6 supplement myths, debunked
Myth: I get enough iodine through my salt intake.
In 1924, the U.S. began fortifying salt with iodine, a trace mineral critical in pregnant and nursing mothers for normal infant brain development. Since then, average daily intake has declined significantly: A 2013 study by the Centers for Disease Control found borderline iodine insufficiency in women ages 20 to 39, the group most likely to get pregnant.
Dr. Low Dog blames the decline on the rise in processed foods (high in sodium but most don’t contain iodized salt), a trend toward cooking with flavorful exotic salts (very low in iodine) and environmental toxins such as perchlorate that impair the thyroid’s ability to take up and use iodine. Since iodine is needed for the production of thyroid hormone, alternative practitioners may recommend that people with low thyroid function supplement with iodine and selenium to support more normal function.