[Anonymous June 22, 1998 at 1:23 am Post count: 93172]

#1050533

I am really curious about what happens to the salt/iodine we eat when we have no thyroid at all. I’ve heard the thyroid is the only gland/organ to metabolize iodine. Is this true?
This may be the dumb question of the month but I’ve never seen the issue addressed
anywhere. Thanks! Ann L

[Anonymous June 22, 1998 at 6:48 am Post count: 93172]

#1149500

Hi, Ann:

Be sure you distinguish between the idea of “salt” and the idea of “iodine”. We do, in this country, get a lot of the iodine in our nutrition with out salt, but I’m pretty sure that is because it is added to it, not because it occurs naturally in it.

The thyroid is the only place in the body where the cells can ABSORB (and therefore use) iodine. After RAI and surgery there are often SOME thyroid cells left — and these cells would use/need iodine. Hypothetically speaking, if we had NO thyroid cells whatsoever, there would be no part of the body that would use iodine.

There could still be a need/use for salt if there were no thyroid tissue.

Bobbi — Bobbi1436@AOL.com

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