Is iodine harmful to the human body?

The human body cannot maintain normal functioning without iodine. Most of the iodine in the body is stored in the thyroid gland, so if the iodine content in the body is abnormal, problems will occur with the thyroid gland. The table salt we usually eat generally contains iodine, which is often called iodized salt. This can provide iodine to the human body and ensure that there is enough iodine in the body. So, is iodine harmful to the human body?

Iodine is one of the essential trace elements for the human body

Physiological functions of iodine:

1. Promote biological oxidation: Thyroxine can promote biological oxidation in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, coordinate the coupling of biological oxidation and phosphorylation, and regulate energy conversion.

2. Regulate protein synthesis and decomposition: When protein intake is insufficient, thyroid hormone can promote protein synthesis; when protein intake is sufficient, thyroid hormone can promote protein decomposition.

3. Promote sugar and fat metabolism: Thyroxine can accelerate the absorption and utilization of sugar, promote the decomposition and oxidation of glycogen and fat, regulate serum cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations, etc.

4. Regulate water and salt metabolism: Thyroxine can promote the water and salt in tissues to enter the blood and be excreted from the kidneys. When it is deficient, it can cause water and salt retention in tissues, and tissue fluid containing a large amount of mucin will appear in the interstitial space, resulting in myxedema.

5. Promote the absorption and utilization of vitamins: Thyroxine can promote the absorption and utilization of niacin, the conversion of carotene into vitamin A, and the synthesis of riboflavin into riboflavin adenine dinucleotide.

6. Enhance enzyme activity: Thyroxine can activate more than 100 enzymes in the body, such as cytochrome enzyme system, succinate oxidase system, alkaline phosphatase, etc., which play a role in material metabolism.

7. Promote growth and development: Thyroxine promotes bone development and protein synthesis, and maintains the normal structure of the central nervous system.

It is worth noting that excessive iodine intake is also harmful to the human body. Excessive iodine in the daily diet can also cause hyperthyroidism. Whether you need to take iodine supplements in addition to a normal diet depends on whether you undergo a formal physical examination and listen to the doctor's advice. You must not take iodine supplements blindly.

Iodine-containing preparations such as iodine tincture, compound iodine solution, iodine lozenges, iodine glycerin, etc. are widely used medicines in medical treatment. Iodine tincture is a common disinfectant in households. Iodine poisoning in children is mostly caused by accidental ingestion or excessive dosage. Someone once mistakenly gave iodine tincture to children as cough syrup. A small number of children are allergic to iodine and have severe reactions to therapeutic doses. If a child accidentally ingests 3 to 4 mL of iodine tincture, it can cause death.

If children accidentally ingest high concentrations of iodine, it will have a strong irritating and corrosive effect on the gastrointestinal tract. After absorption, it reacts with proteins in the tissues and causes symptoms of systemic poisoning. If children accidentally ingest iodine, they will have a taste of iodine in their mouth, burning pain and pain in the mouth, esophagus and stomach, edema in the mouth and throat, and a brown color. After recovery, it may cause scarring and stenosis of the esophagus and stomach. The sick children also experience symptoms such as dizziness, headache, thirst, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and blood in their stool. Children who are severely poisoned may have pale complexion, rapid breathing, cyanosis, tremors in the limbs, confusion, loss of orientation, sensory impairment, incoherent speech, and even coma, shock, or toxic nephritis, hematuria, proteinuria, and in severe cases, acute renal failure. Children with allergies may suffer anaphylactic shock.

Due to the strong corrosiveness of iodine preparations, they can cause laryngeal edema and even suffocation. In severe cases, mental symptoms and coma may also occur. If not treated in time, it can cause severe brain hypoxia and damage the central nervous system, thus affecting the intellectual development of children. Therefore, we need to place iodine preparations in a safe place and prevent children from getting them at will. In particular, we need to educate children not to take too much iodine throat lozenges. In addition, iodine tincture should be kept separate from cough syrups and clearly labeled to prevent iodine tincture from being mistaken for cough syrups and given to children to prevent poisoning. If you have taken a large amount of iodine preparations, you should be sent to the hospital immediately for emergency treatment, which can alleviate the symptoms.