Lack of iodine becoming a concern.

• Position: Low-Sodium Diets - Brief article

Adult men and women should get 100-200 micrograms of iodine per day, but many are not reaching that goal, often because of blood pressure issues, indicates data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys.

Registered dietitian Sara Blackburn says restricting sodium intake

to reduce blood pressure works if a person is salt sensitive. "If an individual is salt sensitive, then salt restriction will drop blood pressure. If not, then I recommend using medication, changing the diet, and working with a registered dietitian to guide them."

Specialists in the health field have sent the message for some time now that low-sodium diets are associated with low blood pressure. This message has worked well and Americans now are consuming less salt. According to Blackburn, this has had the unintended consequence of an increased risk for iodine deficiencies.

Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones and developing nervous systems.

The problem of low...