The Iodine Effect

Have you ever looked closely at your container of salt and read that it was "iodized"? If you have, do you know what that means? Or why it is important? I always took the fact that my salt is iodized for granted, never stopping to think about why the iodization of salt is necessary. So for those of you who don't know, here's why:

Iodine is essential for our thyroid. The thyroid, like the pancreas, is important for a vast number of reasons; it regulates many hormones involved with our metabolism, reproduction, nerve, muscle, and heart. Another important function is the function of thyroid hormones in the TCA cycle (also known at the citric acid or Kreb's cycle). This cycle is very complicated (I recently have had to learn all of the details in my bioochemistry, and I can promise you that it's not worth it), it is important to note what it does. On a very basic level, the TCA cycle liberates electrons which can then be used in a separate reaction to create energy. Without these electrons, our body's would only create 6 ATP per glucose molecule. If electrons are produced, you create about 36 ATP per glucose molecule. And since ATP if our body's way of storing energy, the more the better. Our cells need about 10 million ATP molecules per second...so if you quickly do the math you can see that the electrons are VERY important! Therefore, iodine's function is imperative to the body's ability to make energy. Below is a picture of all of the things the TCA cycle can do in our body's (I bet you're thankful I didn't go into too much detail now...).

Despite the importance of iodine in our diet, most foods do not naturally contain it. Salt is the main source, though seafood is also a good source due to the salt water fish live in. This is one of the many reasons professionals suggest you eat seafood three times a week. If you don't like seafood (my mother being the most prominent leader of this camp), just make sure to not forget salt in baked goods or recipes that call for it. You don't need to go crazy with salt (this, in actuality can cause health problems), just make sure to add what recipes call for. And in our modern western diets, getting enough salt in our diet is NO problem at all!