Are Iodine and Iodide the Same?

What is iodine? Also called iodide, iodine is a type of mineral that's naturally found in the earth's soil and ocean waters. Many salt water and plant-based foods contain iodine, and this mineral is most-widely available in iodized salt.

Is iodide different from iodine?

It was thought that the intestinal tract could easily convert iodine to iodide, but research has shown this is not true. Different tissues of the body respond to the different forms of iodine. The thyroid gland primarily utilizes iodide. To decrease the incidence of goiter, potassium iodide was added to table salt.

How is iodine converted to iodide?

Iodine from the diet is absorbed throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Dietary iodine is converted into the iodide ion before it is absorbed. The iodide ion is bio-available and absorbed totally from food and water. This is not true for iodine within thyroid hormones ingested for therapeutic purposes.