Frontiers in Nutrition · 3 authors, 4 centres
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This editorial introduces a Research Topic by summarizing evidence that iodine deficiency and excess are persistent global public health concerns, impacting different life stages. It highlights recent findings on iodine status in pregnant women and the physiological interpretation of rising TSH levels after improved iodine nutrition.
This editorial provides a narrative overview of iodine's role in health and disease, focusing on global public health. It describes iodine's essential functions and the consequences of deficiency, such as impaired neurodevelopment. The text summarizes key findings from included human studies: one reports moderate-to-severe iodine deficiency in pregnant women in Jiangsu Province, China, is associated with increased risk of subclinical hypothyroidism; a theoretical model from Brazil estimates iodine intake for children and pregnant women exceeds recommendations. The editorial also notes that improved iodine nutrition can lead to a physiological, not pathophysiological, increase in TSH levels, potentially causing over-prescription of thyroxine. It concludes that iodine status requires life cycle-specific monitoring.
