If you experience symptoms of thyroid disease, your practitioner may assess your iodine levels. But unless you receive a full thyroid workup, getting an accurate measurement of your own iodine level can be tricky.
“There are many tests available for iodine, but none of them are perfect … because there’s so much variability from reading to reading,” says Alan Christianson, NMD, author of The Thyroid Reset Diet.
Some tests, such as spot urine iodine elimination tests, are good for providing a snapshot of population health, but they’re not accurate for assessing individual iodine levels. Other urine iodine tests can be used for individuals but are often burdensome and expensive.
“The best way of understanding somebody’s iodine status is a dietary history,” says Lind.
Understanding the Role of Iodine
We need just the right amount of iodine for health — not too little, not too much. Learn how to strike a balance at “Why Iodine Is Important for Your Health,” from which this article was excerpted.
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