Perchlorate consumption, iodine status, and thyroid function

• Published in: Nutrition reviews Vol. 68; no. 1; pp. 62 - 66
• Main Author: Trumbo, Paula R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.01.2010; Wiley; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Diet; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Food Contamination; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hormones; Human exposure; Humans; iodide; iodine; Iodine - administration & dosage; Iodine - deficiency; Iodine - metabolism; Nutrition; Nutrition Policy; Nutritional Status; perchlorate; Perchlorates - toxicity; Protein synthesis; reference dose; safety; Salt; thyroid; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Gland - drug effects; Thyroid Gland - metabolism; Thyroid Gland - physiology; Thyroid Hormones - biosynthesis; United States; United States Food and Drug Administration; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; United States; United States > US; Endocrine gland; Toxicity; Reference; Thyroid gland; Vertebrata; Mammalia; reference dose; iodide; thyroid; Food intake; Thyroid function; Safety; Dose; Iodine; perchlorate
• ISSN: 0029-6643; 1753-4887
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00260.x

Perchlorate inhibits the uptake of iodide into the thyroid gland, thereby possibly affecting the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Pregnant women and their fetuses and newborns have the greatest potential for risk of adverse health effects following exposure to perchlorate. Perchlorate is present in some foods and in drinking water in certain areas of the United States. Based on the available information, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not recommending that consumers of any age alter their diet or eating habits due to perchlorate exposure. If one eats a healthy diet that is consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, taking iodine supplements is not necessary for protection against health effects associated with perchlorate at the levels present in water and foods.