Intellectual Potential of Iodine-Deficient Children
What are the potential effects of iodine deficiency in kids?
Children with severe iodine deficiency are known have reduced IQ levels. However, there is little information on the cognitive effects of mild iodine deficiency in kids.
184 mildly iodine deficient New Zealand school children aged 10–13 years were examined for the cognitive effects of mild iodine deficiency. In this randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, biochemical, anthropometrical and dietary data were collected from each child at baseline and after 28 weeks. Cognitive performance was measured via four standard subtests.
Results:
At the end of 28 weeks, the children who were supplemented had increased urinary iodine concentrations and performed significantly better than the placebo group on two of the four cognitive tests.
Conclusion:
Iodine supplementation improved perceptual reasoning in these children which suggests that even mild iodine deficiency in kids may prevent them from reaching their full intellectual potential.
Read the full article about iodine deficiency in kids.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 90: 1264-1271, 2009.
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