Improving Iodine Status in Lactating Women: What Works?

Abstract

Purpose of Review Iodine deficiency is a global concern, and in recent years, there has been a significant improvement in the number of countries identified as being iodine-sufficient. This review considers the best strategies to ensure iodine sufficiency among breastfeeding women and their infants. Recent Findings Fortification strategies to improve iodine intake have been adequate for school-age children (SAC); however, often, iodine deficiency remains for breastfeeding women and their infants. Daily supplementation with iodine is not an ideal strategy to overcome deficiency. Summary Countries defined as iodine-sufficient, but where pregnant and breastfeeding women have inadequate intake, should consider increasing salt iodine concentration, such that the median urinary iodine concentration of SAC can be up to 299 µg/L. This will ensure adequate intake for mothers and infants, without SAC being at risk thyroid dysfunction. Consensus is required for thresholds for iodine adequacy for breastfeeding women and infants.

The use of breast milk iodine concentration in the first week of lactation as a biomarker of iodine status in breast-feeding women

“…The median UIC cut-off to determine iodine sufficiency in lactating women is 100 µg/l, which is lower than pregnant women because in lactating women, ingested iodine is excreted both in urine and breast milk (5) . Therefore, due to the variation in the partition of iodine between breast milk and urine, both BMIC and UIC are recommended to be included when assessing iodine status in breast-feeding women (4) . On the other hand, the median UIC cut-off value for classifying iodine sufficiency during pregnancy is 150 μg/l, which was established on the basis of an average daily urine volume of 1·5 l (5) .…”

“…This is because the iodine content in breast milk is influenced by the mother's iodine intake and overall iodine status (4) . In addition, BMIC is independent of maternal fluid intake (4) . A recent systematic literature review has suggested that there have been inconsistencies in the relationship between BMIC and UIC in lactating women, which may be due to the differences in lactation stages, maternal iodine status and sampling collection time (11) .…”

“…Second, there is high intra- and inter-individual variation in UIC (7,8) . In lactating women, there is little evidence that supports the recommendation of a median UIC cut-off of < 100 μg/l to indicate iodine deficiency because iodine is also excreted in breast milk and thus < 90 % of ingested iodine is excreted via urine (4,9) .…”

Biotechnological Aspects of Iodine Enrichment of Bakery Products

“…Daily supplementation with iodine is not an ideal strategy to overcome deficiency. [2] Hypothesis The development of technology for enriching bakery products with iodine will solve the problem of iodine deficiency conditions of the population, ensuring the intake of iodine into the human body with food.…”

Soilless cultivation systems to produce tailored microgreens for specific nutritional needs

“…9 However, both inadequate and excessive I intake can have adverse effects on thyroid health. 10 In general, the consumption of seafood is not high in geographic areas distant from the sea; furthermore, for agricultural products, the I content depends on the concentrations found in the soil and/or irrigation water. 11 Potassium plays a significant role in maintaining overall health, but it requires careful attention in the context of chronic kidney disease (CKD).…”