New study shows Seaweed could reverse Iodine Insufficency

This article is from the University of Glasgow's Avenue Magazine

"A new study led by Glasgow researcher Dr Emilie Combet has found that eating seaweed could help to reverse iodine insufficiency.

Iodine is important for thyroid function, as it is a key component of thyroid hormones. In addition, having sufficient iodine is particularly important for pregnant women. Low iodine levels are prevalent in the UK and across the world due to lack of dairy and/or seafood in the diet. This is having an impact on health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Since 1993, the WHO has encouraged the fortification of salt with iodine to combat insufficiency, but some scientists are concerned that this confounds efforts to improve cardiovascular health by reducing salt intake.

Now, nutritionist Dr Combet from the School of Medicine has led an investigation into Scottish seaweed – a naturally rich source of iodine – as an alternative to fortified salt. Her findings suggest that seaweed has a more sustained release of iodine, releasing a lower level over a longer period, compared to salt. Study participants found the seaweed palatable, and the majority (67%) were positive about its use in food. However, most also felt they lacked opportunity to buy and eat it.

Seaweed is available on the UK market, mainly in capsule form, but choosing the right seaweed is not straightforward as there are over 630 unique species of seaweed in the UK alone. Ascophyllum nodosum, which was used in this study, contains around 700 micrograms of iodine per gram, and participants took 0.5g daily.

Dr Combet says: ‘Caution must be exercised – not all seaweeds are the same, with some containing too much iodine, or heavy metals.’"

The study is published in the British Journal of Nutrition.

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