News
NHMRC releases new recommendation that all pregnant women take an iodine supplement |
| Spokesperson: | The National Health and Medical Research Council |
| Date: | Thursday, 4 March 2010 |
| Category: | Women's Health |
| The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) today released a new recommendation that all women who are pregnant, breast-feeding or considering pregnancy take an iodine supplement of 150 micrograms each day. Blackmores’ pregnancy range of products contain iodine. “Women wanting to conceive, or who are already pregnant or breast-feeding, need a minimum of 250 micrograms of iodine each day for the baby’s brain and nervous system development,” said Professor Creswell Eastman, a noted endocrinologist and Chief Medical Advisor to the Australian Thyroid Foundation. “Australians now get more iodine in their diets following the mandatory fortification of bread last October, though it is still appropriate for women to supplement their diet with an additional 150 micrograms of iodine every day,” he said. Blackmores is currently updating its three pregnancy-related formulations in line with the release of a NHMRC recommendation that all women who are pregnant, breast-feeding or considering pregnancy, take an iodine supplement of 150 micrograms each day. The newly reformulated Blackmores pregnancy products will be available in leading pharmacies, health food stores, supermarkets and online retailers in coming months. Customers can continue to take existing Blackmores pregnancy products, containing 250 micrograms of iodine, with confidence, as this level is well below the recommended 1,100 microgram “upper limit”. Professor Eastman explains: “The body does not store iodine, so amounts taken in excess of the body’s requirements will simply be excreted by the kidneys.” People with a known iodine deficiency, or who are concerned they may not be getting enough iodine, should consult their healthcare professional. |
|