What is the thyroid gland and why is iodine important to it?
The thyroid is a small gland located in a person’s neck. Its main function is to make, store, and release thyroid hormones, which regulate the body’s metabolism (metabolism is the way the body produces energy). The thyroid needs iodine to make thyroid hormones. Most of the iodine in people’s bodies comes from the food they eat, such as iodized table salt, dairy products and plants grown in soil that is rich in iodine (coastal region), seafood, and multivitamins.