[Role of the iodine microelement in nutrition and prophylaxis of various diseases]

The article describes various iodine deficiency-related disorders. Iodine deficiency is the chief cause of goiter, mental retardation and other disorders. It is an acute problem the whole mankind face, Ukraine included. In this country, the following territories are biogeochemical provinces: Zhitomir, Lvov, Ternopol, Volyn regions and other regions of Ukraine, and some regions of the Crimea as well. It is necessary that food rations be supplemented with different iodine preparations with the view of preventing iodine deficiency. Concentrates of food fibre recovered from cell walls of various plant raw stuff and containing complexes of structural carbohydrates and lignin can be used in combination with iodine compositions in dealing with the above problem.