lodine is an essential micronutrient that is needed in small quantities, everyday.

Average daily requirement of iodine per person is 150 micrograms- this quantity fits on a single hair strand!

Life time requirement of iodine, till 70 years of age is only 5 grams -equal to one table spoon!

lodine is required for production of thyroid hormones. Thyroid is butterfly shaped gland situated in front of the neck.

lodine is required for production of thyroid hormones - Tri -iodothyronine, T3 and Thyroxine T4.

lodine is the raw material, I Thyroid is a factory, and finished products are T,- 3 and T-4 hormones. Thyroid hormones act on nearly every in the human body .

These hormones are required for

Optimum physical growth and development, most importantly, for optimum mental health, regulation of body metabolism and heat generation and maintenance of body temperature.

Food is the main source of iodine, Sea salt is poor source of iodine -50 micrograms-per liter of sea water, to meet the daily requirement of 150 micrograms-one will have to drink 3 litres of sea water everyday.

lodine is vey important in brain development,

90% of human brbrain development occurs between 3rd month of pregnancy and 3rd year of life. The first 1000 days are very critical for optimum development of brain

Due to iodine deficiency, there is diminished cell branching,

Less branching - Less connections -

Lower IQ.. Intelligence Quotient

According to World Health Organization, WHO, iodine deficiency in foetal life and early child remains the single most important cause of mental retardation globally.

And this is totally preventable.

The intelligence score of of children living in an iodine deficient environment is nearly 13 IQ points less than those living in iodine sufficient environments.

Even mild iodine deficiency can prevent children attaining their full intellectual potential.

In the last 3 decades, since salt iodization was scaled up in India, the universal salt iodization has contributed to saving 4 billion IQ points in India.

In India salt iodization saves nearly 280 million IQ points, with current coverage of 78% of adequately iodised salt, every year.

Salt iodization will save approximately 325 million IQ points.