Experts at the University of Nottingham are looking at the best way of assessing iodine levels in people following concerns that people following a vegan diet may be iodine deficient and unaware.
Researchers are looking for volunteers to take part in a survey about whether saliva could be used as a means of assessing people's iodine levels, instead of the current urine test. Which would be quicker and easier and even possible from your own home.
Iodine is primarily found in animal-based foods like dairy, seafood and eggs, which people following a vegan diet typically avoid. While some plant-based foods like seaweed contain iodine, the amounts can be variable and relying solely on them may not be enough.
This is particularly concerning for women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Pregnant women need iodine to support the healthy development of their baby's brain and nervous system. It is crucial for producing thyroid hormones, which are vital for foetal brain development, and the mother's increased iodine requirements during pregnancy are due to the baby's needs.
Dr Simon Welham, Assistant Professor in Nutritional Science at the University, said: "Our ongoing work is around people who are iodine deficient. We are particularly concerned about the iodine intake among women of childbearing age, as embarking on pregnancy with too little iodine can permanently damage the developing baby.
Our ongoing work is around people who are iodine deficient. We are particularly concerned about the iodine intake among women of childbearing age, as embarking on pregnancy with too little iodine can permanently damage the developing baby. "It is currently very difficult to test a person's iodine status as the only means of measuring it is by using a urine sample, and this only really tells you what someone ate in the previous 24-hour period. In this study, we're hoping to show that iodine could potentially be used to indicate longer term status. In addition to working on this problem, we're trying to find out if people would even be prepared to provide saliva samples for iodine testing since, if they weren't, then there wouldn't be any great value in establishing the protocol."
The researchers need members of the public, particularly women, to take part in a short survey exploring people's preferences around providing urine or saliva samples to detect iodine status.
People need to be aged eighteen or over, and able to complete a survey in English.
The online survey that takes less than two minutes to complete and responses will be anonymous and confidential.
If you are interested in taking part follow this link - https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/nottingham/sampling-pref-study
