Multiple Choice
True of False: if false, choose the answer that best corrects the statement.
Nutrient dense foods like fruits and vegetables tend to be excellent sources of fluoride.
8. Water and Minerals
Trace Minerals: Fluoride and Iodine
Struggling with Nutrition?
Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
A deficiency in which trace mineral most commonly causes a goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland)?
A
Iodine
B
Iron
C
Fluoride
D
Zinc
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that a goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland, which is often caused by a deficiency in a specific trace mineral essential for thyroid hormone production.
Recall that the thyroid gland requires iodine to synthesize thyroid hormones (thyroxine T4 and triiodothyronine T3), which regulate metabolism and growth.
Recognize that when iodine intake is insufficient, the thyroid gland enlarges in an attempt to capture more iodine from the bloodstream, leading to goiter.
Review the roles of other trace minerals listed: iron is important for oxygen transport, fluoride for dental health, and zinc for immune function, but none are primarily linked to goiter formation.
Conclude that iodine deficiency is the most common cause of goiter due to its critical role in thyroid hormone synthesis.
Related Videos
Related Practice
Trace Minerals: Fluoride and Iodine practice set
Problem sets built by lead tutorsExpert video explanations