5 Key Iodine Benefits for the Body, Backed by Science

Iodine supports thyroid function, helping everything from cell health to metabolism. Find out everything you need to know.

By Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS

— On Aug 12, 2025

5 Key Iodine Benefits for the Body, Backed by Science

In this article:

As a registered dietitian, I spend a lot of time assessing my clients’ diets and highlighting the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that their bodies need for optimal functioning.

Iodine is one of those essential minerals, and it’s vital for the production of thyroid hormones. Though you may get enough iodine already, find out how it may impact your health and how to get more in your diet through foods and supplements like greens powders.

Here we’ll take a closer look at the potential benefits of iodine, including:

Supporting thyroid health
Helping promote brain health and cognitive function
Helping control the body's metabolism
Supporting digestion
Helping support skin health

What Is Iodine?

Iodine is an essential mineral that’s naturally found in the earth’s soil and ocean waters. The body needs iodine for the normal functioning of the thyroid, an essential component for growth and brain development.

Iodine helps the thyroid gland to make the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which it then secretes. These thyroid hormones are important in helping to stimulate the production of protein in the cells, impacting the growth of bones, nerves, and cells. The thyroid contributes to the normal functioning of body temperature, brain development and mental activity, digestion, and metabolism.

You get iodine from food, such as seafood (particularly oysters, snapper, and seaweed), tinned salmon, bread, eggs, milk, beef liver, chicken, and dairy products such as yogurt. Iodine is also added to fortified foods, primarily in iodized salt.

How Much Iodine Per Day?

The recommended daily dose of iodine is 150mcg for adults. Experts believe taking up to 0.5mg of iodine in supplement form per day is unlikely to be excessive or lead to iodine toxicity. Still, too much can cause unwanted side effects, as I’ll share later in this article.

5 Potential Health Benefits of Iodine

Iodine is an important mineral that is vital for the healthy functioning of the thyroid. Here we take a look at 5 potential health benefits of this lesser-understood essential mineral;

1. Supports Thyroid Health

As I mentioned earlier, the main function of iodine is to support the production of thyroid hormones, which affects many of the benefits of adequate iodine intake we’ll look at below.

Thyroid hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine, together known as the thyroid hormone) control the body’s metabolism and many other important functions, such as your muscles, your bones, and your reproductive organs. The body also needs thyroid hormones for good bone and brain development during pregnancy and infancy. If your body makes too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism) it can negatively affect bodily systems.

Did You Know? The U.S. started iodizing salt in the 1920s, and this was mostly due to the discovery of an endemic of children found to have enlarged thyroids, called goiters, across a large geographical region which became known as “the goiter belt.”

2. Helps Control the Body's Metabolism

One of the main body systems that the thyroid helps to control is metabolism. Metabolism is the complex process of how your body turns food into energy for all your body’s organs and cells, all of which need energy to function and grow. Thyroid hormones affect every part of the body and can impact weight loss or weight gain (known as the metabolic rate), so ensuring you have healthy iodine levels can help maintain metabolic balance.

3. Helps Promote Brain Health and Cognitive Function

The thyroid hormone can also support brain health and function, and having enough iodine in your diet is crucial for this to happen. While it helps promote brain health, the central nervous system, and cognitive function throughout life, this actually begins during pregnancy, which is why both the American Thyroid Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend pregnant women and those that are breastfeeding take at least 150mcg (and up to 290mcg) of iodine per day.

4. Supports Digestion

Another bodily function that is affected by thyroid hormones and metabolic health is digestion. Iodine deficiency can lead to digestive issues, such as constipation, and it has also been shown to be involved in the production of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid), which is important for breaking down food, nutrient absorption, and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria.

Studies have shown that iodine may play a beneficial role in gut health by aiding gut development, enhancing gut barrier function, and regulating gut microflora.

5. Benefits Skin Health

The vital role hormone production plays in cell function also affects the skin cells and ensures they are able to regenerate properly. It also contributes to the production of sweat, which helps to keep skin hydrated. A deficiency in iodine and thyroid hormones can lead to flaky, dry skin and reduced sweating.

The benefits of iodine on skin extend to using it topically to help treat mild cuts, to promote wound healing (with povidone iodine), and as an antiseptic, as it kills bacteria and helps prevent infection.

Did You Know? Due to its antibacterial properties, iodine has been used as a surgical disinfectant and in wound care for over 150 years.

