Iodine Mineral Water and its Therapeutic Use in Health Resorts: Iodine Consumption from Natural Mineral Waters and its Effect on the Body

Complex low-mineralized electrolyte solutions are preferentially used for treatment with native mineral waters. Occasionally higher mineralized spring waters, some of which have considerable iodine content, are used therapeutically. For daily use, low-mineralized mineral waters with low iodine content are utilized without requiring medical supervision. For the application of high iodine doses a justified clinical indication, exact dosage and medical controls are required. Iodine-containing mineral waters are found all over the world. From the geological point-of-view they are of marine origin; therefore, these waters contain many other electrolytes, above all sodium chloride or hydrogen carbonate. After drinking treatment with medicinal iodinated waters, much higher iodine amounts are resorbed. Currently many health resorts offer iodine-containing brine drinking therapies, using iodine waters, for the treatment and prevention of goiters. For goiter prophylaxis, the low-mineralized waters sold commercially can also be used for permanent intake. A low or even a moderate single dose of iodide causes no or only a minor, reduction of hormone production in a normal thyroid. An excessive single dose of iodide leads, via inhibition of the thyroid peroxidase (TPO) mediated iodination (the Wolff–Chaikoff effect), to a transient decrease of intrathyroidal hormone concentration.