Effect of Combined Excess Iodine and Low-Protein Diet on Thyroid Hormones and Ultrastructure in Wistar Rats.

[helvella]

Rats are NOT human.

Humans are NOT rats.

So anything in this paper is not evidence that the same thing happens in humans.

Nonetheless, it may be worth taking note if you are among those considering iodine supplementation. Most especially if you are considering one of the high-dose regimes which are talked about around the place. And even more strongly if your diet could be classed as low protein.

The usual recommendation is something like 150 micrograms of iodine a day. The 10-fold excess would be 1500 micrograms (or 1.5 milligrams) a day.

Please DO NOT assume I know the impact of such iodine regimes. I don't. I am simply very wary of some of the claims.

Biol Trace Elem Res. 2013 Sep 15. [Epub ahead of print]

Effect of Combined Excess Iodine and Low-Protein Diet on Thyroid Hormones and Ultrastructure in Wistar Rats.

Gao J, Lin X, Liu X, Yang Q, Zhang Z, Jiang Q, Bian J.

Source

Shandong Institute of Prevention and Control for Endemic Disease, No.11 Yandong Road, Lixia District, Jinan, 250014, China.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to illustrate the combined effect of excess iodine and low-protein diet on the thyroid, and the potential molecular mechanism of this effect. One hundred ninety-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into the following groups: normal; 10- (10HI), 50- (50HI), or 100-fold excess iodine (100HI); low-protein; and low-protein combined with 10- (L10HI), 50- (L50HI), or 100-fold excess iodine (L100HI). At the end of 2, 4, or 6 months, the rats were sacrificed for iodine concentration and thyroid hormone analyses. The histological appearance of the thyroid gland was observed at the end of 6 months. At the end of 6 months, the serum total thyroxine (TT4), free thyroxine (FT4), total triiodothyronine (TT3), and free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels in the 100HI, L10HI, L50HI, and L100HI groups were significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Serum TT4, FT4, TT3, and FT3 levels in the low-protein excess iodine groups were significantly lower than the groups with an equal amount of excess iodine alone (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Light and electron microscopy showed that excess iodine caused damage to the ultrastructure of thyroid and apoptosis of follicular epithelial cells. In the 100HI, L50HI, and L100HI groups, thyroid follicular epithelial cells became flattened, and follicles became distended with colloid. The damage was more serious in low-protein groups. The present findings demonstrated that the low-protein diet aggravated the damage to the thyroid caused by excess iodine alone.

PMID: 24037684

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/240...

Rod

[LouiseRoberts]

Thanks Rod.

You don't appear to have credited the subject of your pic though - that's not like you..! xx