Potassium Iodide, Placebo?

The way people talk about Potassium Iodide
as if it will help stop All radiation.
but it can only help with radioactive iodide.
and then only if you take it Before exposure.

Potassium iodide ( KI) works only to prevent the thyroid from uptaking radioactive iodine. It is not a general radioprotective agent.

FDA Link

The compound KI is routinely added to table salt, sodium chloride (NaCl), to iodize the salt. Iodine is an element that is taken from the bloodstream by the thyroid gland and is necessary for its proper functioning. The thyroid gland does not discriminate between radioactive and nonradioactive iodine. KI has been erroneously represented as a "magic bullet" of radiation protection. KI, if taken properly, only protects against internal radiation from radioiodine taken into the body. It will NOT protect against external radiation or internal radiation from radionuclides other than radioiodine. This salt, if taken either before or very soon after a radioiodine intake and if taken in the proper dose, will block the uptake of radioiodine by the thyroid. KI can be in the form of a pill or a supersaturated solution. The recommended daily dosage for an adult is 130 milligrams. If the thyroid absorbs all the iodine that it needs from the nonradioactive KI, then the radioactive iodine will not be absorbed and will be eliminated from the body mostly by way of the urine. Reducing the amount of radioiodine absorbed in the thyroid will reduce the dose received by the thyroid, thereby reducing the risks of thyroid cancer. Even though there have been minimal side effects (e.g., gastrointestinal effects or rashes) from the use of KI, this substance should only be taken on the advice of health care providers. Again, KI will only help reduce the effects of radioiodine taken into the body and not from other radionuclides. The only possible sources of large radioiodine releases are from a nuclear weapons denotation and a catastrophic accident in an operating nuclear reactor. Therefore, KI has no protective value from a "dirty bomb" or a dispersion of spent nuclear fuel.

link

reply to post by buddha

Your statement is correct. As for the question in the title?
It's far from a Placebo... As your quoted text states:

The only possible sources of large radioiodine releases are from a nuclear weapons denotation and a catastrophic accident in an operating nuclear reactor. Therefore, KI has no protective value from a "dirty bomb" or a dispersion of spent nuclear fuel.

So, it would help in the event of a Nuclear Attack or Catastrophic Nuclear accident - But not a dispersion of spent Nuclear fuel as in from what I gather, what we can expect from Fukushima. As the text also stated, definitely not a 'magic bullet'. People are being misled as to it's total effectiveness as it pertains to this current perceived threat.

That being said, I'm still a firm believer in the benefits of Iodine. I'd rather have my thyroid full of Iodide, than another Halide such as Flouride.
I stumbled into a thread discussing the dangers of Fuku which actually got kind of ugly for awhile. In doing so though, I did learn a few things from reading the postings of one very (IMO) knowledgeable individual.
Give this a look-see...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Placebo yes!
people believe in this cure all.
but it only helps with one small part.

The news and government
are letting people fool them self's.

I use potassium iodine my self!

It's no placebo but, as you stated, the protection is limited. The Soviet Union, however, had a small degree of success in developing chemical injections to protect astronauts from radiation while in space. I believe they only tested it on dogs, because it succeeded in protecting them from radiation but the chemicals themselves left the animals in a weakened, almost helpless state.

This has nothing to do with the placebo effect lol. I do agree a lot of people are misinformed and think Potassium Iodide will protect them from all types of radiation.