Depression
When a person suffers from iodine deficiency, it can be challenging to feel like themselves, including handling depression. Depression is a common symptom of iodine deficiency and can be caused by several things. However, if their depression has been ongoing for more than two weeks and is not improving with medication or therapy, a doctor can recommend testing for low levels of this essential mineral in the system.
Low levels may cause depression in the brain of serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that help regulate mood and behavior. But there are other causes like chronic stress or anxiety, lack of sleep, nutritional deficiencies like zinc or magnesium, or thyroid issues. Also, depression is linked to hormonal imbalances due to menopause (in women) or prostate cancer (in men) and imbalances in hormone levels.
