Anti-radiation Pills

Anti-radiation pills, or Potassium iodide (KI), tablets are known to provide some protection in cases of radiation exposure.
They contain non-radioactive iodine and can help block absorption, and subsequent concentration, of radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland.

Background

After a radiation leak, radioactive iodine floats through the air and then contaminates food, water and soil.
External Exposure
- While radioactive iodine is deposited during external exposure, it can be removed using warm water and soap.
- The bigger risk is inhaling it.
Internal Exposure
- Internal exposure, or irradiation, occurs when radioactive iodine enters the body and accumulates in the thyroid gland.
- The thyroid gland uses iodine to produce hormones to regulate the body’s metabolism.
- The thyroid gland has no way of telling radioactive from non-radioactive iodine.
Potassium iodide (KI) tablets rely on this to achieve ‘thyroid blocking’.

KI pills are taken a few hours before or soon after radiation exposure to ensure that non-radioactive iodine in the medicine is absorbed quickly to make the thyroid “full”.
Because KI contains so much non-radioactive iodine, the thyroid becomes full and cannot absorb any more iodine – either stable or radioactive – for the next 24 hours.
But, KI pills are preventive only and cannot reverse any damage done by radiation to the thyroid gland.
Once the thyroid gland absorbs radioactive iodine, those exposed are at a high risk of developing thyroid cancer.

Anti-radiation pills do not provide 100% protection.
The effectiveness of KI also depends on how much radioactive iodine gets into the body and how quickly it is absorbed into the body
Also, the pills are not meant for everybody. They are recommended for people under 40 years of age.
While it can protect the thyroid against radioactive iodine, it cannot protect other organs against radiation contamination.

With fears of a nuclear disaster at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia power plant growing, the European Union has decided to pre-emptively supply 5.5 million anti-radiation pills distributed among residents in the vicinity.