Effects of different salts on thyroid gland

Thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ in the neck whose function is to regulate metabolism, growth and development through hormone production. Iodine is an essential micronutrient for the synthesis of thyroid hormones which regulate various metabolic processes. The introduction of iodized salt has been a significant public health aimed at preventing IDD. This abstract provides a review of the effects of iodized salt consumption on thyroid gland and focus on its role in maintaining thyroid function and discusses prevention programs. Iodized salt has been the cornerstone of IDD prevention for past several years. It prevents goiter and hypothyroidism by providing a stable source of dietary iodine. Non-iodized salts such as sea salt and himalayan pink salt contain negligible amount of iodine are ineffective in preventing IDD. Consumption without the iodized salt, replacing it with these salts, worsened the iodine-deficiency state. Moreover, several preventive actions to fight IDD were developed globally. The WHO and UNICEF's USI-Universal Salt Iodization program aim to iodize all edible salt. As a result, IDD has experienced a steady decline due to law being introduced. Health campaigns have been personally responsible for raising awareness of the importance of iodine. Prevention programs along with the continuous monitoring mechanism are required to get to the newer problems and ensure the long-term elimination of IDD