Iodine Deficiency Blamed For Low IQ Among Thai Children

[Buchholz]

Try getting iodine from the drug store. It is 4% cut it to 2% and paint some on your body any part. It will be absorbed do this daily and you will notice that it stays on your body longer as time passes.

For myself I believe this is caused by the lack of Iodine in your body to start with. I painted my calf's with it in the morning at first it went away in ten minutes after two weeks it took three hours.

Try it and draw your own conclusions.

Not a good idea.

Tincture of Iodine, as containing in each 100 mL, 1.8 to 2.2 grams of elemental iodine, and 2.1 to 2.6 grams of sodium iodide. This "2% free iodine" solution provides about one mg of free iodine per drop.

This solution contains elemental iodine, which is moderately toxic when ingested in amounts larger than those required to disinfect water, tincture of iodine is sold labeled "for external use only," and used primarily as a disinfectant.

Remember, that daily recommended dose of nutritional iodine is 150 micrograms per day and that tincture of iodine has one milligram per drop. Tincture of iodine is not an appropriate source of nutritional iodine.

Far easier to simply buy a brand of salt that is iodized like the one that was posted earlier.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

Doesn't the salt used in fast food snack production Thailand have added iodine?

Apparently not.

the ministry will soon issue a regulation insisting that all salted products carry iodine

[Thai at Heart]

Doesn't the salt used in fast food snack production Thailand have added iodine?

Apparently not.

the ministry will soon issue a regulation insisting that all salted products carry iodine

Absolutely nuts then isn't it.

Normally, this would be handled with the stroke of a pen to say that all salt MUST have iodine added. What is the price difference between non and added iodine salt? Are we seeing that in pursuit of 0.000001 satang per 7-11 sausage they are using un-iodized salt?

Edited August 27, 2010 by Thai at Heart

[steady]

About a couple of years or so ago I tried to buy salt without iodine already added and Tesco, Big C and Carrefour only sold the iodine added salt. The only place I could get salt without iodine added was in Foodland and that was an import from Australia. It sort of leaves me with the impression that the government is trying to make up a reason for it's failures in education and childhood development. I also think that every party, if in power, would react in a similar manner.....it's what people in power in Thailand do!

[canuckamuck]

About a couple of years or so ago I tried to buy salt without iodine already added and Tesco, Big C and Carrefour only sold the iodine added salt. The only place I could get salt without iodine added was in Foodland and that was an import from Australia. It sort of leaves me with the impression that the government is trying to make up a reason for it's failures in education and childhood development. I also think that every party, if in power, would react in a similar manner.....it's what people in power in Thailand do!

I agree with this, iodized salt is very common here.

[lannarebirth]

Apparently they are making some progress since 2006

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/73808-children-under-2-years-of-age-faced-with-iodine-deficiency/page__p__797344__hl__iodine+deficiency__fromsearch__1#entry797344

as IQ's then were reported at 86-87 IIRC.

[Scott]

There is no problem with correcting a problem, however, there is a problem with believing that the solution to one problem will cure another. In a country where seafood is readily available and cheap, it is unlikely that acute shortages of this element would be a major problem contributing to significant mental deficiencies.

The problem of lack of stimulation, too much time spent sitting, not enough play areas for a large segment of the youth is a factor in IQ.

The link between iodine deficiency in Thailand and the IQ level is tenuous at best. I hope this isn't the panacea they decide will cure the educational problems of Thailand.

With that said, by all means, correct the iodine deficiency. Iodize salt, and then, of course, tell people to use less salt because it causes high blood pressure!

[geriatrickid]

I am really disappointed with some of the comments. The government is basically trying to do the right thing and to prevent deficiency and disease before it occurs. It's one of the lowest cost preventative steps that can be taken. The original report was discussed in TVF a year ago. Unfortunately, the newspaper article emphasizes the health minister's comments on one solitary aspect. Please understand that it is not just about IQs, although an iodine deficiency is the recognized as the world's leading cause of mental retardation. Iodine deficiencies can also factor in breast cancer and renal cancers. As well, all of the human vital organs require Iodine to function properly. Most people probably don't realize that iodine is an integral part of the hormone receptors in the body. Simply put, the body's hormones do not work because they cannot bind with the receptors which means that the chemical signals are not sent and the genes that we all carry are then not properly regulated.

It's all about balance and proper nutrition, that's all. The discussion has to be put in context, so please lay off on the labeling of Thais as retards or inbreds. It wasn't too long ago in the west that there were serious health issues related to iodine deficiencies.

[Hakuchi]

Cretinism is a condition of severely stunted physical and mental growth due to untreated congenital deficiency of thyroid hormones(congenital hypothyroidism) due to maternal nutritional deficiency of iodine.

Check the link I posted, showing the deficiency across the world on a heat-map.

Basically, in general, there is no more deficiency here than in Europe. Ergo...it is an excuse, not an explanation.

Since when is wikipedia the final answer for everything? From what year are these results? What it shows exactly? Did you take your Iodine today?

[Moruya]

I'm afraid that there are some very deep rooted problems that Thailand needs to address in it's culture too.

