Should People Take Potassium Iodide Pills to Protect Against Radiation Exposure?

Radioactive leak in Japan has led to panic buying of iodine pills in neighboring countries such as Korea and the United States (Hawaii) which are believed to be able to prevent radiation exposure. Almost every time there is a threat of a radiation leak on the news, potassium iodide(PI) is usually mentioned as a treatment for exposure. But partly because of the lack of detailed explanations as to exactly what it does, many people may not understand its limits. Does PI really can protect people from radiation exposure?

If it happens leakage of nuclear radiation, radioactive iodine is released into the air and contaminate the local food supply. When these materials enter the body through breathing, eating or drinking, then this will lead to the condition called internal contamination.

When internal contamination occurs, the thyroid gland willquickly absorb the chemical. Radioactive iodine absorbed by the thyroid can damage the gland and can cause cancers of the thyroid cancer. Because nonradioactive KI acts to block radioactive iodine from being absorbed into the thyroid gland, it can help protect it against damage.