title: Impact of selective iron and/or iodine interventions on iron and iodine status of adolescents.
abstract: The impact of iron and iodised salt supplementation and iron with iodised salt supplementation for a period of six months was studied in relation to non-supplemented controls, on selected indicators of iron and iodine status among goitrous and non goitrous adolescents. A significant reduction in total goitre rate (TGR) and visible goitre rate (VGR) was observed in the group given iodised salt alone or with iron supplements. No change was observed in TGR in the group receiving iron supplements though VGR decreased. An increase in urinary iodine excretion (UIE) was observed among goitrous and non goitrous subjects receiving iodised salt alone or iron supplements alone. The goitrous control subjects in contrast showed a significant decrease in their UIE (-10.9 mcg/dL p < 0.05). Iodised salt supplementation caused an increase in T4 (thyroxine) in goitrous and non goitrous subjects and a decrease in TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) in goitrous subjects. However, iron supplementation had an adverse effect on T3 (triidothyronine) and T4 in non goitrous subjects. Dual supplementation caused a significant decline in T3 (among goitrous subjects) and T4 concentrations (among non goitrous subjects). Haemoglobin (Hb) and serum ferritin (sf) concentrations improved with iodised salt among both the goitrous and non goitrous subjects, but for goitrous subjects, not with iron alone. This study suggests that if a subject is both iron and iodine deficient, iodine deficiency may be corrected in part by iron or iodine supplementation, although their co-administration may not be synergistic. The metabolic relationship between iron and iodine deficiency needs further investigation. However, goitre prevalence is clearly ameliorated with combined micronutrient supplementation to a greater extent than with iodised salt alone and not at all with iron alone.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Food Science and Nutrition, SVT College of Home Science, SNDT Women's University, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Godhia