History of iodine, from past to present

Although only present in trace amounts in the human body, iodine is a natural chemical element essential to the proper functioning of our organism at all stages of life. Discovered in 1811 by a Frenchman, Bertrand Courtois, this trace element is a component of thyroid hormones, which help control major vital functions. In both humans and animals, its deficiency, as well as excessive intake, can have major repercussions - goiter, dysthyroidism, cognitive impairment - or even irreversible effects, particularly during pregnancy and lactation - dwarfism, cretinism and miscarriage. Although references to these 'goitrous monsters' and their first treatments date back to pre-Christian times, it was only several thousand years later, with the birth of modern medicine, that the first universal iodine prevention programs appeared. Although these programs have made a significant contribution to reducing iodine deficiency, which has become a genuine public health problem, over 2 billion people worldwide are still affected by iodine deficiency today. As knowledge of iodine has evolved, its applications in modern medicine have gradually multiplied. Thanks to its remarkable properties, iodine is now used in a wide range of medical and industrial fields, which it is essential to master in order to mitigate the risks associated with its use