient.

If you meet any of these qualifying criteria, we would not suspect any kind of iodine deficiency. Even the basic dietary factors mean you are likely getting enough.

Who Might Be Getting Too Little Iodine?

If you are dealing with iodine deficiency symptoms, and are looking to find out if you are dealing with an iodine deficiency, you need to hit all of these qualifying factors:

• You need to be vegan
• You need to not be on thyroid medication
• You need to have no iodine in your supplements
• You need to not be using iodized salt
• You need to not be consuming sea vegetables

If each of these apply to you, then there is a chance that you may be struggling with an iodine deficiency. But, I do want to note that this is quite rare.

If you were struggling with iodine deficiency, you would want to keep an eye out for the following low iodine symptoms…

Symptom #1 – Goiter

A goiter is a diffuse even enlargement of the thyroid gland. You normally cannot see someone’s thyroid, but with a goiter you can see it.

Symptom #2 – Strained Speech

Someone with low iodine may have strained speech. They may mention that it’s difficult for them to speak, that they have to work hard to speak, and that it is hard to maintain volume.

Symptom #3 – Difficulties Swallowing

Drinking water, and swallowing food – someone may notice that they need to chew things down to nothing to simply swallow them.

Symptom #4 – Globus Hystericus

This is a fancy Latin term for feeling a lump in your throat. Even when there is nothing there, something feels like it is stuck.

Symptom #5 – Wheezing

Another one is wheezing. Someone may find it difficult to breathe, specifically in the area of the throat.

Symptom #6 – False Sensation of Heartburn

Heartburn is a possible symptom, but it is a false sensation.

Symptom #7- Tight-Fitting Clothes

It may feel like your clothes are simply too tight around your neck.

Symptom #8 – Food Trapped in Throat

In the same way that it can be difficult to swallow, you may also find that food is more often getting physically stuck in your throat.

Symptom #9 – Voice Change

Has your voice changed? You may notice your voice becoming more hoarse or deeper, and harder to maintain the usual tone and timber.

Treatment Options

The most confusing thing about a goiter is connected back to the topic of today’s article: oftentimes, iodine excess can feel a lot like iodine deficiency.

It can also be seen that populations that use more tobacco or alcohol, or are generally heavier in size, are also more likely to develop a goiter – so, in some cases, it isn’t related to iodine at all. Finding a goiter does not suggest iodine deficiency right off the bat.

But, what could someone do if they did suppose they were dealing with iodine issues?

The first step is to focus on iodine dietary sufficiency (both getting enough and not too much).

The Root Cause of the Symptoms of Iodine Deficiency

The paradox here is that too much iodine can cause these low iodine symptoms (except in extremely rare cases). That is because your thyroid pumps it in, and when you get too much – it stops completely.

So, if you feel like you are experiencing iodine deficiency, it may be worth revisiting how much iodine you might be getting in the first place. Not only the hidden sources that you may be taking in but also what you’re getting from your diet.

When I crafted the Thyroid Reset Diet, this was a huge focus of mine. I really wanted to key in on how influential iodine can be, where you can find it, and how to eat in a way that you can keep your iodine levels where they need to be.

Thanks so much for joining me today, and I hope I gave you some food for thought. If you’re happy to join me on this journey, I’d love for you to begin eating in ways that help your iodine levels – and begin the healing process for your thyroid.

P.S. Whenever you are ready, here is how I can help you now:

1. Schedule a Thyroid Second Opinion with me, Dr. C, Click Here for Details
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Dr. Alan Glen Christianson (Dr. C) is a Naturopathic Endocrinologist and the author of The NY Times bestselling Adrenal Reset Diet, The Metabolism Reset Diet and The Thyroid Reset Diet.

Dr. C’s gift for figuring out what really works has helped hundreds of thousands of people reverse thyroid disease, lose weight, diabetes, and regain energy. Learn more about the surprising story that started his quest.