Iodine is an essential element to maintain the normal function of the thyroid gland and is inseparable from the growth and development of the human body.

Using urine as the test sample is the most commonly used method for iodine detection. Urine iodine detection is convenient, fast and economical. At present, many hospitals choose  urinary iodine detectors, which are a non-invasive and feasible method for screening iodine deficiency in the required population.

Urinary iodine is the iodine element in the urine. The normal human body contains 15-20 mg of iodine, most of which are in the thyroid gland. 80%-90% of the iodine ingested by the human body is excreted by the kidney, and a small part is excreted by the feces. Urine iodine is an important indicator reflecting the iodine nutrition level of human body.

The targeted promotion of urinary iodine detection in some regions can timely evaluate the iodine nutritional status, timely and correctly adjust the iodine intake in the diet, thereby reducing the incidence of diseases caused by iodine deficiency, which is of great significance to improving human health.

When urine iodine test results reflect iodine deficiency, it can lead to iodine deficiency disorders. Iodine deficiency disorders are a series of disorders caused by insufficient iodine intake, mainly including endemic goiter, endemic cretinism, subclinical cretinism, intellectual disability, and reproductive dysfunction. Adults can cause symptoms such as goiter, hypothyroidism, low intelligence and physical ability, reproductive dysfunction; children and adolescence can cause growth and development that affects bones, muscles, nerves, and reproductive systems; pregnant women can affect fetal brain development, severe It can also cause miscarriage, fetal malformation and death.

There are also great dangers when urine iodine test shows excess iodine intake:when people ingest high iodine, iodine inhibits the activity of thyroid peroxidase, reduces the synthesis of T3 and T4, increases the secretion of feedback thyroid-stimulating hormone, and promotes the occurrence of goiter. Long-term high iodine leads to an increase in TSH, which overstimulates thyroid cells and increases the incidence of thyroid cancer. Too much iodine can also cause hyperthyroidism.