Most kids leave school at around 15 years old with little useful education. Whether the Thais like it or not, English should be compulsory and so should computer skills.

These then go on to have kids at very young ages - late teens early twenties.

The boyfriend then can't face up to the responsibility and disappears.

The girl then goes out to earn money to send home to her parents so they can take care of the baby.

Whilst the mother has received little or no useful education, the grandparents are of even less use in this respect. Probably never spoken a word of English and never set hands on a computer.

So the child then grows up on a diet of Thai TV and cartoons plus whatever the schools can throw at them.

and the cyclce then goes around again churning out adults that can only perform menial jobs - farming rice, selling food or clothes, motorbike taxi.

Where does the iodine work here?

[givenall]

This is some form of sick joke, surely?

http://en.wikipedia....Y_-_WHO2002.svg

So, I call poppycock on this excuse.

Idiocy at its worse. Someone turn the tv off please:blink:

[Hakuchi]

About a couple of years or so ago I tried to buy salt without iodine already added and Tesco, Big C and Carrefour only sold the iodine added salt. The only place I could get salt without iodine added was in Foodland and that was an import from Australia. It sort of leaves me with the impression that the government is trying to make up a reason for it's failures in education and childhood development. I also think that every party, if in power, would react in a similar manner.....it's what people in power in Thailand do!

I agree with this, iodized salt is very common here.

Table salt is not widely used in Thai cuisine and cooking. Fish sauce has taken the place, is it very salty but i don't know if the salt in fish sauce contains added iodine.

[Buchholz]

Table salt is not widely used in Thai cuisine and cooking. Fish sauce has taken the place, is it very salty but i don't know if the salt in fish sauce contains added iodine.

Apparently not.

Urging manufacturers of salt, fish sauce, crispy snacks and instant noodle to add iodine to their products at a meeting yesterday

[canuckamuck]

I'm afraid that there are some very deep rooted problems that Thailand needs to address in it's culture too.

Most kids leave school at around 15 years old with little useful education. Whether the Thais like it or not, English should be compulsory and so should computer skills.

These then go on to have kids at very young ages - late teens early twenties.

The boyfriend then can't face up to the responsibility and disappears.

The girl then goes out to earn money to send home to her parents so they can take care of the baby.

Whilst the mother has received little or no useful education, the grandparents are of even less use in this respect. Probably never spoken a word of English and never set hands on a computer.

So the child then grows up on a diet of Thai TV and cartoons plus whatever the schools can throw at them.

and the cyclce then goes around again churning out adults that can only perform menial jobs - farming rice, selling food or clothes, motorbike taxi.

Where does the iodine work here?

Some say this is the perfect pattern to keep the elite on top, I am inclined to agree. Those with real educations know how to fix the system, they choose not to.

[Buchholz]

Doesn't the salt used in fast food snack production Thailand have added iodine?

Apparently not.

The OP says:

the ministry will soon issue a regulation insisting that all salted products carry iodine

Absolutely nuts then isn't it.

Yes, and that's why I posted:

Hats off to the administration for attempting to drag this country out of the 1950's.

[gburns57au]

A few years ago there was talk of trucks of Iodized salt being shipped to the Northeast to address poor eyesight. Perhaps this is responsible for the increase in IQ over the last few years?

An average of 91 isnt so bad, I know some Aussies and Brits that wouldnt make the grade.

[Buchholz]

I'm afraid that there are some very deep rooted problems that Thailand needs to address in it's culture too.

Most kids leave school at around 15 years old with little useful education. Whether the Thais like it or not, English should be compulsory and so should computer skills.

These then go on to have kids at very young ages - late teens early twenties.

The boyfriend then can't face up to the responsibility and disappears.

The girl then goes out to earn money to send home to her parents so they can take care of the baby.

Whilst the mother has received little or no useful education, the grandparents are of even less use in this respect. Probably never spoken a word of English and never set hands on a computer.

So the child then grows up on a diet of Thai TV and cartoons plus whatever the schools can throw at them.

and the cyclce then goes around again churning out adults that can only perform menial jobs - farming rice, selling food or clothes, motorbike taxi.

Where does the iodine work here?

I missed the part where the OP said adding iodine to salt and salted products will cure all the ills of society. What I read was an effort to address a small part of those ills by adding iodine in order to correct the various ill-effects of iodine-deficiency.

[Hakuchi]

Table salt is not widely used in Thai cuisine and cooking. Fish sauce has taken the place, is it very salty but i don't know if the salt in fish sauce contains added iodine.

Apparently not.

Urging manufacturers of salt, fish sauce, crispy snacks and instant noodle to add iodine to their products at a meeting yesterday

I guess you are a user of table salt than.

You should hide your reply in spoiler brackets and give the others the chance to train their brain and think for themselves.

[Buchholz]

I guess you are a user of table salt than.

After finding so much of the salt available here is not iodized, I do use the particular brand of iodized salt I mentioned earlier, but I do use fish sauce far more often as I enjoy its taste more. It will be good step once the fish sauce is iodized here as I will use even less salt then.

