Question

Give biological reasons for the following statements-

Iodine should be present in diet.

Answer 1

Iodine

1. Iodine is an element that is found in seafood and plants cultivated near the shore. It is added to table salt. Plants cultivated in hilly regions lack iodine as the soil and water are deficient in this element.

Importance of iodine

1. In our body, the hormone thyroxine produced by the thyroid gland contains iodine.
2. Thyroxine is essential for the proper functioning of the body's metabolism.
3. If the diet is deficient in iodine, the person is unable to produce the thyroxine hormone and suffers from hypothyroidism, goiter, and cretinism. The thyroid gland appears relatively swollen and the person may suffer from intellectual disabilities.