The principle of nutrient supplementation to compete with uptake of radioactive isotopes is usually not considered as an indication for nutrient supplementation, and it maybe an important consideration for all of us. Strontium-90 has accumulated in the food chain from weapon testing and is concentrated in animal and fish bones. The slow accumulation of this isotope, with a half-life of 20 years, can be expected to increase the mutation rate in bone and bone marrow, increasing the incidence of bone cancer and leukemia. Calcium supplements may compete with strontium-90 and reduce its storage. Radioactive carbon, with a half life of 5700 years, is distributed throughout the living world, and offers no opportunity for competitive defense.
Antioxidants offer meager protection against radioactive damage.
The principle mechanism of cellular damage is ionization, the production of charged free radicals which behave abnormally in molecular transactions. The effects of ionization are most pronounced when the delicate mechanisms of DNA replication and repair are damaged. The result is cellular dysfunction and mutation of the genetic program. The dose of iodine should be calculated to body size and need, since overdose is toxic. Pregnant women may require a carefully calculated increase in iodine.