The Role of Iodine in Health and Radiation Protection, Esquemas y mapas conceptuales de Idioma Inglés

¡Descarga The Role of Iodine in Health and Radiation Protection y más Esquemas y mapas conceptuales en PDF de Idioma Inglés solo en Docsity! The use of iodine against radioactivity What is iodine and where do we find it? Iodine is a trace element that our body needs to consume in small amounts to carry out vital functions normally. Its most prominent role is the regulation in the synthesis of thyroid hormones in the thyroid gland. A hormonal imbalance of this gland can lead to certain health problems such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, where insufficient or excessive amounts of thyroid hormones are synthesized. As a result of a malfunction of the gland, it is possible to develop diseases such as goiter with excessive enlargement of the thyroid gland, which manifests itself with swelling in the neck area. The most common reason for this condition is an insufficient supply of iodine through the diet. To avoid this problem, it is usual to encourage the consumption of iodized salt in those regions whose soils are poor in iodine. Luckily, in addition to iodized salt, we have a multitude of foods that help us reach the recommended daily intake of iodine. Seafood, fish and shellfish are usually the main sources of this micronutrient in the diet. In a healthy adult population we should take between 110 and 150 µg (micrograms) depending on gender and age range. Pregnant women usually have somewhat higher iodine requirements, which is why they are recommended to take iodine supplements. The current situation in Europe with iodine Iodine pills have entered the fear-free race ever since Russia attacked the Chernobyl power plant and Putin put his nuclear deterrence forces on high alert. The fear of a nuclear catastrophe gripped many citizens, increasing the purchase of products with iodine to levels never seen before. From Poland to Bulgaria, the population is stocking up on potassium iodide pills, in a week what was sold in a year and the spread to all of Europe came when the Norwegian authorities decided to distribute them in schools. Online purchases have increased by 1,600% and Internet queries with the word iodine by 89,000%. Finland has recently asked its population under 40 to purchase potassium iodide tablets as a preventive measure in case of nuclear radiation risk. The link between radiation and iodine; does it really protect us? Apart from the nutritional, there is an important aspect of iodine that deserves special attention. It has to do with radiation, since there is an isotope of iodine that is radioactive in nature: iodine I-131. This variant of iodine is one of the main products of the nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium, as well as other chemical elements used as nuclear fuel. Used in the previously named Russian problem. In simpler terms, this translates to iodine-131 being dangerous to health in the context of a nuclear accident. It is also true that, used in adequate doses, it has therapeutic properties in certain types of cancer, which especially influence the thyroid.