Comments

Cretinism is usually caused by an inborn error of metabolism that causes the thyroid to produce insufficient amounts of the hormone thyroxin. Deficiency of iodine can INDIRECTLY cause cretinism, because thyroxin has FOUR iodine atoms in its structure. Iodine deficiency can cause the thyroid to produce insufficient thyroxin by depriving the chemical pathway that produces thyroxin of an essential substrate. Iodine deficiency is more likely to cause goiter than cretinism. Endemic iodine deficiency always occurs in areas where the soil is deficient in iodine. Such areas are always remote from the sea. Sea water contains lots of iodine, which is aerosolized by wind and wave action and settles into the soil in areas near the ocean. This naturally brings up the question--how likely is it that a small island, with sea water on four four sides is a place where endemic iodine deficiency will occur? David L. Kutzler