Iodine in 24-hour Urine

Beschrijving

What it measures

• Iodine is mostly excreted through urine (up to 90%).
• A 24-hour urine collection is considered the most reliable way to assess recent iodine intake in an individual, especially compared with a random spot urine sample.

Why it matters

• Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone synthesis (T4 and T3).
• Deficiency can cause goiter, hypothyroidism, developmental problems in children, and impaired fertility.
• Excess iodine may trigger thyroid dysfunction in sensitive individuals (e.g., Hashimoto’s, multinodular goiter).

Clinical applications

• Assessing iodine intake in suspected deficiency or excess.
• Monitoring patients on iodine supplementation.
• Evaluating dietary interventions (vegetarian/vegan diets, low-salt diets).
• Research on population iodine status.

Limitations

• Reflects short- to medium-term intake.
• Does not always correlate perfectly with tissue iodine stores.

• Sample requirement: 24-hour urine collection

Suitable for postal submission.

Please note: this is a single iodine measurement in 24-hour urine. For a broader overview of multiple elements, choose the panel ‘Elements in Urine II’.”