Your Fancy Himalayan Salt Is Putting Your Thyroid At Risk. Here's Why (And What To Do About It)

However, health buffs making an effort to consume more natural sea salts such as Hawaiian, Celtic, and even precious Himalayan pink salt may also be putting their thyroids at risk. The reason? These sea salts lack stable amounts of iodine. Celtic sea salt and Hawaiian sea salts have little to no iodine and while some batches of Himalayan salt may have good amounts of iodine, others seem to have very little. Consuming these fancy sea salts is basically an expensive gamble when it comes to obtaining sufficient amounts of iodine.

Over 2 billion people worldwide are at risk of iodine deficiency1, with 30 countries still being classified as iodine-deficient2. Salt restriction is in direct conflict with programs trying to prevent iodine deficiency through salt fortification. And considering that some people may lose more than 50 mcg of iodine per hour of exercise, you should practice even more caution around salt restriction and consuming non-iodized salts if you’re a regular at the gym. In fact, if you fall into this category you may even need to supplement with iodine, especially if your diet isn’t rich in this mineral (iodine is found in good amounts in cranberries, dairy, and seaweed).

It should not be assumed that pregnant or lactating women will consume adequate amounts of iodine in the diet or in supplements. Considering that iodine requirements increase by more than 50 percent during pregnancy3, and that the negative health consequences of iodine deficiency in pregnancy can be impaired neurological development in the fetus, there should be greater caution with salt restriction in women who are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant. Weaning infants4 are also at particularly high risk of iodine deficiency and our fear of salting our children’s food isn’t helping matters either.

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer in most countries and the incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing5. A comprehensive review of animal and human studies found that iodine deficiency is a risk factor for thyroid cancer5 with higher intakes of iodine being associated with a lower risk of thyroid cancer. In those with iodine deficiency, eating more iodized salt may shift thyroid cancer subtypes toward less malignant forms6. Considering that low-salt diets can increase the risk of iodine deficiency7, they may also be increasing the risk of hypothyroidism and thyroid cancer. Talk about a double-whammy on your thyroid.