Breast milk iodide: reassessment in the 1980s.

In addition to iodized salt, the American diet is inadvertently supplemented with iodine from other foods, such as bread and cow's milk. The iodine content of breast milk has not been assessed recently in this country. Sixty-one samples of breast milk from 37 women were analyzed for iodide content using an iodide-selective electrode method. Mean breast milk iodide level on initial samples for this population was 178 micrograms/L (range 29 to 490 micrograms/L), about four times the recommended daily allowance for infants. Iodide levels in breast milk did not correlate with the age of the infant (ie, stage of lactation). There was a significant correlation between the iodide level in the breast milk and dietary iodine as estimated by a food frequency questionnaire, and iodized salt intake was significantly related to the iodide content of the breast milk.