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Do You Need Potassium Iodide Pills?
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by NowPublic Staff | March 16, 2011 at 09:39 am
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Americans Race to Buy Potassium Iodide Pills
As the crisis at Japan's Fuksushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant continues, Americans are getting nervous about radiation poisoning. They are buying up potassium iodide pills in record amounts, with suppliers running out of stock.
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Japan's Radiation no threat to Canada currently (CBC news) - March 15th 2011
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Do You Need Potassium Iodide Pills?
If you live in the US (or anywhere in the Americas), you do not need potassium Iodide pills. The pills basically stock the thyroid with inert iodine, which prevents the uptake of radioactive iodine isotopes. However, there are no radioactive iodine isotopes reaching the Americas at this time.
No medical experts are currently suggesting that any Americans start taking potassium iodide.
Potassium Iodide tablets are not magic pills. If you were caught in a dangerously irradiated area (which, again, is not the case in the US), potassium iodide would only protect the thyroid, and no other parts of the body. One dose would be effective for up to 24 hours, provided that the patient leaves the irradiated area within that time.
We suggest reading Maggie Koerth-Baker's primer on Potassium Iodide, and why you shouldn't be stockpiling them if you live in the US.
Professor Gerry Thomas, chair in molecular pathology at Imperial College London, said the increase in sales was mostly due to irresponsible reporting. "If they [people in the US] are buying [potassium iodide] to protect themselves from radiation – what radiation?" she said. "This has been so massively overhyped by the media it's unbelievable."
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (1)
at 13:11 on March 16th, 2011
Before you start swallowing any Poatasium Iodide Pill just note these side effects.
Source: skupping.com