Reflection iodine excess: to provide the basis for scientific iodine

This is a scientific research, academic valuable, relevant speeches and writings in the impact factor of up to 51 internationally renowned "New England Journal of Medicine" on; the results of scientific research in practical applications affecting the lives of every one of us had to adjust salt iodization as a national standard of one of the scientific basis.

Not long ago, the results of removal of the 2008 National Science and Technology Progress Award second prize, winning the title is "excessive iodine epidemiological and experimental studies."

Recently, the reporter approached the subject of researchers to listen to their retrospective study of history. This reporter can not help but feel that in China and the international effort to combat iodine deficiency in the process, inseparable from the scientific method and scientific attitude.

Iodine intake and thyroid disease was U-shaped relationship is too low or too high can lead to increase in thyroid disease

When we put a plate on the table every day in color, flavor and taste of the food dish, whether conscious, food pan before adding a teaspoon of salt which will be closely related to our health because it contains a known iodine substances.

"Iodine is an important element in nature, for the human body, it is a synthetic thyroid hormone thyroid an important raw material, so the changes in iodine intake, the main impact of thyroid disease." Endocrine Research Institute, China Medical University, the National Thyroid Teng Weiping, head of school said. Iodine deficiency will lead to endemic goiter, endemic cretinism. Curtin patients with severe mental retardation, known as "cretinism."

Since 1990, the International Organization of recommended prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders worldwide to implement a universal salt iodization, to be in 10 years, the global elimination of iodine deficiency disorders. China is a high incidence of iodine deficiency disorders in the country, since 1996 the implementation of salt iodization in China's legislation in the country, China's population increased dramatically the amount of iodine intake, median urinary iodine (indicating the level of iodine nutrition in the body of indicators) from the 1995 meeting iodine 165 before the μg / l in 1999 rose to 330 micrograms / liter. Iodine deficiency disorders have been effectively controlled, but at the same time, doctors across the country have reflected the endocrine, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis and thyroid nodules and other thyroid diseases, the incidence of significantly increased.

After the residents of universal salt iodization in iodine intake safe? A population of 1.3 billion related to the health issues facing academics and endemic in our endocrine academic front.

At that time the international community has not the concept of excess iodine, international efforts to combat iodine deficiency disorders authoritative organization said: "The daily intake of 1000 micrograms of iodine from a medical sense is still safe. Universal salt iodization in areas of iodine deficiency is not only beneficial to the crowd, and the of iodine sufficient populations are no side effects. "

Professor Teng Weiping access to an extensive literature and found that universal salt iodization mandatory measures, mainly in the developing countries. When the world's developing countries, rapid population increase in iodine intake, when preached by the world's developing countries, developed countries, iodine intake, high intake of low-strange phenomenon. Developed countries in Europe the median urinary iodine is always kept at 70 micrograms / l to 130 mg / l, 65% of the population is iodine deficiency state, residents in most countries the voluntary consumption of iodized salt. Europe is the international minimum iodine intake areas. U.S. residents in iodine intake from the 20th century, 70 years of 320 μg / l down to 90 years to 145 μg / l, the U.S. government has not added any interference.

The exchange of experts, with Europe and the United States, they point to Teng Weiping found the answer: iodine nutrition status is a kind of ecological environment for human survival, to artificially change the ecological environment should be very cautious. Iodine intake by no means the better. Teng Weiping vividly the iodine intake and thyroid disease, the relationship between the metaphor of a U-shaped curve, that iodine intake is too low and too high will lead to an increase in thyroid diseases.

International for the first time a large sample epidemiological studies confirm that excessive iodine can cause thyroid disease increased exponentially

For an accurate picture of iodine intake and thyroid disease, the relationship in 1999, in the USA and China National Natural Science Foundation and the Medical Foundation, funded by the China Medical University, led by Professor Teng Weiping endocrine research group started by iodine-induced thyroid disease epidemic science research and experimental studies. The researchers in Liaoning Province and Hebei Province have chosen mild iodine deficiency (103 mg / l), iodine super-sufficient quantities (376 micrograms / l) and iodine excess (614 μg / l) three rural communities, the survey 16287 people, sample 3761 people, compared to observe the 3761 residents of the prevalence of thyroid disease, morbidity, and disease spectrum of changes, follow-up rate of 80.2%. This is currently the international community about the impact of iodine excess on thyroid largest and most systematic epidemiological study sample.

