Vegans urinary iodine excretion

Table 45.5 Urinary iodine excretion in vegans (mean values unless othen/vise stated)...

Five studies have used biochemical markers to assess the iodine status of the vegan population (Tables 45.4 and 45.5). Three studies included measurements of thyroid function, while three measured the urinary iodine excretion of vegan subjects. 

The iodine intake of vegans participating in the Rauma investigation was extremely low, despite the consumption of seaweed, although the levels of serum T4 and TSH were within the normal range (Table 45.4), indicating normal thyroid function, and the urinary iodine excretion level was high (Table 45.5). The difference in dietary iodine intake and biochemical measurements was attributed to the use of seaweed and seaweed products with unknown iodine content. 

Several studies found large inconsistencies between dietary iodine intake and urinary iodine excretion in vegetarians and vegans (Lightowler and Davies, 1998 Rauma et al., 1994, 1999). The most extreme example was a Finnish study of 9 vegans ( saxmzet al, 1994) mean dietary... 

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