A Perpective on Ionizing Radiation Exposure After the Japanese Wake-up Call – Part IV The Health Impact of Radioactive Iodine (I131) From Reactor Explosions and Subsequent Supplementation With Potassium Iodide

Since part III of this series was devoted to the issue of non-ionizing radiation, largely derived from wireless devices such as cell phones, and its impact on health, I have not explored published information on the March 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant since June. Interestingly, I feel that it was a good idea to wait this long to write an update since time is one of the best antidotes for the type of fear and panic that was so prevalent in this country right after the power plant disaster in March. As you may recall, many were predicting a massive and immediate influx of radioactive iodine (I131) into this country, leading to an epidemic of thyroid cancer and other thyroid-related diseases. These predictions then led to a literal stampede to every vender of potassium iodide in the country, including Moss Nutrition, by masses of worried people who seemed to be convinced that immediate ingestion of sometimes substantial amounts of potassium iodide would protect them not only from I131-related thyroid dysfunction but from the adverse effects of every other radioactive isotope that was released into the environment by the disaster.