Americans have rightly been told to avoid table salt for decades in order to reduce their risk of hypertension and related health conditions. When iodized table salt is reduced, people can unknowingly lower their iodine intake to suboptimal levels. Analyses from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) show that urinary iodine levels have plummeted since the 1970s.

Iodine is a health-promoting trace element essential for life. Its primary biological role lies in the production of the thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). T4 and T3 contain four and three atoms of iodine per molecule, respectively. The thyroid gland actively absorbs iodide from the blood to make and release these hormones into the blood.

Iodine is found abundantly in sea vegetables and plants. In areas where no marine foods are eaten, people have lower iodine levels. For this reason, US commercial salt manufacturers have added iodine to their product since the 1920s, in order to deliver this key ingredient to your diet. However, we now know the dangers associated with eating too much table salt, resurrecting the dilemma of where to get healthy sources of iodine.

Ironically, health-conscious people are often most likely to develop low iodine levels. One reason is that athletes and people engaged in heavy physical effort deplete their natural stores of this trace mineral through perspiration, increasing their need for it. Vegetarians also have substantially greater likelihood of low levels of iodine than carnivorous people, since foods of plant origin are less rich in iodine than animal-derived foods. One study demonstrated iodine deficiency in 25% of vegetarians and 80% of vegans.

The good news is that you can avoid iodized table salt without sacrificing the health benefits of iodine. For the first time, Life Extension® introduces Sea-Iodine™, a low-cost proprietary formula that health conscious individuals can take each day to support optimal iodine levels. Using standardized extracts harvested from a blend of marine algae, Sea-Iodine™ brings you the health of the sea while avoiding the well known dangers of excessive salt intake. The purified algae extracts found in Sea-Iodine™ come from the pristine waters of Iceland, Nova Scotia, Italy and Norway, providing over 667% of the Recommended Daily Value of natural iodine.

For those members who would like the convenience and economy of taking vitamin D and Sea-Iodine™ in just one capsule, Life Extension® offers Vitamin D3 with Sea-Iodine™. As a result of startling evidence of a widespread vitamin D deficiency, prominent nutritional scientists are calling on Americans to increase their vitamin D intake to 1000 IU per day and higher. Life Extension® recommends that healthy adults supplement each day with at least 1000 IU of vitamin D. Elderly adults may benefit from higher doses such as 2000 IU daily, and even up to 5000 IU daily.

Individuals consuming more than 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D (from diet and supplements) should periodically obtain a serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D measurement. Do not exceed 10,000 IU per day unless recommended by your doctor. Vitamin D supplementation is not recommended for individuals with hypercalcemia (high blood calcium levels). People with kidney disease, certain medical conditions (such as hyperparathyroidism or sarcoidosis), and those who use cardiac glycosides (digoxin) or thiazide diuretics should consult a physician before using supplemental vitamin D. If you have a thyroid condition or are taking antithyroid medications, do not use without consulting your healthcare practitioner.