4. Hair loss
One of the more unknown functions of thyroid hormone is to help assist the growth of hair follicles on the scalp. As a result of iodine deficiency, affected individuals may notice that they start to experience gradual hair loss. The patient may see that they begin to find more hair than usual in the shower drain after washing their hair. They may also see that their hairbrush contains more hair than normal.
Unfortunately, losing your hair is especially concerning for women, and it’s one of the common signs of low thyroid hormone production. When thyroid hormone levels get low, the hair follicles are slow to regenerate, and over time they may start to fail to produce new hair.
According to studies, more than 30% of people with low thyroid hormone experience some form of hair loss, whether it’s male pattern baldness or a thinning of the hair in women. Fortunately, adding iodine back into a mineral supplementation schedule will help the hair follicles recover and start producing hair again.