The Iodine Debate is On

The World Health Organization said that taking iodine tablets could be an important action to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer from radiation. Currently an iodine rush has been reported across the nation as fears that radiation from a nuclear power plant damaged by Japan's 9.0-magnitude earthquake could reach the West Coast.

Phones have been ringing at pharmacies, health food and supplement stores, and all major suppliers of pills that provide protection from radiation. Many say they’re out of stock due to panic buying, even though experts say that the Japanese nuclear catastrophe poses no health threat to West Coast residents. These stores report that products of anything containing iodine or potassium iodide, whether in kelp, supplements or tablet form was gone.

Across the country, Troy Jones, president of nukepills.com in Mooresville, N.C., said he has sold 6,500 orders of iodine pills in the last four days. In a normal four-day period, he said he’d sell only 100. He said most of the orders came from customers in Washington, Oregon and California who want to protect themselves from Japanese radiation.

“To them, it’s cheap insurance, it’s FDA approved, it’s proven science,” he said. “We know how it works, we know why it works, we know it does work...” But he said he knew his product wasn’t needed by his West Coast customers for the Japanese explosions.

“I think it’s unnecessary,” he said. “It’s necessary for people to stockpile potassium iodine on a normal everyday basis have it in your emergency kit, but I do not believe it will be needed on the West Coast for the events that are happening in Japan.”

Since radiation from Japan's damaged nuclear plants is not expected to reach the United States, health officials say potassium iodine is not necessary. They urged residents not to take iodine tablets and warned of potentially harmful side effects, including skin rashes, swollen salivary glands, a metallic taste in the mouth, a sense of burning in the mouth and throat, soreness in the teeth and gums, stomach discomfort and diarrhea.

Most experts in atmospheric science say very little radiation could end up in the U.S.

For more info visit the EPA site here.