iodine and mammary glands

[Guest guest]

This is interesting. Note the mention of rapeseed and iodine depletion.

Joan

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/105072502761016520

Transport of iodine in the mammary gland into breast milk plays a central role

in various fields of prevention of thyroid diseases. First, a sufficient content

of iodine in the mother's milk is necessary for normal brain development in the

breastfed child. This is attained by expression during lactation in the mammary

gland of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), also responsible for iodine

transport in the thyroid. Milk iodine content varies with the iodine intake of

the mother, and urinary iodine excretion in groups of mothers seems to be a

valuable indicator of the iodine status of their breastfed children. Second,

iodine in dairy products provides a considerable part of iodine intake in many

populations. Thiocyanate from rapeseed feeding of cows decreases milk iodine

content, probably by competitive

inhibition of NIS in the mammary gland. Alterations in feeding of dairy cows

may alter the iodine content of consumer milk, and this may influence the risk

of thyroid diseases in the population. Thiocyanate inhibition of iodine

transport into milk may also be operative in humans with a high thiocyanate

intake. This could further impair iodine status in breastfed children in

low-iodine intake areas of the world. It can be speculated that a low-iodine

content of mother's milk because of inhibition of NIS in the mammary gland may

be one factor of importance for development of myxedematous cretinism.