Possible Side Effects of Iodine

It’s important to understand the effects of taking too many vitamins or minerals, and I often get asked, “Can you overdose on vitamins?” The answer is yes. Taking too little or too much iodine is not good for the body, as it affects the way the thyroid gland works. Too little iodine can create symptoms such as:

Extreme tiredness
Feeling cold
Difficulty concentrating
Hair loss
An enlarged thyroid gland

On the other hand, getting too much iodine in the diet (usually through megadosing on supplements) may in some cases cause the thyroid gland to become overactive and produce excess thyroid hormones (known as hyperthyroidism). Symptoms might include:

A brassy taste in the mouth
Excess production of saliva
A rash
Irritation of the digestive tract

Other side effects of taking iodine include:

Acne
Diarrhea
Fever
Headache
Joint pain
Skin swelling

Taking high doses of iodine over a long period could affect the way your thyroid gland works. This can lead to a wide range of symptoms including weight gain, so be sure to check the quantity in all iodine supplements you take.

Medication Interactions and Underlying Health Conditions

Iodine supplements may interact with certain drugs, such as antithyroid medications, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and potassium-sparing diuretics, so be sure to talk to your doctor before taking them if you are on any of these.

Likewise, anyone with serious health concerns should consult with their doctor before taking iodine supplements.

Iodine Foods and How to Get More in Your Diet

Most people get enough iodine from their diet by eating a varied and balanced diet. Some of the most iodine-rich foods include:

Fish and shellfish
Eggs
Chicken
Beef liver
Dairy products, like milk, cheese, and yogurt
Seaweed like kelp, dulse, and nori

Vegetarians and vegans may find their iodine intake isn’t sufficient. To ensure you get the recommended daily amount, there are iodine-fortified foods like salt, plant-based milks and cereals, and some algae.

You can also take a health supplement which contains iodine. I recommend my clients try natural greens supplements like Live it Up Super Greens, which consists of 20 organic vegetables and delivers 41mcg of iodine per serving.

Get Your Plant-Based Iodine with Live it Up Super Greens

A Package of Live it Up Super Greens Next to a Glass of Our Natural Green Juice

Live it Up Super Greens in one of the ways that I recommend my clients can fill dietary gaps they may have. While a balanced, healthy diet is always the recommended way to get all your daily nutrients, in reality, this isn’t always possible.

Vegans in particular may find it difficult to get adequate amounts of iodine, and Live it Up’s greens blend delivers 41mcg (28% of the daily recommended intake) through iodine-rich plants. These include:

Dulse is a type of red seaweed that contains protein, iodine, potassium, iron, and B, A and K vitamins
Kelp is a large brown algae or seaweed that offers vitamin K, folate, iodine, magnesium, and antioxidants.
Chlorella and spirulina are types of blue-green algae packed with nutrients including thiamine, niacin, iron, copper, and riboflavin.

Live it Up is an all-natural greens powder that conveniently offers many essential nutrients your body needs to thrive, all naturally derived from whole foods (never synthetic vitamins). It combines 20+ nutrient-dense ingredients and non-GMO plants along with 5 billion CFUs of probiotics in one easy scoop that fits seamlessly into your lifestyle.

The Super Greens formula is designed to support the immune system, healthy energy levels, and digestion. This simple, enjoyable green drink comes in two tasty flavors, has stringent third-party testing, and is suitable for those on gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free diets.

FAQs About the Benefits of Iodine

These are some of the most frequently asked questions I get about iodine and why your body needs it for overall health.

What are the benefits of iodine for your body?

Iodine is an important mineral for the body as it’s required by the thyroid to help make thyroid hormones. These hormones are vital for the healthy functioning of the metabolism, the skin cells, brain health and cognitive function (particularly during pregnancy and when breastfeeding), and the growth of bones, nerves and cells throughout the body. Topical iodine is used for killing bacteria on your skin to help prevent infections, and it promotes wound healing.

What are the symptoms of iodine deficiency?

Iodine is important for the production of thyroid hormones, and iodine deficiency can lead to extreme tiredness, a feeling of being cold, difficulty concentrating, hair loss, and an enlarged thyroid. If it’s not possible to increase your iodine content through food, you can consider iodine supplementation.

What foods are high in iodine?

Foods that are high iodine include fish and seafood (particularly oysters), eggs, chicken, beef liver, and dairy, as well as seaweeds. Many people get all the iodine they need from these animal products, but that doesn't suit all diets. Iodized salt is a common way that many people get their recommended daily intake of iodine, especially if they are vegan, as well as through fortified bread or plant-based milks containing added iodine. You can also try plant-based dietary supplements with iodine, like super greens powders.

Who should not take iodine?

Maintaining the right balance of iodine in the body is important, as you don’t want too much or too little for optimum thyroid function, as it could affect whether you have an underactive thyroid or overactive thyroid. People taking antithyroid medications, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and potassium-sparing diuretics should talk to their doctor before taking them to ensure correct levels are maintained.

References

About the author:

Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS

Rachel is a registered dietitian based in Contra Costa County, California, with over 15 years experience. She specializes in whole-body wellness and plant-based nutrition, helping people understand the dynamic interplay between food and health so they can live life to the fullest. When not helping others, she enjoys spending time with her kids, being physically active, and tending to her abundant household plants.

Learn more