An Iodine Supplement?

I can’t let go of this iodine issue. Just saw:

Vegans, Vegetarians and Pescatarians Are at Risk of Iodine Deficiency in Norway, Nutrients, November 2020

Vegans, vegetarians and possibly pescatarians [vegetarian + seafood] in Norway, are unable to reach the recommended iodine intake merely from food and are dependent on iodine supplements.

Norway doesn’t add much iodine to table salt:

The iodization of table salt in Norway is voluntary with only 5 micrograms per gram.

We add a lot more:

Iodized salt in the U.S. contains 45 micrograms of iodine per gram of salt. The recommended daily intake for adults is 150 micrograms, which can be obtained from about one-half to three-quarters of a teaspoon of table salt.
Mayo Clinic Q and A: Sea salt and sufficient iodine intake

But … The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams sodium a day, ideally no more than 1,500.

There are about 1,725 mg sodium in 3/4 teaspoon of table salt. That doesn’t account for the other sodium-containing foods we eat in a day… prepared soups, pasta sauces, dressings, cheeses, pretzels and chips are all high in sodium. Just one slice of bread contains 100-200 mg. And manufacturers aren’t using iodized salt in those foods. Depending on table salt for iodine is clearly not the answer. (Also, iodized salt loses its iodine over time: “An opened package of table salt with iodide may rapidly lose its iodine content in high temperature and high relative humidity conditions through the process of oxidation and iodine sublimation.”)

Where are vegans getting iodine? You could use low-sodium iodized salt. (I talked about that here.) But do we want to get into the habit of salting our food? Many foods taste wonderful without added salt, if we would allow ourselves to get used to it.

You know where I’m going with this. A supplement. I just don’t see any other way. Do you?

Dr. Greger’s thoughts on iodine: