Why Write About Nuclear Radiation?

by Karlis Ullis, MD
Sports Medicine & Anti-Aging Medical Group

May 5, 2011

(brought to you by Bellevue Pharmacy, a ProjectAWARE sponsor)

It is a big departure from the mainstream of my clinical work which includes sports and rehab medicine, sex hormone balancing, preventive medicine and anti-aging.

It is known that we are constantly exposed to pollutants, drugs and other xenobiotics (agents foreign to the body). These agents contribute to endocrine disruption - effects on male and female hormones , thyroid and other hormones , lead to many diseases like auto-immune disorders, weakened immune systems, cancers, diabetes , obesity , syndrome X , can produce changes in our genetic structure, accelerate aging and produce other changes.

It took the Fukushima catastrophe to awaken me to concept of the aging effects of just plain "back ground radiation" (cosmic rays, radon, microwaves, etc. ) plus the amounts of "ionizing radiation" patients get exposed via medical X-ray imaging like ( CT /CAT scans etc) , going trough X-ray screening at airports etc .
I decided to study accelerated aging by looking for ionizing radiation exposure and antidotes perhaps as a way find ways to slow aging and also provide protection from ionizing radiation to protect in case of nuclear exposures.

During my studies I found there are many things we can do to protect ourselves from the ill effects of ionizing radiation are actually good to use on a regular daily basis make our bodies function better, keep the immune system intact and slow aging.

WHAT IS "IONIZING - RADIATION" AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Ionizing radiation are particles or electromagnetic waves strong enough to detach-remove electrons from atoms in cells thereby the atoms of those tissues become "ionized" or reactive. This in turn produces "free radicals", which are atoms or molecules, which have unpaired electrons and are highly chemically reactive, damaging and intrusive to biologic systems. If a particle or wave does not carry "enough energy" like low energy radio waves, visible light, infrared , microwave and others, it will not produce ionization. Microwaves can heat food and burn food but not produce free radicals and ions in the food. However, low intensity radiation will cause ionization if the individual particles have enough energy i.e. even low power X-rays. Free radical production is the basis of cell damage and aging of biological systems.

WHAT ARE FREE RADICALS (F-R)?

Strict definition of free radicals is atoms, molecules, or ions with "unpaired electrons" in their structure - which is an open shell in configuration. The unpaired electrons in the shell make F-R highly "chemically reactive". Not all F-R's are bad. We need them to kill bacteria and they are involved in cell signaling.
Excessive F-R's are those that can lead to cell injury because they participate in unwanted chemical reactions. Free radicals can damage DNA and even break apart the DNA molecule strands producing abnormal cells, which can become cancerous.

THE JAPANESE CATASTROPHE AND PROBLEMS IN THE USA

The Japanese Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant(s) catastrophe of 03-11-2011 is not the only nuclear problem to worry about.

The USA has 104 operating nuclear plants on 65 different sites in 31 states. There are 15 permanently shut down nuclear reactors that contain "spent, but still active" nuclear fuel. Many are of the active nuclear plants are of same vintage as those in Japan built in early 1970's by General Electric Corp. The U.S. nuclear industry says the "spent" nuclear fuel is "still hot radioactive fuel and is accumulating in more that 30 states. U.S. has more nuclear fuel waste than it can handle. Three quarters of the waste sit in water-filled "cooling tanks " like those in Japan's nuclear complexes. This fuel is contained by somewhat "flimsy" thick concrete and steals barriers to prevent nuclear release. It was the over heated "spent" nuclear fuel that "spewed" into the air in Japan.

Nuclear reactors in Colorado, Oregon and Maine are permanently shut. Idaho never had a reactor, but has stored nuclear waste since 1979. In the USA we have so much toxic nuclear waste that we have literally no place left to keep it. In addition all these nuclear waste products contain ionizing radiation and can be accessed by terrorist groups or others. [Associated press by J. Fathy and Ray Henry, March 22, 2011]

Looking forward we do not need a catastrophe like that in Japan to make our lives any more nuclear. Adding to our lives daily are the many other sources of radiation such as medical imaging with CT scanning, X-rays, coronary angiograms, Nuclear Perfusion Heart Tests and other ionizing irradiation diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. One CT scan of the abdomen or pelvis is equal to 500 chest X-rays. The risk of one CT scan in an adult of a fatal cancer is 1 in 2,000 compared to a chest film at 1 in 1 million [www.radiologyimaging.org].

All computerized tomography (CT) and other ionizing radiation imaging should be medically well justified before performed. The World Health Association, Center for Disease Control, National Institute of Health and other US government bodies have classified X-rays as carcinogens. With exception of mammograms, X-ray scanning devices remain highly unregulated. The FDA regulates the manufacture of X-ray based equipment, but does not inspect or regulate X-ray and other ionizing-radiation imaging facilities. The variance of X-ray doses delivered by different machines for one diagnostic procedures can vary by a factor of about 10 in many cities.

Los Angeles is a good example of excess radiation exposure at the Cedars Sinai Radiology Department. Beginning in February 2008, each time a patient at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center received a CT brain perfusion scan -- a state-of-the-art procedure used to diagnose strokes -- the dose was eight times higher than normal. No standard medical imaging procedure would use so much radiation, which is on par with the levels used to blast tumors. About 40% of the patients lost patches of hair as a result of the overdoses. Some years later we will likely see cancers developing. The states are supposed to regulate X-ray machines and other nuclear machines and not the F.D.A. [LA Times, October 12, 2009 by Alan Zarembo].

The X-ray machines in chiropractic, doctor offices are "highly suspect" of overdosing patients with X-rays. I tell my patients to only go to those facilities for most medically necessary CT's, PET's etc that are up to date and are state inspected.

IS ANY LEVEL OF RADIATION SAFE?

As of March 30, 2011 fifteen USA states detected radioactive particles "unique to Fukushima disaster" and are not just background radiation from other sources (cosmic rays, radon, radio waves etc). The answer is "NO" if you understand the Petkau effect. No level of ionizing radiation is safe no matter how low the level may be.

WHAT IS THE PETKAU EFFECT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

It applies to chronic low levels of ionizing radiation exposure.

Dr. Petkau found this effect at the Atomic Energy Center of Canada in 1972. In essence in means that there is no safe levels of radiation that can cause "ionizing" effects on tissues. An "ionizing effect " means to use powerful energized particle(s) or waves that can strip atoms and produce negative oxygen ions causing free radicals and cell damage. The Petkau Effect-Concept is counter to the concept of linear-effect assumptions usually made about radiation exposure. Fast highly energetic negative ions (radioactive matter) were actually more damaging in lower concentrations than in higher ones.

Petkau found: If 3,500 rads of "ionizing" radiation were delivered in 2 1/4 hours (26 rads/min.) it would rupture a cell membrane. However if the cell membrane was exposed to weaker radiation over longer time it would also rupture the cell membrane. If 0.7 rads were delivered over 11.5 hours (1 milliard of radiation/min) would also destroy the cell membrane. The released ions produced from low-level radiation over a long time were more damaging in the long term than those from the higher and faster doses. Higher doses of radiation and the free radicals produced often cancel each other out. The extremely low level of radiation remains "unblocked" and produces steady streams of free radicals to "cut apart" the cell membrane and act upon the cell's DNA Therefore low dose accumulation of radiation over a longer time was actually more dangerous. [From Wikipedia]

WHAT IS AN ANTIDOTE?

Clinically speaking it is a substance, which can counter a set form of a poison. The word antidote comes from the Greek word " Antididodonia". Some agents have antidotes, some do not. The word nuclear antidote is meant to mean to neutralize the effect of the radioactive substance in the body by using a variety of agents to neutralize their effect in the body and promote excretion via feces, urine, sweat etc.

SOME NATURAL RADIATION ANTIDOTES

At the time of the World War II nuclear atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, a doctor named Tatsuicho Akizuki, M.D. in a hospital in Nagasaki fed his staff and patients a very strict diet (similar to a Macrobiotic diet) of:

1. Brown rice
2. Tamari soy soup
3. Wakame seaweed
4. Kombu and other seaweed/sea-vegetables.

He prohibited sugar, sweets, and refined carbs since they feed tumors and can suppress the immune system. His staff and hospital patients did not develop radiation poisoning. However hospitals further away from the nuclear bomb blast got severe radiation sickness and fatalities. The reason for this is that sea-vegetables can bind radioactive particles. Seaweed (an algae) is often used to treat radioactive exposed people.

In the Chernobyl disaster of 1986 spirulina was given to children At 5 grams a day for 45 days. The Institute of Radiation Medicine in Minsk proved the spirulina protocol enhanced the immune system. In Israel scientists treated Chernobyl children with natural beta carotene from algae (Dunaliella salina), which contains carotenoids and other elements, can be an immune builder, heavy metal detoxifier and be radioprotective. They concluded that seaweed-vegetables and phytoplankton should be consumed right after exposure or before can counter the radioactive contamination. Canadian researchers found in 1968 that sodium alginate, which is found in many seaweeds made of a polysaccharides especially kelp can selectively bind strontium and get excreted. [Yahoo group discussion, March 12, 2011 by Richard Huheman]The Russians and others have isolated another polysaccharide U-Fucoidan (from brown seaweed), also binds to radioactive agents and is available as a capsule (Life Extension Foundation - www.LEF.org).

WHAT ARE THE FIRST LINE ANTIDOTES FOR IONIZING - RADIATION EXPOSURE?

You can follow the advice of Dr. Akizuki and use a basic Macrobiotic Diet approach plus add some newer supplements, which we did not have in 1945. We use those agents, which enhance and guard our immune system function of the body especially the T-cells and increase the body's potent endogenous antioxidant called glutathione (GSH) and other endogenous antioxidants levels.

Start with the below agents as first line antidotes before or after exposure:

Remember that elimination - bowel movements, urination, good hydration, sweating and good hydration etc. are most important. Once the radioactive materials are hopefully neutralized in the body, they need to be removed from the body. Keep all of your excrements away from other people - dig holes etc to place urine, feces, contaminated clothes inside a strong plastic bag and seal the hole.

Remember half-life of Iodine-131 has a "half life" of eight days (50 % gone in 8 days). Whereas radioactive strontium - 90 and cesium -137 half-lives are very long from 29,000 to 30,000 years. Plutonium is the worst.

If you are immune compromised from HIV, have had excessive prior excessive X-Ray irradiation from CT scans and other radioactive scans. A total of 50-100mSv of X-ray exposure is about the max you should ever get over a life time.

X-rays

[Chest single film = 0.02 mSV ; CT of head = 2.3 mSv; CT of chest = 8 mSv; CT abdomen/ pelvis =10 mSv]

Radionuclide Studies

Bone Technitium Scan = 4mSv; Dynamic Cardiac Perfusion Scan = 6mSv, PET head (F-18 FDG) = 5 mSv.

I strongly advise you do blood and urine levels for oxidative stress and radiation damage products and the degree of defenses that you have. Especially for those who have had a lot of CT and other X-ray scans.

[Genova labs at www.GDX.net ; Blood Oxidative Stress Test 2.0] includes:

Cell Protection Factors

1. Glutathione (GSH)
2. Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC)
3. Cysteine (Cys-SH)
4. Sulfate
5. Cysteine/Sulfate Ratio
6. Cystine (Cys-S-Cys)
7. Cysteine/Cystine Ratio

Protective Enzymes

1. Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX)
2. Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)

Cell Membrane and DNA Damage Products

[Genova 2.0 urine test]
1. Lipid Peroxides - Cell membrane Damage
2. 8-OHdG - DNA Damage

Most of the above can also be done with the Genova NutrEval Test or individually with Oxidative Stress 2.0 Tests

Even if you are not immune compromised it is good information to have. It is important to keep your GSH levels up, maintain low cell membrane peroxidation (oxidative-breakdown), and have adequate antioxidants and other essential nutrients on board for prevention.

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

It may be a good idea to use some of the agents discussed in this Part I Newsletter and in the upcoming Part II as part of daily supplement program for general wellness, health and protection-prevention.

Should a sudden catastrophe occur you would already have protective agents "on board" and more on available by stocking up on the antidotes/therapies at home , in office and home. Treating radiation poisoning may take up to three or more months.

More on these specifics in Part II.

APPENDIX I
RADIATION UNITS

Amount of damage done to living tissues by ionization-radiation are related to amount of energy deposited in the tissue. This is called the "absorbed dose". The "gray" (Gy) is a unit of absorbed radiation equal to 1 joule of energy deposited in 1 Kg of any matter. The Rad (radioactivity absorbed dose) is the traditional unit with 100 Rad = 1Gy equal dose of different energies of radiation cause different amounts of damage.

The average (natural) background radiation a person receives per year is about 2.4 mSv/yr = 300 millrems. For reference, 1 Severt/Sv = 100 rem; 1 Gray/Gy = 100 Rad; and 1 Curie = 37 GigaBecquerels]
[Source: Wikipedia ]

More details in PART II with specific products and doses and other radiation antidotes and FDA approved drugs. Email me at karlis.ullis@gmail.com to learn more about finding Part II.

NOTE: Part II is available in the author's newsletter.

DISCLAIMER

Please note the information provided in this newsletter has not been approved by FDA and is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, which maybe recommended.

If you have any questions on the above so far or wish to see if you may have excess free radicals, lipid and lipid membrane oxidation and DNA damage and low cell defense protection factors please email me at: karlis.ullis@gmail.com There are solutions to these problems.

For questions and further information, contact Bellevue Pharmacy Solutions.