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If a few grams of iodine are consumed it is fatally poisonous. However, iodine also has many good and practical uses.

MORE INFORMATIONHEALTH

Iodine is essential to good health. A well-balanced diet will normally provide the body's daily requirement of this trace element. Many common foods, (e.g. potatoes, fish) are rich in iodine, although the actual amounts are so small they are measured in micrograms (1 mcg = 1/1000,000 of a gram) or milligrams (1 mg = 1/1,000 of a gram)

Iodine deficiency, which can arise through bad diet or physical/genetic disorder, causes serious health problems.

The World Health Organization and national Medical/Heath authorities produce tables of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) regarding Iodine. These tables show the different RDA amounts depending upon the age, sex and other factors, the maximum being in the range of 150 mcg/day for adults who are not pregnant.

In addition, for those undergoing special medical treatment with iodine, Upper Tolerable Daily Limits guidelines have been issued, the maximum being 1,100 mcg per day (1.1 mg) for adults 19 years and older.

IODINE POISONING

"Elemental iodine (I2) is poisonous if taken orally in larger amounts; 2-3 grams of it is a lethal dose for an adult human." -WikiPedia

"Symptoms of acute iodine poisoning include burning of the mouth, throat, and stomach; fever; nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; a weak pulse; and coma."-Linus Pauiling Institute

However, "It is rare for diets of natural foods to supply more than 2,000 mcg of iodine/day, and most diets supply less than 1,000 mcg of iodine/day. People living in the northern coastal regions of Japan, whose diets contain large amounts of seaweed, have been found to have iodine intakes ranging from 50,000 to 80,000 mcg (50-80 mg) of iodine/day." -Linus Pauling Institute

MEDICAL RESEARCH indicates that some peoples seem less prone to certain diseases and disorders than others, and that their naturally iodine-rich diet may be a contributing factor in sustaining good health. Even so, both iodine insufficiencyand iodine excess contribute to 'thyroid associated' health problems.

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14y ago

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