Iodine and Thyroid Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Iodine is an essential mineral that your thyroid gland (located in your neck) uses to make thyroid hormones. These hormones control your metabolic rate – the speed at which your body uses energy at rest – and play a key role in growth and development.

How Iodine Helps Your Body

Thyroid hormones are critical for:

  • Brain development, especially in babies and young children
  • Growth of bones and tissues
  • Regulating body temperature (important during cold Grand Rapids winters)
  • Heart rate and energy levels

If your body doesn’t have enough iodine, your thyroid can’t make enough thyroid hormone. In response, your brain sends chemical signals (thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH) to your thyroid gland to try to make it work harder.

Over time, this can cause the thyroid to grow larger, leading to a condition called goiter.

Iodine in Foods

Iodine is found naturally in a variety of foods, but the exact amount depends on:

  • The iodine content of the soil or water where the food was grown or raised
  • How the food was processed
  • Whether iodized salt was added during manufacturing or cooking

In the United States, including Michigan, many people get iodine from:

  • Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese)
  • Seafood (fish and shellfish)
  • Seaweed (kelp and other edible seaweeds)
  • Eggs
  • Iodized table salt

Because soils in many parts of the U.S. – including the Midwest and Michigan – are relatively low in iodine, plant foods (like vegetables and grains) grown locally around Grand Rapids generally do not provide large amounts of iodine unless iodine-containing fertilizers are used.

Iodized Salt and Fortified Foods

Iodized salt is regular table salt with iodine added. Using iodized salt is one of the easiest ways to help prevent iodine deficiency. However:

  • Adding too much salt to food can increase your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, which are already common concerns in West Michigan.
  • If you choose to use salt, look for products labeled “iodized”.
  • Sea salt, Himalayan salt, and many specialty salts are often not iodized, and despite coming from the ocean, they are usually poor sources of iodine.

Some commercial foods and breads may be made with iodized salt, but this is not guaranteed. Always check labels if iodine intake is a concern.

The American Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) for iodine depends on your age and life stage. Iodine needs are very small compared to many other nutrients, which is why they are measured in micrograms (mcg or µg).

Recommended daily intakes:

  • Infants 0–6 months*: 90 µg
  • Infants 7–12 months*: 110 µg
  • Children 1–3 years: 90 µg
  • Children 4–8 years: 90 µg
  • Children 9–13 years: 120 µg
  • Teens 14–18 years: 150 µg
  • Adults 19 years and over: 150 µg
  • Pregnant women: 220 µg
  • Breastfeeding women: 270 µg

*For very young infants, an “Adequate Intake” (AI) is used instead of an RDI. This is based on typical iodine levels in the breastmilk of healthy women.

To put this in perspective, most adults need only about one teaspoon of iodine in total over a lifetime – but it must be consumed in small, regular amounts.

How to Get Enough Iodine in Your Diet in Grand Rapids

The best way to meet your iodine needs is through a balanced, varied diet, rather than supplements, unless your healthcare provider advises otherwise.

Practical Food Tips

Aim to:

  • Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from all food groups.
  • Include 2–3 servings of seafood per week, such as:
    • Salmon, trout, whitefish, and other Great Lakes–friendly choices
    • Canned tuna (light varieties in moderation)
  • Include dairy daily (if tolerated):
    • Milk, yogurt, cheese
  • Eat eggs regularly (if not allergic).
  • Use iodized salt in small amounts, if you use salt at all.

Mercury and Fish Safety for Michiganders

Some fish can contain high levels of mercury, which is especially important for pregnant women, those planning pregnancy, and young children to avoid. Limit or avoid:

  • Shark
  • Swordfish
  • King mackerel
  • Tilefish
  • Certain large predatory fish

For local guidance on safe fish consumption (including Great Lakes fish), check resources from the Kent County Health Department and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Iodine, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding

Pregnant and breastfeeding women in the U.S., including those in Grand Rapids, often do not get enough iodine from food alone. Yet iodine is crucial for your baby’s brain, hearing, and physical development.

