The devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan has led to fears of nuclear destruction and an increasing talk about iodine. It is important to understand that not all forms of iodine are the same, and different types of iodine will concentrate in different tissues and glands within the body.
In the event of a nuclear meltdown where radioactive iodine is released, potassium iodide is what is needed to protect the thyroid from the damaging effects of radioactive iodine. Potassium iodide has a strong affinity to the thyroid gland and will saturate the tissue preventing the absorption of the radioactive iodine. There are potassium iodide products that are made specifically for such a situation, which is why it is recommended to rely on such products and not to substitute with what could be far inferior products. One must use caution because the potassium iodide used for protection against radioactive iodine comes in an adult dosage of 130 mg (milligrams) tablets. Someone can mistakenly purchase a potassium iodide product off of a vitamin store shelf containing less than 200 mcg (micrograms), far less than what would be needed. Read more
Iodine has been in the news lately because of the radiation leaking from the earthquake-damaged nuclear reactors in Japan. Robert B. Kress, The Renegade Pharmacist, discusses what you need to know about iodine.
