Controversy in the content and action of human extrathyroidal iodine

Abstract

Total body iodine (I) content was reported in many studies of medical literature. But only thyroidal iodine content has been well estimate (by fluorescent scanning) in the normal human thyroid and now well established ( 5–15 mg). Similar methods was not available for other tissues and extrathyroidal organs. Many researchers reported different numbers of 10 -50 mg of total iodine content of human body. The Author in his researches reported different numbers from 60% to 70% of the total extrathyroidal iodine amount, and in this paper he summarizes the most evident figures from medical literature of radio-iodine in some extrathyroidal organs. The action of extrathyroidal iodine is an important new area of investigation, which might be useful for the study of carcinogenesis, apoptosis, immunity, atherosclerosis, antioxidant function and other neurological and degenerative diseases. The high and persistent I-uptake of aorta and arterial walls explain the antiatherosclerotic activity of iodine. Iodine is also important for the study of life and human evolution.