How to ensure enough iodine intake?

To ensure adequate iodine intake, Andrew Huberman highlights that keeping a balanced diet is important, especially for those following very clean diets. He explains that diets extremely rich in meat or vegetables can lead to low iodine levels. Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production, which supports the metabolism of various bodily processes. People on a purely plant-based diet or an all-meat diet may need to pay special attention to their iodine intake.

For individuals consuming plant-based diets, particularly those involving a large amount of cruciferous vegetables, there is a risk that these can interfere with thyroid hormone function. Such vegetables may actually increase the need for iodine. Dr. Huberman suggests that unless these vegetables are coupled with kelp or seaweed, one might not be obtaining enough iodine. Addition of iodized salt to food can help, but one should be mindful that certain plant foods, even if high-quality and dark leafy greens, might not suffice for iodine intake on their own.

In summary, anyone adhering to particularly clean diets that are heavily reliant on either meat or vegetables should ensure they are supplementing with enough iodine, possibly through the use of iodized salt or by including iodine-rich foods like seaweed in their diet 1.