The Role of Iodine in Thyroid Function (Nursing)

00:01 But in order to understand the function of the thyroid, you need to be very clear on the role of iodine.

00:07 So let's talk about the crucial role of iodine in thyroid function.

00:11 Because iodine is a fundamental mineral that's absolutely essential for thyroid hormone production. So let's take a look at it in the context of your thyroid.

00:20 I want to look at four main areas.

00:23 First, what are the dietary sources of iodine and how is it absorbed? Well, you and I get iodine primarily from our diet.

00:31 Things like seafood, iodized salt and dairy products.

00:35 Now the thyroid gland takes this iodine that we get from our diet.

00:39 And it actively concentrates the iodine from the bloodstream.

00:43 Next let's look at the role in hormone production.

00:46 So inside the thyroid gland.

00:48 Iodine combines with an amino acid called tyrosine.

00:52 Now this combination forms the building blocks of thyroid hormones T4 which has four iodine atoms, and T3, which contains three iodine atoms. And that's how they get their name.

01:04 Now let's look at the storage and regulation of iodine.

01:08 Well, the thyroid stores iodine bound to thyroglobulin.

01:11 That's also a protein.

01:13 Now this storage acts like a reservoir.

01:15 It helps maintain steady hormone production even if the dietary iodine intake fluctuates. And lastly, let's look at the clinical significance.

01:25 If your client has too little iodine or they have a deficiency, this leads to an enlarged thyroid or a goiter could also lead to hypothyroidism and even developmental issues if they're deficient during pregnancy. Now too much iodine can paradoxically cause either hypothyroidism from an underactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism from an overactive thyroid.

01:49 So this is why iodine intake is carefully monitored in thyroid patients.

01:54 And it's also why iodine supplementation in salt was one of the most successful public health interventions globally.

02:00 It has dramatically reduced iodine deficiency disorders worldwide.

02:05 So that's it. Those are the key points that you need to know on the health care team about the role of iodine in the context of the thyroid.