General Information:
Iodine is an element of salt minerals and the human body needs it in moderate amounts. The human body contains an amount ranging between 10-30mg; 8-10mg (65%) in the Thyroid Gland and 0.5mg in the muscles and skeletal structure, also It is found in small amounts in the liver, ovaries, and adrenal gland.

Iodine is a nonmetallic chemical element from the Halogen family and is the densest of them. It appears as a solid material with a bluish-black shine and a pungent scent at normal temperatures. It transforms from solid to gas state when it gets exposed to hot temperatures.

Iodine Discovery:
The story of Iodine’s discovery dates back to 1811 when the French chemist Bernard Courtois discovered it in algae; a type close to the Fucus Family. Iodine was purple in color when it was first discovered and was thus called ‘Violet iôdes' meaning dark purple. The dust of Iodine is purple in color and this is the reason behind calling it Iodine; from a Greek word (iôdes) meaning purple.

The Importance of Iodine:
1 – Iodine is an essential element in the creation of the Thyroxin hormone which gets produced by the Thyroid Gland. Iodine is necessary in maintaining the safety of the Thyroid Gland as its deficiency leads to its enlargement. It is present in large quantities in the gland and may reach to amounts of 25 times more than its presence in the rest of the body’s tissues.

2 – Iodine regulates the growth process and the functions of the nerves as it plays a vital role in the development and growth of the nervous system. It also regulates the functions of the muscles and the process of energy conversion. Finally, it speeds up the body’s metabolism and aids in the process of burning excess fat.

3 – Iodine plays a key role in the development of the fetus and in particular its brain. Therefore, it is necessary for the physical and mental development of the fetus. Some research studies have proved that children aged 10-12 years old born to mothers who suffered from Iodine deficiency during their pregnancy had cognitive and motor skills which were below normal levels.

4 – Iodine contributes to the cell oxidation process in the liver for the production of red blood cells.

5 – Iodine is essential for maintaining the connective tissue in the body which comprises tendons and ligaments and ties body tissue to each other.

Sources of Iodine: Iodine is present in decent quantities in fish meat and marine algae but these foods are not very commonly consumed in general. Also, due to the fact that the soil does not contain large quantities of Iodine, we cannot rely on plants and animal meat as a source for our daily requirements. Awareness regarding this dangerous problem started to grow recently in the European continent and the World Health Organization decided in 1990 to solve this issue by adding acceptable amounts of Iodine to salt products used for all age groups. Therefore, it is essential to use Iodized salt for our daily requirements of Iodine.

The main source of Iodine is the Raw Brine. Brine is extracted from wells located in oil and natural gas fields. There is also another source of Iodine and it is the Laterite mineral where Iodine is formed as a compound called Calcium Iodide. Laterite is mainly found in the Nitrate Layers of Chile. Sea water also contains Iodine compounds but in very low quantities.

Iodine Deficiency: results in many problems and they are:
1 – Goiter: an enlargement of the Thyroid Gland. Enlargement symptoms include fatigue, depression, memory loss, weakness, weight gain, constipation, nervousness, hair fall and skin dryness. It also causes a delay in the physical growth and mental development of children and in severe cases may lead to mental retardation due to incomplete development of the nervous system.
2 – Low IQ which leads to low educational attainment
3 – Lack of immunity and increased risk of catching infectious diseases.
4 – Miscarriages and may also cause fetal death or birth defects during delivery.
5 – There is a close tie between Iodine deficiency and breast cancer