PEN® eNews 15(7) July 2025 - All About Iodine

Should Iodine Supplements Be Recommended During Lactation?

How does lactation affect an individual’s requirement for vitamin/mineral supplementation?

Micronutrient supplementation may be appropriate when a lactating individual is deficient, based on individual needs, or the infant has special needs.

Regarding iodine, the National Health and Medical Research Council recommend a daily iodine supplement of 150 μg for breastfeeding women to compensate for inadequate amounts in the food supply. Women with pre-existing thyroid conditions should consult their general practitioner before taking a supplement.

To see the full practice question, including Recommendations for adults at risk of hypertension, Evidence Statements, Remarks and References, click here.

Are Iodine Supplements Necessary During Pregnancy?

The Question

For pregnant women with hypothyroidism taking thyroid medication, does iodine supplementation improve thyroid function?

Limited evidence suggests that iodine supplements are not needed for pregnant women with hypothyroidism who are taking thyroid medication.

See Additional Content: International Dietary Reference Values Collection for recommendations for iodine intake during pregnancy.

To see the full practice question, including the Evidence Statements, Remarks and References, click here.

Let's Learn About: Toolkits

Besides keeping you up to date on the latest evidence, the PEN System can also help you refine your clinical skills. Did you know that the PEN System can help guide your nutrition assessment for many common health conditions? Or that the PEN System can help you write PES statements? 

Practice Guidance Toolkits can be a useful way to use the PEN System to apply the Nutrition Care Process. We have Practice Guidance Toolkits for clinical topics only. 

Seeking Canadian PEN Client Handout Reviewers

We are looking for dietetic specialists to volunteer to review some of our PEN handouts for clients who reside in Canada. We are looking for reviewers for these specific handouts below who practice and have clients related to the topic area:

• Weaning when Breast and Formula Feeding

• Eating Guidelines for Heart Health (Children with High Blood Fats)

• The Low FODMAP Diet: Healthy Eating Guidelines

Key aspects of the review include:

• Using your professional knowledge/clinical expertise provide feedback on the information / content provided in the handout.

• Based on interactions with your clients and questions they may have about the related diet in your practice, what information is missing in the handout that we should consider adding.

• General feedback - flow of information, clarity, what doesn't work well.