IODINE, TOCOTRIENOLS, BARRIES, AND LIPOIC ACID TO PROTECT AGAINST RADIATION EXPOSURE

By Byron J. Richards, CCN
March 15, 2011
NewsWithViews.com

The unfolding events relating to Japan’s damaged nuclear reactors is raising the concern in the U.S. of a worst-case scenario of a meltdown with a consequent cloud of radioactive particles following the jet stream over to the U.S. The prevailing jet stream winds would impact Los Angeles to Alaska, and would include Hawaii. Radioactive pollution would reach the U.S. within 36 hours. It would then travel the typical jet stream across the U.S that you see on your daily weather programs. While we all hope this problem does not happen, and various experts may debate the severity of public health issues involved if it should, it never hurts to have a better understanding of the subject. What would you do if such a cloud was headed your way?

Japanese health authorities are passing out iodine tablets to those in the vicinity of these reactors – as it is common knowledge that the thyroid gland is a weak spot when it comes to radiation exposure. By flooding the body with iodine it is taken up by the thyroid which then blocks radiation uptake into the thyroid, reducing the risk for future thyroid cancer (which is already an epidemic form of cancer in the U.S. in part likely due to excess CT scans).

Such iodine saturation should occur 24 hours prior to exposure and be maintained during the duration of excess exposure. This solution is not without risks, especially when potassium iodide is used. That is because excess iodine can clog thyroid function, inducing either hypo or hyper thyroid. However, that risk is trivial compared to acute radiation exposure – thus iodine makes sense. I like water-soluble iodine that in my experience is much less problematic when higher doses are used. Liquids can be applied directly over the neck region or taken orally, and reapplied as desired based on concerns.

Protecting the thyroid with iodine seems to be about all public health officials are willing to recommend to the public. However, there are other important steps every person should consider. Radiation interaction within your body generates massive amounts of damaging free radicals, in turn potentially inducing DNA damage that may lead to future cancer – often manifesting a decade or two later. This means it is a good idea to maximize your overall antioxidant defenses. Ideally, this system of defense should be bolstered in advance to provide maximal defense. Unfortunately the antioxidant defense systems of a majority of Americans are in shoddy condition.

Many nutrients contain antioxidants and many of these behave in your vital antioxidant network to protect your DNA from damage. In your diet these nutrients come from fruits, vegetables, whey protein, and whole grains. Additionally, almost any nutrient supplement with antioxidant properties, such as vitamin C, will help bolster your antioxidant team. I would suggest to everyone a broad base of antioxidant support as the minimum. Indeed, a cocktail of antioxidants (selenium, vitamin C, N-acetyl cysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, alpha-tocopherol succinate, and co-enzyme Q10) started 24 hours after a lethal level of radiation exposure has been show to be highly protective.

I would like to highlight three specific nutrients that have science showing they can protect your body against radiation damage: tocotrienols, berries, and lipoic acid.

Tocotrienols are a unique form of vitamin E that offers protection that regular vitamin E does not. In a recent animal experiment carried out by the U.S. Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute it was shown that gamma tocotrienol can protect against whole body radiation exposure.

Excessive radiation exposure damages DNA, especially DNA relating to the system in our bone marrow that produces all the red and white blood cells that are vital for survival. Therefore radiation exposure has adverse consequences on circulatory health and immune system competence, disturbing energy balance and increasing the risk for cancer. Of particular importance are the haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that constantly rejuvenate blood and can become any of the white or red blood cells, as well as the haematopoietic progenator cells (HPCs) that transform into specific blood cells. Both HSCs and HPCs are the life force of blood cell rejuvenation and essential to your good health.

In this armed forces experiment mice were exposed to non-lethal amounts of whole body radiation, there was a control group and a group fed gamma tocotrienol. Stem cell colonies (HSCs) were 80% - 86% maintained in the gamma tocotrienol treated mice, while they were 50% reduced in controls. Similarly, progenator cells (HPCs) had recovered completely within 7 days in the gamma tocotrienol treated mice, while they remained at 30% for weeks in the controls. A detailed analysis of the bone marrow showed that gamma tocotrienol maintained the regenerative integrity of bone marrow cells. The authors concluded that gamma tocotrienol “protected hematopoietic tissue by preserving the HSCs and HPCs and by preventing persistent DNA damage.â€