Variation of iodine concentration in breast milk and urine in exclusively breastfeeding women and their infants during the first 24 wk after childbirth.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to observe the variation of iodine concentration in breast milk and urine in exclusively breastfeeding women and their infants during the first 24 wk after childbirth. METHODS: In all, 634 exclusively breastfeeding mother-infant pairs were enrolled at hospital and followed at the 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24 wk postpartum. Spot infant urinary iodine concentration (I-UIC), maternal urinary iodine concentration UIC (M-UIC), and breast milk iodine concentration (BMIC) in bilateral breasts were measured. RESULTS: During the first 24 wk, the median I-UIC was 216 (139-362) and 122 (68-217) µg/L in lactating mothers, both indicating iodine sufficiency. A strong correlation and no difference were found between BMIC in bilateral breasts. The mean BMIC (M-BMIC) of the two breasts was 165 (112-257) µg/L with a Bland-Altman index of 2.1%. Positive correlations were found between M-BMIC and I-UIC (r = 0.353, P < 0.001), between M-BMIC and M-UIC (r = 0.339, P < 0.001), and between I-UIC and M-UIC (r = 0.222, P < 0.001). M-BMIC was significantly higher than M-UIC (P < 0.001) and lower than I-UIC (P < 0.001). M-BMIC declined from week 1 to week 8 postpartum, both I-UIC and M-UIC dropped from week 1 to week 4 postpartum and stabilized thereafter. CONCLUSION: The iodine nutrition in lactating women and infants were adequate during the first 24 wk after childbirth. M-BMIC declined from week 1 to week 8 postpartum. Both I-UIC and M-UIC dropped from week 1 to week 4 postpartum. Further studies are needed to explore a more definitive BMIC and UIC range for an optimal iodine status in lactating women and breastfed infants.

Iodine Nutrition and Thyroid Function in Pregnant Women Exposed to Different Iodine Sources.

Pregnant women are more vulnerable to iodine deficiency and iodine excess. The study aimed to assess the changes in iodine nutrition and thyroid function of pregnant women exposed to different iodine sources resulting in various iodine intakes during pregnancy. From 2016 to 2017, 2004 healthy pregnant women aged 20-35 years from Shandong and Tianjin, China, were enrolled. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC), drinking water iodine content (WIC), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroid hormone (FT4), thyroglobulin (Tg), serum thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) were measured. Pregnant women in both Shandong and Tianjin were iodine sufficient, but the median UIC in pregnant women was significantly higher in Shandong (244 µg/L) than that in Tianjin (159 µg/L). No differences were found in UIC over the course of gestation in Shandong. In Tianjin, the UIC decreased during 13-24 weeks and stabilized thereafter. Compared with Tianjin, TSH levels were higher and FT3 and FT4 levels were lower in Shandong. Both FT3 and FT4 significantly decreased during pregnancy in Shandong and Tianjin. TSH and Tg increased over the course of gestation in both Shandong and Tianjin. The iodine status of pregnant women in Tianjin and Shandong were sufficient, but different changing patterns in UIC and thyroid function during pregnancy were presented. More attention should be focused on iodine nutrition of pregnant women, even in iodine-sufficient areas.

Adverse effects on thyroid of Chinese children exposed to long-term iodine excess: optimal and safe Tolerable Upper Intake Levels of iodine for 7- to 14-y-old children.

Background: The adverse effects of iodine excess on the thyroid in children are not well understood, and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for iodine in children is unclear. Objective: The aims of this study were to assess the effects of chronic long-term iodine excess on thyroid function in children and to explore the safe Tolerable Upper Intake Level of iodine in Chinese children. Design: A multistage cross-sectional study was conducted in 2224 children from areas with adequate to excessive iodine content in drinking water. Repeated samples of 24-h urine and spot urine samples were collected to estimate habitual daily iodine intakes of children. The thyroid volume in children was measured and blood samples were collected to determine thyroid function. Results: The habitual iodine intake of children was 298 µg/d (range: 186-437 µg/d). The total goiter rate was 9.7%, 232 (11.2%) children had hyperthyrotropinemia, and 232 (11.2%) children had thyroglobulin (Tg) concentrations >40 µg/L. The prevalence of hyperthyrotropinemia was >10% in children at iodine intakes of 200-300 µg/d. Tg concentrations increased with increased iodine intake (ß = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.4, 0.6), and the prevalence of Tg >40 µg/L was >3% in all iodine-intake groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the risk of total goiter significantly increased at iodine intakes ≥250-299 µg/d in 7- to 10-y-old children (OR: 8.8; 95% CI: 2.3, 34.0) and at iodine intakes ≥300-399 µg/d in 11- to 14-y-old children (OR: 5.2; 95% CI: 1.5, 18.3). However, there were no consistent differences in the risk of hyperthyrotropinemia and Tg >40 µg/L in children between different iodine-intake groups. Conclusions: Thyroid volume and goiter appear to be more sensitive indicators of thyroid stress than thyrotropin and Tg in children with long-term excess iodine intakes. We recommend 250 and 300 µg/d as safe Tolerable Upper Intake Levels of iodine for children aged 7-10 y and 11-14 y, respectively. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02915536.