Published on October 17, 2026

The CDC released its 2026 nutritional report on iodine.

Iodine plays an important role in making thyroid hormone and supports brain development.

According to the research, iodine intake in women is less than recommended. The latest article in Science News links low iodine levels in women of childbearing age to lower IQ in children. Many American diets may not include enough of this essential nutrient, by Amy Cunningham.

This makes sense as males typically eat salty foods at a higher rate than females. The adrenals use sodium with stress loads. Women tend to go to sugar, which uses the same cell binding sites as vitamin C, when stressed. The adrenals use vitamin C.

We need 150 mcg of iodine per day, and pregnant women need 225 mcg per day. Women were just getting 100 mcg in their diet daily.

Iodine is in seaweed, iodized salt, and the supplements Bone Guard and Hair Skin Nails from Perque®️. Seaweed is the black sheets you will see in the grocery store and in 4 in by 4 in plastic containers, toasted and flavored with sesame oil or wasabi. Kids really like the way they taste.

At the office, we observe borderline low thyroid levels that respond to supplements containing iodine.. We’ll see the thyroids go into the optimal range on retesting.

The other symptom we see is non hormone related breast tenderness.

A note of caution. We only use natural seaweed iodine, Bone Guard or Hair Skin and Nails. You can take too much iodine, which reduces thyroid hormone output.

Keep up your Bone Guard and or Hair Skin and Nails.

(Hair Skin Nails product has less magnesium to make room for the vitamin Biotin, otherwise similar products)

Screenshot 2026-10-17 at 1.08.59 PM