The Council for Responsible Nutrition recommended that all pregnant and breastfeeding women take a supplement that includes 150 micrograms of iodine daily. They have further encouraged supplement manufacturers to include this amount of iodine in any supplements designed for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition is a trade organization for the supplement industry. Is this simply a matter of a group marketing supplements or does it reflect a potentially serious health issue?
The answer is not quite as easy as it may seem.
Iodine comes from the foods we eat. It is an essential part of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones control many body functions, including metabolism, body temperature regulation, reproduction, growth, and other important body functions. If you do not have adequate iodine, you will not have adequate thyroid hormone.
Adequate iodine is important during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Severe deficiencies have been associated with miscarriages, stillbirth, pre-term delivery, permanent brain damage and growth retardation. (www.thyroid.org).
For many years the best source of iodine for many Americans was iodized salt. The amount of iodine in salt varies but is about 142 micrograms in 1/2 tsp. However, many of our readers have stopped using table salt, use it sparingly, or may use sea salt which often is not supplemented with iodine.
Seafood is an excellent source of iodine. Saltwater fish has iodine and is also a good source of Omega-3 fats. Limit fish that is high in mercury and do not eat raw fish during pregnancy. (See: What about seafood?)
Sea vegetables (seaweed, algae, kelp, nori, dulse) vary significantly in the amount of iodine they contain. Some have very little iodine and others are extremely high in iodine and should be limited. Investigate the products that you use.
Fruits and vegetables have some iodine, but the levels vary based on the level of iodine in the soil where they were grown.
There are no tests to determine the amount of iodine in the body.
Pro
Con
So what should YOU do?
Your best advisor in this case is your personal physician. She/he knows your medical history. Be sure to let your doctor know:
Whether or not you take a supplement, remember that a pill can never replace a healthy diet, exercise and other healthy lifestyle choices.
Nourish yourself and your child!
References
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/
This section contains articles and guidance for healthy eating whether you are working on becoming pregnant, expecting or have a new baby. Articles cover information including what to eat, controlling nausea, breastfeeding and vitamins.