Galway Bay fm newsroom – Living close to a seashore that has abundant seaweed growth, such as in West Connemara, confers significant benefits as regards levels of bodily iodine according to a report published in this month’s Irish medical Journal.
This occurs due to ingestion of the iodine which emanates from the seaweed into the air.
Levels of bodily iodine are below the threshold in the Irish population but those close to seaweed rich coastlines, can ingest it freely from the air.
A 21 year long study has shown that people living near seaweed rich coasts have very significantly higher levels of iodine than those living inland …or, indeed those close to coastlines where there is little seaweed growth.
The results of the study conducted under the direction of Professor Emeritus of Microbiology in NUIG, Dr Peter Smith are published in this months edition of the Irish Medical Journal.
Carna and west Connemara area was compared to inland areas in Mullingar and Dungannon and with coastal regions with little seaweed in three Irish cities, Galway included.
The results showed that both children and adults in west Connemara were vastly above the other two regions in their bodily iodine content.
Inadequate iodine may lead to brain function impairement according to medical experts.