I am introducing this topic as a background thread. I am not even slightly panicked by the "crisis" in Japan, and i am not planning on taking KI pills. Keep in mind that I live in So. California, and the so-called plume from the Japanese reactor is predicted to reach my area on Friday. Nevertheless, I don't indulge in overly emotional reactions. So this thread is simply for background information - in case we have another nuclear problem in the USA in the future.

* My understanding is that there are several isotopes that are a potential problem after a nuclear incident. This includes iodine, but also includes cesium and maybe some others. Therefore, I'm speculating that the potassium iodide pills (KI) could only offer protection against radioactive iodine, and would be useless against other isotopes. Can someone confirm? If true, the mania about KI in the USA is really far fetched.

** Generally, most people get a significant source of their iodine from sea salt, or iodized salt. If that is the case, what is the point of taking KI? Assuming that people are exposed to a long-term low-level radiation problem, I would not think that KI pills might help all that much. If people have some sea salt in their cupboards, wouldn't it be sufficient to have that as a normal source of iodine?

*** As an alternative to the second point above, perhaps KI pills are intended as a temp solution to high levels of radioactive iodine in the environment. But in that case, I would wonder how the human body would intake that radioactive iodine, and would it tend to build p in the thyroid - if people's bodies already have adequate iodine sources in the diet?

Just some things to think about. If anybody has any info to share, or some links with helpful background material, by all means add them.

other Pete
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If I remember correctly from childhood (I was chemistry-geek six year-old when Chernobyl blew up and the radioactive cloud drifted right where we were living at the time, but there were lots of talks about it later on), the idea is to saturate your thyroid gland with non-radioactive iodine, so that it won't absorb the nastier kind. It offers no relief from other types of radiation.

Problem is that your liver and kidneys are working hard to remove excess iodine, so the tablets only give about 1 day protection. (mind you, I think the half life of radioactive iodine is 8 days, so a few weeks course might be enough).

And not to scare-monger, but I remember my teachers saying that radioactive iodine is the most lethal type of radiation (not instantly, but it is highly carcinogenic = thyroid cancer later or).

-jh

Fission products include Iodine 131 which is radioactive and would concentrate in the thyroid thereby irradiating the thyroid over time.

The idea is to flood the body with an excess of non-radioactive iodine so it won't keep any I131 that it comes across.

First thing to review is this "Radiation Emergency Medical Management" page, with a list of different contaminants and appropriate therapies.

http://www.remm.nlm.gov/int_contamination.htm

The discussion for Potassium Iodide is here:

http://www.remm.nlm.gov/potassiumiodide.htm

Which provides a link to this FDA page:

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm072265.htm

And there's always the wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_iodide

More people in the US will be harmed by taking the tablets than are harmed by whatever reaches these shores from Japan's nuclear reactors.

Hmmm,thinking again (dangerous). . . with the lack of KI tablets/pill availability, how could one reliably saturate their system with iodine to avoid uptake of radioactive iodine into the thyroid?

How about taking the brown liquid form of iodine and just painting it on your skin? As I understand the body will absorb iodine until it is saturated and then leave the rest. Keep painting it on until the body stops taking it in. Thoughts? Comments?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodised_salt



It might actually help some folks out, especially those paying $400 per week dose.

Made a quick check on the local news archives (about Chernobyl and iodine), and found a few interesting facts.

There was a radioactive iodine scare in Scandinavia back then, and lots of people took iodine tablets for 14-28 days after the accident.

According to late 80s leading local scientists that in the news reports remain anonymous however, radioactive iodine is pretty short range, primarily causing havoc and long term effects within about 100 km radius (about 60 miles), and it's not something that is easily spread by wind.

(according to the news at the time) Radioactive iodine can be absorbed by some fungi, including several edible kinds, and this somehow slows the final break down of the iodine => mushrooms can be radioactive/contain very high amounts of iodine for several months after unabsorbed fallout has dispersed.

Probably a great blow for Japanese, who (like us Scandinavians) still collect lots of wild mushrooms.

And like Philip mentions, iodine tablets aren't healthy either, and can cause rash, nausea, numb extremities and metallic taste in mouth (at least those were reported at the time, signs for seeing a doctor I suppose).

The 130mg pill is about the highest allowed level for iodine per day, and you can get even amounts up to that from seaweed, and lesser amounts from any seafood and salt with added iodine, so balance your diet if you decide to take the pill.

-jh

Which is exactly why they're telling Americans not to take any KI now.

We'd be better off declining that next CT scan that the doctor wants to do "just to be sure". Actually, Americans already get a lot more radiation compared to other countries because we're going kind of bonkers over high energy diagnostic tools like CT scans over the years. That's primarily why the average Australian gets like 2 mSv of radiation a year while the average for an American is something like 6 mSv. We're already awash in radiation compared to what people are experiencing in Tokyo right now.

The following is by a doctor who is an expert in austere medicine and is well known in the special operations community. I have not worked with him in person but I have corresponded with him on medical issues. Use at your own risk, etc etc etc, yada yada yada. I tweaked a few bits of salty language to conform to ETS's system.

Some of you guys will recognize Dr. Brown as Res-Q-Doc. Since he posted this on a few boards a couple of days ago, it has already started showing up with other people's names attached. Give him the credit if you pass it along.

In my case, I'm prepared with iodine not because of Japan but because I live within 45 miles of an American nuclear power plant. I have a supply of KI tablets that I've supplemented with Polar Pure as explained by Doc Brown below.

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Questions pouring in. I'll post a more detailed answer when I get one typed up this afternoon. Not for CBRN types but regular folks & medics.

Short answers:
1. No Japan isn't putting out enough rads to be a serious concern for us at this time.
2. Yes you should supplement Iodine, although not for the reasons you may think.
3. No you don't need to stockpile the expensive Iodine tablets.
4. Yes there are cheap alternatives and you may wish to consider having some around.

OK here is the draft I knocked out this afternoon between patients. DRAFT, so play nice.

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