[CMTourist]

A few years ago there was talk of trucks of Iodized salt being shipped to the Northeast to address poor eyesight. Perhaps this is responsible for the increase in IQ over the last few years?

An average of 91 isnt so bad, I know some Aussies and Brits that wouldnt make the grade.

You have to remember that an average of 91 means that half the population have an IQ BELOW that (For maths geeks I know that assumes a symmetrical bell curve where the median, mean and average are the same)

I wonder what the average would be if the Chinese-Thai population were excluded?

I've heard a Chinese Thai owner of one of Thailand's largest businesses state that they won't hire Thais for middle and senior management as they're too stupid. So the Chinese Thais here certainly seem to think that the ethnically Chinese have a higher IQ

[Buchholz]

A noteworthy passage in a different article on this topic and that differs from the OP as to the origin of the connection is:

Thai children have a rather low IQ at a level of 90-110, in which the World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund had pointed out the cause as iodine deficiency.

[newermonkey]

I wonder if anyone has conducted any tests to ascertain what the typical rural teacher's IQ is? What about the IQ of the parents? what about pregnant mothers drinking and smoking? has anyone done this or have they just picked on Iodine out at random? Are they saying give em iodine and we will be turning out Einsteins. The culture and traditional rearing methods found in Thailand must be studied.

I think Thai people are basicly nice people, they don't need to be so bright do they?

[basjke]

Table salt is not widely used in Thai cuisine and cooking. Fish sauce has taken the place, is it very salty but i don't know if the salt in fish sauce contains added iodine.

Apparently not.

Urging manufacturers of salt, fish sauce, crispy snacks and instant noodle to add iodine to their products at a meeting yesterday

But maybe it does as the ministry urges salt manufacturers aswell and several posters already said that ionized salt is widely available.Actually they had to look for imported salt to get non-ionized .

You probably know already that here in Thailand,and especially in the government,the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing so this could be another example of it.

Edited August 27, 2010 by basjke

[krystian]

the LACK OF STIMULATION is the cause for the thai children low IQ.

It is over useless stimulation and I think it is also inherited from their parents LOL

[petercool]

An amazing array of cynical responses here to what is a very simple solution to a perceived problem.

Adding minute quantities of iodine to things like fish sauce used by almost every Thai household is what is being mooted and that seems to have no negatives.

No one is saying it will improve school systems, national cultural traits or some forum members' cynicism but it will address some nutritional imbalances for many.

[animatic]

In the salt... works in the west but,

If they want it to work in LOS, put iodine in the SUGAR,

then you are sure to get ALL Thais with enough.

Salt is a toss up.

[hammered]

Arent IQ tests actually highly controversial as measures of real intelligence especially across cultures?

[afarang]

This is some form of sick joke, surely?

http://en.wikipedia....Y_-_WHO2002.svg

So, I call poppycock on this excuse.

Iodine deficiency is also responsible for Goitres, which used to be quite common in Thailand. From memory ,the govt. made adding Iodine mandatory to salt many years ago, but a lot of Thais do not use salt so much as fish sauce, it therefore makes sense to add it to fish sauce ,as well as other salty Foods

[Moruya]

I'm afraid that there are some very deep rooted problems that Thailand needs to address in it's culture too.

Most kids leave school at around 15 years old with little useful education. Whether the Thais like it or not, English should be compulsory and so should computer skills.

These then go on to have kids at very young ages - late teens early twenties.

The boyfriend then can't face up to the responsibility and disappears.

The girl then goes out to earn money to send home to her parents so they can take care of the baby.

Whilst the mother has received little or no useful education, the grandparents are of even less use in this respect. Probably never spoken a word of English and never set hands on a computer.

So the child then grows up on a diet of Thai TV and cartoons plus whatever the schools can throw at them.

and the cyclce then goes around again churning out adults that can only perform menial jobs - farming rice, selling food or clothes, motorbike taxi.

Where does the iodine work here?

I missed the part where the OP said adding iodine to salt and salted products will cure all the ills of society. What I read was an effort to address a small part of those ills by adding iodine in order to correct the various ill-effects of iodine-deficiency.

Please re-read the first line in my post.

The iodine is viewed as the cure to a low IQ among Thai children. IQ is determined by asking the children a number of questions that they either know the answer to or do not.

[hansnl]

There is no problem with correcting a problem, however, there is a problem with believing that the solution to one problem will cure another. In a country where seafood is readily available and cheap, it is unlikely that acute shortages of this element would be a major problem contributing to significant mental deficiencies.

The problem of lack of stimulation, too much time spent sitting, not enough play areas for a large segment of the youth is a factor in IQ.

The link between iodine deficiency in Thailand and the IQ level is tenuous at best. I hope this isn't the panacea they decide will cure the educational problems of Thailand.

With that said, by all means, correct the iodine deficiency. Iodize salt, and then, of course, tell people to use less salt because it causes high blood pressure!

You are right, of course.

But all the problems mentioned by you will take an awful amount of time to rectify, don't you think.

I think you might consider iodizing the salt a simple step helping to rectify part of the problem.

And it is not salt that causes high blood pressure.

A lower intake of salt helps to bring down blood presure, that is all.