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The Unrecognized Epidemic |
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In this age of contentious discourse regarding the components of
intelligence, it may come as a surprise to learn that in the confines of
China alone, a staggering 480 million IQ points have been forfeited due to a
simple chemical deficiency, one that could be remedied at a cost of merely a
few cents per person each year.
Across the globe, over 20 million individuals have been deprived of their
full intellectual potential simply because they lacked this crucial
nutritional supplement. This deficiency poses a risk to approximately 1.6
million people, constituting a quarter of the Earth's population. The
absence of this chemical has caused a thirteen-point shift to the left in
the IQ distribution curve of certain nations, compared to where it could
have been otherwise.
The substance in question is iodine, the fifty-third element on the periodic
table. Although no longer scarce in the diets of affluent nations, this
micronutrient remains the key to what might be the most inconspicuous
epidemic plaguing humanity.
Micronutrients are minute substances required to sustain good health. An
individual necessitates a mere one ten-thousandth of a gram of iodine daily,
amounting to two grams over the course of a lifetime.
A global endeavor is currently underway to eradicate iodine-deficiency
disorders within this decade, achieved through the fortification of the
world's salt supply. While alternative methods exist for iodine delivery,
salt is the most economical and convenient avenue.
Iodine deficiency stands as the foremost cause of mental impairments
worldwide. It not only engenders severe mental retardation, deaf-mutism, and
partial paralysis but also manifests in subtler challenges such as
clumsiness, lethargy, and diminished capacity for learning.
Iodine assumes a vital role in the thyroid hormone, a substance pivotal for
brain development during fetal life and subsequently regulating metabolism.
Insufficient iodine hinders the production of an adequate supply of thyroid
hormone.
The thyroid hormone is manufactured within a gland encircling the front of
the neck. A scarcity of this hormone prompts the thyroid gland to enlarge,
resulting in a condition known as goiter. Occasionally, goiters reach
grotesque proportions. While other factors like hormonal imbalances can
contribute to this condition, iodine deficiency remains the prevailing
cause.
In lower vertebrates, the thyroid hormone governs significant
transformations, including the metamorphosis of tadpoles into frogs and the
migration of a juvenile flounder's eyes to one side of its head. In humans,
the hormone's developmental functions are primarily concentrated within the
brain.
Severe deprivation of the thyroid hormone before birth leads to cretinism—a
permanent disability characterized by retardation—deaf-mutism, muscle
rigidity, and often stunted skeletal growth.
Research has demonstrated that administering iodine supplements to expectant
mothers prior to the second trimester effectively prevents cretinism.
Supplementation during later stages of pregnancy or infancy can reduce
neurological damage, albeit not entirely eliminate it.
Studies have exhibited that supplementing the diets of mildly
iodine-deficient individuals can tangibly enhance brain function. In a
particularly striking study, researchers in Malawi (where mild iodine
deficiency afflicted up to 86 percent of children in certain villages)
provided iodine supplementation to grade-schoolers.
The treated group displayed noteworthy improvements in verbal fluency,
visual memory, and eye-hand coordination. Although IQ was not specifically
measured, the investigators approximated an average gain of 21 points.
Nonetheless, iodine should not be regarded as a panacea for brain
enhancement. Consuming excess iodine without a deficiency is not beneficial
and can even prove detrimental. |
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