Iodine Pills

Why iodine pills are not a silver bullet to protect against nuclear radiation. Sweden, Finland and Norway have advised citizens to keep iodine tablets at home in preparation for the worst-case scenario. Iodine tablets are also among emergency supplies that citizens are advised to have at home in preparation for a crisis. Last month Finland recommended that households buy a single dose in case of a nuclear emergency amid fears that the war in Ukraine could spiral, pharmacies began to run low on the pills. In the event of a nuclear catastrophe, taking iodine can help to protect against some types of radiation exposure. During a such an event, radioactive iodine can be released into the environment. If absorbed into the body – whether through inhalation or through consuming contaminated food or water – radioactive iodine can accumulate in the thyroid gland in the neck and can cause thyroid cancer to develop. Children, young people and breastfeeding women are particularly at risk. Taking iodine tablets can help to protect against this through iodine thyroid blocking. Potassium iodide (KI) tablets – a specific type of iodine – must be taken before or at the start of exposure to radioactive iodine. This works by saturating the thyroid with stable (non-radioactive) iodine, preventing the thyroid taking in any radioactive iodine. It should be noted that iodine is not a silver bullet and cannot protect against all kinds of radiation, only the risk of internal exposure to radioactive iodine. Furthermore, in the event of a nuclear explosion, many different kinds of radiation and radioactive material that can harm humans would be released, such as electromagnetic rays and other particles.