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COMMITTED WITH

Health

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EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT IODINE

Iodine is a crucial micronutrient in the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones in the thyroid gland and its lack of diet causes alterations in the differentiation and function of the nervous system in both the neonatal and adult stages. For this reason, at the international level, public health policies have been established to provide the population with the necessary amount of this element through iodized salt. On the other hand, recent data indicates that in its molecular form (I2), iodine is also very important for the normal function of several organs that absorb and use it, mainly the thyroid, breast, prostate glands, as well as nervous and immune system.

 

Since 1991, Mexico and other western countries have adhered to the goal proposed by the World Health Organization to eliminate iodide deficiency by iodizing table salt. IODATED SALT. Currently it is estimated that more than 80 percent of the salt sold in the cities complies with the standard. However, there are rural areas where the salt consumed does not contain iodide. In the case of molecular iodine, it is available naturally only through the intake of fresh seaweed and in the western countries there are no supplements that contain it.

Iodine is a chemical element belonging to halogens (group 17). It has as symbol I, with atomic mass 126.9 and atomic number 53. It is a component of the "nuclear ash" that formed our universe. In fact, it is derived from a nucleosynthesis process that occurred more than 10 billion years ago in a stellar supernova that exploded and dispersed its dust giving rise to the formation of our planet Earth about 5 billion years ago.

 

Iodine is essential in the diet of all living animals, so it is considered a trace element. Iodine is scarce on the surface of the earth, because, for hundreds of millions of years, it has been swept away by rain and glaciations, and transported from the earth's crust to the sea, which is enriched in form of iodide (I-)......

Our research group belongs to the Institute of Neurobiology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, located at the Juriquilla Campus in Querétaro. The assignment with iodized products and their function in different tissues since 2001. In 2005 we published for the first time that molecular iodine and not thyroid hormones or sodium chloride (iodized salt) was responsible for preventing initiation and Breast cancer progression in a rat model. Later also in preclinical studies we show that the iodine supplement together with conventional chemotherapy sensitizes cancer cells and it is possible to reduce the amount of chemotherapy up to 4 times while maintaining the anti-cancerous effects. 

We invite you to be part of this great project, with your support we will be able to reach more people and continue investigating this amazing trace element.

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