Why Iodine Matters in Pregnancy

Inadequate iodine during pregnancy can:

  • Affect your baby’s physical growth
  • Impair hearing development
  • Lead to learning difficulties and lower IQ
  • In severe cases, cause major physical and neurological abnormalities, miscarriage, or stillbirth

Because of these risks, if you are:

  • Pregnant
  • Breastfeeding
  • Planning to become pregnant in the next 6 months

you should speak with your Grand Rapids healthcare provider (such as your OB/GYN at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health) about your iodine intake. They may recommend a daily prenatal vitamin that contains iodine.

Iodine Deficiency: Signs and Risks

When your diet is too low in iodine, your thyroid struggles to produce enough thyroid hormone. To compensate, the gland grows larger, causing a goiter (a visible swelling in the neck).

Health Problems Linked to Iodine Deficiency

Long-term iodine deficiency can lead to:

  • Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

Common symptoms include:

  • Dry skin
  • Hair loss
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Feeling cold (which may be especially noticeable during West Michigan winters)
  • Slowed reflexes
  • Weight gain
  • Constipation

Women, babies, and very young children are particularly at risk of serious problems from inadequate iodine intake. In babies and children, iodine deficiency can:

  • Permanently affect growth
  • Impair mental and sexual development
  • Increase the risk of intellectual disability

Globally, iodine deficiency is the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability in children.

Too Much Iodine Can Also Be Harmful

While deficiency is dangerous, excessive iodine intake can also cause thyroid problems, including:

  • Goiter
  • Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism in some people

This is more likely if:

  • You take high-dose iodine supplements
  • You already have a thyroid condition
  • You use multiple iodine-containing products (e.g., certain supplements plus iodine-rich seaweed products)

The level considered “too much” varies from person to person and depends on underlying health conditions.

Do not start iodine supplements on your own, especially if you have:

  • A known thyroid disorder
  • A family history of thyroid disease
  • Autoimmune conditions affecting the thyroid

Always talk to your doctor first.

Local Considerations for Grand Rapids Residents

Living in Grand Rapids and West Michigan, you should keep in mind:

  • Cold winters can make symptoms of low thyroid (feeling cold, fatigue) more noticeable.
  • Diet patterns (high intake of processed foods, limited seafood) may reduce natural iodine intake.
  • Local soils in the Midwest are often low in iodine, so most locally grown vegetables are not major iodine sources.

If you’re concerned about your iodine status or have symptoms of thyroid problems, contact:

  • Your primary care provider or endocrinologist at:
    • Spectrum Health
    • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
    • Metro Health
    • Mercy Health
  • The Kent County Health Department or Grand Rapids Public Health for community health resources and nutrition programs.

When to See a Doctor About Iodine

Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian in Grand Rapids if:

  • You suspect you are not getting enough iodine
  • You have symptoms of thyroid problems (fatigue, weight changes, feeling cold, neck swelling)
  • You are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy
  • You are considering taking an iodine supplement or seaweed/kelp supplements

They can:

  • Review your diet
  • Order blood tests to check thyroid function
  • Recommend safe, evidence-based ways to meet your iodine needs

Key Points

  • Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production, metabolism, and normal growth and development.
  • Symptoms of iodine deficiency include dry skin, hair loss, fatigue, and slowed reflexes.
  • Women, babies, and very young children are at highest risk of serious problems from low iodine intake.
  • Severe iodine deficiency can cause major physical and neurological abnormalities, miscarriage, or stillbirth.
  • Iodine deficiency can cause serious, permanent problems for developing fetuses, babies, and young children.
  • If you are pregnant or breastfeeding and iodine deficient, your baby is particularly at risk of impaired growth and intellectual disability.
  • In Grand Rapids, focus on a balanced diet with dairy, eggs, seafood, and limited iodized salt, and consult local healthcare providers before using iodine supplements.