[R.B.]

There is some powerful information, tables and graphs in this chapter of a publication on a site called Thyroid Disease Manager, particularly on the importance of iodine to brain development and function.

http://www.thyroidmanager.org/chapte...ncy-disorders/

It is fascinating that iodine is so crucial to a burst of brain development at the end of the first trimester and into the second 8-20 weeks - ergo pre-conceptual nutrition is fundamental.

Interestingly apparently iodine intake is important to the development of abstract thought!

It is scary the number of pregnant women who are iodine insufficient; viz 70% in the UK, and even in Australia where they iodize bread etc.

The cost of iodine is miniscule compared to the costs of deficiency.

Based on Japanese intakes and outcomes I strongly question the current western paradigm / fear to supplement based on the assessment that total intakes above 1mg may lead to unacceptable levels of thyroiditis etc; there is growing evidence that the problem is not so much higher iodide but a lack of selenium, and or other factors such as the presence of high amounts of fluoride, lack of vitamin D etc (See prior posts generally); which is not to deny in a few it may be a problem, but my guess based on the Japanese experience is that any risks that would be associated with food supplementation within reasonable bounds eg maybe targeting an intake level of 500micrograms, providing accompanied by selenium, would be massively outweighed by the gains in population based health and more subtle wider mental performance benefits.