Of this ongoing five-year survey, clinical hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism prevalence increases with increased intake of iodine. Super-sufficient quantities of iodine and iodine excess communities, the prevalence of clinical hypothyroidism was 3.2 times and 7.3 multiplier showed a high prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism showed 3.2-fold and 6.6 multiplier high incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism showed 11.3 times and 12.6 double high. Clinical hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism is mainly due to autoimmune thyroiditis. Super-sufficient quantities of iodine and iodine excess communities, the prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis presented 10 times and 15 double high, the incidence rate of 4.5 times and 5.6 showed a high multiplier. Water-iodine communities, the incidence rate of thyroid cancer 19.37/10 10000, significantly higher than the 4 / 10 million to 6 / 10 million, the level of an international disease.

They were also a clinical epidemiological investigation to observe the 610 pregnant women found to increase iodine intake will promote the occurrence of postpartum thyroiditis.

At the same time, the research group to conduct laboratory research results. They prepared an animal model of chronic iodine excess, from the cellular ultrastructure, apoptosis, oxidative damage, genetic susceptibility, autoimmune and other aspects of study of the mechanism of iodine excess. In 2006, Teng Weiping papers such as "China's iodine intake on thyroid diseases impact" published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" on. This is the international impact of iodine excess on thyroid disease, the first prospective epidemiological study by the international medical community's attention.

Salt iodization countries to develop national standards be revised strategy for science and iodine

In 2000, the Ministry of Health held control of iodine deficiency disorders and iodine excess symposium, Teng Weiping system, reported on his 1999 cross-sectional study was first proposed by the implementation of universal salt iodization should be control over the population iodine intake within safety limits proposal. In March 2001, at the Fourth Session of the Ninth National People's Congress, as a deputy to the NPC Teng Weiping lead up to 9000 words submitted a motion, proposed to amend the universal salt iodization legislation. The motion by the State attaches great importance to the timely amendment of the salt iodization relevant national standards. Prevention and treatment of iodine deficiency disorders in the same year, the State proposed the "local conditions, guidance, science and iodine," the new approach. In 2005, the countries to stop the supply of iodized salt in iodine area. According to the National endemic sector monitoring report 2005, China's population median urinary iodine had fallen to 246 mg / l, out of excess iodine status.

Since 2000, Teng Weiping professors and their research group worked in the 12th International Thyroid Conference, the Fourth Conference of thyroid, Japan and South Korea, the Second International Conference on endocrine China, the 13th International Thyroid Congress, the report of China's iodine -induced thyroid disease epidemiology and experimental studies. Danish scholars, Hungarian researcher, also reported on their findings of iodine excess hazards. In a strong appeal to many scholars, the international authoritative organizations combating iodine deficiency has been a fundamental change in perspective. In 2002, the international efforts to combat iodine deficiency was first introduced to evaluate the authority of the Organization of iodine nutritional status of the epidemiological criteria. This standard was first proposed by iodine excess that the definition of median urinary iodine of more than 300 mg / L as iodine excess. They pointed out that in the interpretation of these standards: "In general, iodine intake should not be encouraged more than 300 μg / l, especially in areas of iodine deficiency in the original. Because excess iodine can cause adverse health effects, including iodine-induced thyroid function hyperthyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disease. "

"Science is a benefit of iodine supplementation in people's actions, in our country in the process of elimination of iodine deficiency contributed." Teng Weiping that the elimination of iodine deficiency disorders in the future should continue to adhere to the scientific strategy of iodine must be adapted to local conditions, for different areas, different groups take different iodine dose, strengthen the monitoring, classification guide, so that good things do. "This is a concrete manifestation of the scientific concept of development."