What disease can excessive iodine intake lead to?

Iodine is an important trace element. Both iodine deficiency and excessive intake of iodine in the human body can lead to various health problems. One of the most common issues is thyroid diseases. For instance, excessive intake of iodine may result in thyroid enlargement, preventing the thyroid from consuming excessive amounts of iodine. It may also lead to autoimmune thyroiditis, which has a negative impact on human health.

Some people do not pay attention to their diet and consume excessive amounts of iodine-rich foods. Others may supplement with excessive iodine after discovering a deficiency. Both of these scenarios can lead to iodine excess, which in turn can cause thyroid enlargement. This occurs because when there is too much iodine, the thyroid cannot consume enough of it, resulting in enlargement.

Many people experience thyroiditis after supplementing with iodine or regularly consuming large amounts of iodine-rich foods. This is because the supplementation of iodine can trigger immune reactions in the body due to iodine deficiency, leading to an increase in autoimmune activity. As a result, thyroid abnormalities such as thyroiditis may occur.

When there is an excessive amount of iodine in the human body, it can cause the thyroid to operate at an accelerated rate, affecting its function and leading to hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can further lead to the development of hyperthyroidism and other related diseases. While many people are aware of the hyperthyroidism caused by iodine, hypothyroidism is often overlooked. Therefore, it is important to be vigilant and avoid excessive iodine intake to prevent hypothyroidism.