Iodine in biology damage). In areas where there is little iodine in the diet, typically remote inland areas and semi-arid equatorial climates where no marine foods are eaten, iodine deficiency also gives rise to hypothyroidism, the most serious symptoms of which are epidemic goitre (swelling of the thyroid gland), extreme fatigue, mental slowing, depression, weight gain, and low basal body temperatures. The addition of iodine to table salt (so-called iodized salt) has largely eliminated the most severe consequences of iodine deficiency in wealthier nations, but deficiency remains a serious public health problem in the developing world. Iodine deficiency is also a problem in
Acyl-CoA oxidase deficiency Acyl-CoA oxidase deficiency Acyl-CoA oxidase deficiency (ACOX1 deficiency) is a rare disorder that leads to significant damage and deterioration of nervous system functions (neurodegeneration). It is caused by pathogenic variants in "ACOX1", which codes for the production of an enzyme called peroxisomal straight-chain acyl-CoA oxidase (ACOX1). This specific enzyme is responsible for the breakdown of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs). Defective function of the ACOX1 enzyme prevents proper breakdown of these VLCFAs, leading to accumulation and interference with the nervous system. Acyl-CoA oxidase deficiency affects a person from birth, and most newborns affected with this condition will not survive