Assessing the impact of oral iodine supplementation on whole body iodine store, thyroid autoimmunity and serum biochemistry profile in women of childbearing age

Abstract

Background and aims

Iodine supplementation is advised for women with compromised iodine intake in the preconception period. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefits and harms of a supplementary dose of iodine (150 μg/day) for 90 days in women of childbearing age.

Materials and methods

Non-pregnant females (n = 38; mean age: 24.1 ± 2.6 years; Range: 20–30) receiving a hall diet were enrolled. Measurements of urinary iodine excretion (UIC), thyroid autoimmunity biomarkers, serum clinical biochemistry profile and serum thyroglobulin were performed at baseline- and after iodine supplementation at 45- and 90 days, respectively.

Results

Median UICs (μg/L) at baseline and after iodine intervention were 110, 304 and 310, respectively. This coincided with reductions in thyroglobulin, triacylglycerol, HDL-C, LDL-C, LDH, ALP and CPK levels as well as the prevalence of participants with UIC <150 μg/L. One new case of Tg-AB (+), a marked increase the titer of Tg-AB in one participant with TPO-AB (+)/Tg-AB (+) and two cases of increased thyroglobulin were observed after the iodine treatment.

Conclusions

This investigation indicates that in iodine sufficient regions, it might be difficult to maintain maternal iodine adequacy without iodine supplementation. The iodine supplementation was associated with improvement of atherogenic serum index, diminished levels of markers of cellular injury and a 42.1% drop in the prevalence of participants with maternal iodine deficiency. In instances, which screening of thyroid autoimmunity titers and thyroglobulin are not an option, we recommend the administration of iodine in lower dosages to prevent adverse and exaggerated autoimmune reactions.