"We agree with the call for decreased salt consumption for better cardiac health," wrote Soldin, Pearce and Stagnaro-Green. "However, we recommend that all producers of commercially prepared foods - accounting for up to 70 percent of all salt consumed in the U.S. - use iodized salt, a step not currently practiced by commercial foods manufacturers. Any decrease in salt intake should not cause a reduction in dietary iodine intake."

The American Thyroid Association officially recommends that women receive 150 ?µg iodine supplements daily during pregnancy and lactation and that all prenatal vitamin/mineral preparations contain 150 ?µg of iodine. The published recommendation can be found at the ATA thyroid/professionals/education/pregnancy.html.The letter submitted by ATA members to the New England Journal of Medicine may be found on-line at: content.nejm/cgi/content/short/362/23/2224

SOURCE American Thyroid Association (ATA)