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Review
. 2023 Jan 17;59(2):189.
doi: 10.3390/medicina59020189.

Does Iodine Influence the Metabolism of Glucose?

Ioannis Ilias  1 , Charalampos Milionis  1 , Lina Zabuliene  2 , Manfredi Rizzo  3
Affiliations
Review

Does Iodine Influence the Metabolism of Glucose?

Ioannis Ilias et al. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

Thyroid function and glucose status are linked; experimental, clinical, and epidemiological studies have shown this. Iodine is a vital trace element that is inextricably linked to thyroid hormone synthesis. The latter is also associated with glucose metabolism and diabetes. Recently, some-but not all-studies have shown that iodine is linked to glucose metabolism, glucose intolerance, impaired fasting glucose, prediabetes, diabetes mellitus, or gestational diabetes. In this concise review, we review these studies, focusing on iodine and glucose metabolism and prediabetic conditions or type 2 diabetes mellitus. The potential beneficial effect of iodine on glucose metabolism may be attributed to its antioxidant properties.

Keywords: diabetes; glucose metabolism; iodine; oxidation; thyroid.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Tentative “triangular” aspect of Iodine’s (I2) effects on glucose handling: indirect effects are via the synthesis and the action of thyroid hormones (TH), direct effects could be postulated via anti-oxidant action; IR: insulin resistance; IFG: impaired fasting glucose; IGT: impaired glucose tolerance; DM2: type 2 diabetes mellitus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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