Goitre ans sources of dietary iodine

[rafletcher]

 My wife has goitre. It may well be due to her long tern use of Lithium to contrrol bi-polar disorder, which she will have to continue.    It may also be due to lack of dietary iodine, but a quick google didn't turn up much info on good natural sources, although I've heard in the past that drinking water is all most of us need.

Can anyone point me to a good source of info on iodine please?

[pcolbeck]

Seaweed is a good source of iodine I think. Check it out though as it may not be in all types of seaweed. I know that's what they originally used to extract iodine from.

[Tim Hall]

It used to be added to table salt.  I don't know if iodised salt is still common in the UK. If it is, fish'n'chips twice weekly 

[DuncanM]

I think the relevant seaweed is kelp (wikipedia confirms this).
Has she had her thyroid hormone levels checked?  I have a small goitre because I have an overactive thyroid, and When I was diagnosed, they advised me to stay away from sources of extra iodine until the levels are back down to normal.  So if she hasn't had the levels checked, I would certainly do so...
There is a lot of thyroid related info here, but there doesn't seem to be anything on iodine deficiency - it's far more about disorders of the thyroid. British Thyroid Foundation helping those with thyroid disorders

[rafletcher]

I think the relevant seaweed is kelp (wikipedia confirms this).
Has she had her thyroid hormone levels checked?  I have a small goitre because I have an overactive thyroid, and When I was diagnosed, they advised me to stay away from sources of extra iodine until the levels are back down to normal.  So if she hasn't had the levels checked, I would certainly do so...
There is a lot of thyroid related info here, but there doesn't seem to be anything on iodine deficiency - it's far more about disorders of the thyroid. British Thyroid Foundation helping those with thyroid disorders

Hi Duncan

She has 3 monthly blood tests as part of her monitoring, and this was her annual MOT. They took plenty of bloods, and she goes back in 2 weeks for the results.  Can't see her eating seaweed (or whatever the Welsh mutate it into!) and iodized salt is rare now, bromines are used more than iodines it seems.

[iakobski]

IANAD, but yes it's true that a goiter can be caused both by deficiency of iodine and too much iodine.

If she won't eat seaweed then any (saltwater) fish, shellfish, or what about miso soup?

[Regulator]

I think the relevant seaweed is kelp (wikipedia confirms this).
Has she had her thyroid hormone levels checked?  I have a small goitre because I have an overactive thyroid, and When I was diagnosed, they advised me to stay away from sources of extra iodine until the levels are back down to normal.  So if she hasn't had the levels checked, I would certainly do so...
There is a lot of thyroid related info here, but there doesn't seem to be anything on iodine deficiency - it's far more about disorders of the thyroid. British Thyroid Foundation helping those with thyroid disorders

Hi Duncan

She has 3 monthly blood tests as part of her monitoring, and this was her annual MOT. They took plenty of bloods, and she goes back in 2 weeks for the results.  Can't see her eating seaweed (or whatever the Welsh mutate it into!) and iodized salt is rare now, bromines are used more than iodines it seems.

Laver bread, that renowned Welsh delicacy*, is made from seaweed and is a good source of iodine.  So, if she likes bread...





*Please note that there is no hint of irony in the use of that phrase. 

[border-rider]

Iodine deficiency is vanishingly rare if you eat a sensible western diet in this country (which can include vegan of course)

Iodine deficiency goitre in the United Kingdom - the result of a vegan diet

Unless Mrs RAF has an unusual diet, I might be looking elsewhere for the cause of the goitre, as Duncan M suggests.

[border-rider]

 So, if she likes bread...

She might like a laverbread sandwich

Laverbread isn't bread, or anything much like it.

[Regulator]

 So, if she likes bread...

She might like a laverbread sandwich

Laverbread isn't bread, or anything much like it.

I know.  I was suggesting that if he called it laverbread rather than seaweed... 

[Moloko]

Holland & Barrett do Kelp tablets. Besides being jam-packed with iodine they're packed full of
all the other trace elements and B-vits, etc.

[Moloko]

I know. 

'cuz Google is your friend, innit?

[rafletcher]

Iodine deficiency is vanishingly rare if you eat a sensible western diet in this country (which can include vegan of course)

Iodine deficiency goitre in the United Kingdom - the result of a vegan diet

Unless Mrs RAF has an unusual diet, I might be looking elsewhere for the cause of the goitre, as Duncan M suggests.

Sadly I suspect it's a side effect of the lithium rather than iodine deficiency/overdose, and there is no alternative to that to  controlling bipolar AFAIK, so she may be stuck with it. We'll just have to wait and see what the bloods come back with.

[border-rider]

I had a vague idea about this stuff because I did a bit of work once on iodine uptake in the context of stable iodine being handed out to people as part of nuclear emergency planning (avoid bananas)...but that was sufficiently long ago that I had to google it, I must admit.

It looks like you're right - it's a side effect of the lithium therapy, and changing dietary iodine may not make any difference because it's a problem with iodine uptake in the body, not supply. .  It does look treatable though, which is good news

[rafletcher]

Thanks MV