On August 24, 2023, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, in spite of strong opposition from countries all over the world, insisted on launching the discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea, and plans to continue to discharge it for 30 years. People will inevitably be exposed to the hazards of nuclear radiation in the future.
What is nuclear radiation?
Nuclear radiation refers to the different energy particles and electromagnetic radiation released during the nuclear reaction of atoms, such as fission and decay, which can cause ionization and excitation when they act on substances, resulting in biological effects, so they belong to ionizing radiation.
There are four main types of radiation, alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, and neutrons. The alpha particle is the helium nucleus, which is composed of two positively charged protons and two neutral neutrons. Beta particles are high-energy positrons or negative electrons. Gamma rays are electromagnetic waves with relatively high energy and have strong penetrating properties.
How serious are the consequences of eating nuclear-contaminated food?
Nuclear contaminated food refers to food contaminated by nuclear radiation. The effects of nuclear radiation on human health depend on several factors, including radiation dose, duration, individual sensitivity, and the type and amount of food ingested.
Accordingly, no specific general statements can be made about the consequences in each case. However, the possible negative effects of nuclear radiation on human health include the following aspects:
- Acute radiation sickness: Under extremely high doses of radiation exposure, acute radiation sickness may occur, manifested as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, weakness, loss of appetite and other symptoms. Severe acute radiation sickness may result in damage to internal organs, bone marrow suppression, and compromise of the immune system.
- Long-term health risks: Long-term intake of nuclear-contaminated food may increase the risk of certain cancers, genetic abnormalities, and other chronic diseases. These risks accumulate over time with long-term radiation exposure.
- Reproductive and developmental effects: Nuclear radiation may have adverse effects on the reproductive system and the developing fetus. Pregnant women exposed to nuclear radiation may face risks such as miscarriage, fetal malformation, developmental delay and intellectual disability.
It should be emphasized that the consequences of nuclear contamination of food depend largely on the size of the radiation dose. Most countries have strict food safety standards and monitoring measures designed to ensure that radiation levels in food are within safe limits. If you are worried about the impact of nuclear-contaminated food, please consult relevant health experts or local health monitoring agencies in time to obtain accurate information and suggestions.
Unavoidable radiation, what should I do?
First of all, iodized salt cannot prevent nuclear radiation!
Recently, rumors that “eating iodized salt can protect against radiation” have appeared on the Internet. The CDC issued a reminder that eating iodized salt cannot prevent nuclear radiation. Excessive salt intake will increase the load on the heart and kidneys, causing diseases such as high blood pressure. Excessive iodine intake will also disrupt the normal function of the thyroid gland.
The mechanism of iodine to prevent radiation is to increase the saturation of iodine in the human thyroid by taking “stable iodine”. In order to avoid the harm of radioactive iodine to the thyroid gland.
Before the exposure accident, taking stable iodine can prevent the deposition of radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland, but it cannot prevent external exposure, nor is it a “radiation antidote”, and it cannot prevent the damage to the human body caused by radioactive substances other than radioactive iodine.
Clinical studies have shown that glutathione can effectively improve the radiation protection ability of cells, treat leukopenia and bone marrow tissue inflammation caused by radiopharmaceuticals or radiation, and is an essential substance for the human body to resist radiation.
Does this mean that glutathione may become a powerful shield against radiation for ordinary people?
What is glutathione?
Glutathione is a tripeptide containing γ-amide bonds and sulfhydryl groups. It is composed of glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine. It exists in almost every cell of the body and widely exists in various organs of the body.
It plays a direct or indirect role in many important biological phenomena, such as protein DNA synthesis, liver synthesis, detoxification, inactivation of hormones, etc., and can promote bile acid metabolism, which is conducive to the absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins in the digestive tract.
The role of glutathione:
1 against cancer
Glutathione is known as “a tripeptide compound that repairs human cells” and is a key substance in the body’s self-healing ability. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are beneficial to cancer, but they can also harm the human body and kill normal human cells.
2 radiation resistance
Glutathione can effectively improve the radiation resistance of cells, treat leukopenia and bone marrow tissue inflammation caused by radiopharmaceuticals or radiation, and is an essential substance for the human body to resist radiation. Under normal circumstances, GSH in mammalian cells mainly exists in the reduced state, the concentration is usually 0.5-10mmol, accounting for more than 85%-90% of the total glutathione content, and it can inhibit the cells spontaneously produced or caused by external toxic factors. The active intermediates are cleared and detoxified, and have the effect of protecting cells.
When the body is irradiated, it can produce reactive oxygen species and free radicals with oxidative effects. The GSH antioxidant system in cells can effectively remove the reactive oxygen species and free radicals caused by radiation and reduce the damage of radiation to cells.
3 Inhibit cell gene mutation
Glutathione has the effect of inhibiting cell gene mutation, increasing the concentration of glutathione in cells will initiate a negative feedback mechanism, significantly reducing the content of glutathione in tumor cells, thereby reducing the activity of tumor cells and effectively slowing down the tumor cells. The value-added speed, combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the effect of cancer treatment is more significant.
4 Boost the immune system
A balanced immune system is the healthiest state of the human body. Many diseases are caused by viruses breaking through the body’s immune defenses. It has been clinically verified by experts that the healthy proliferation and normal activities of immune cells depend on the amount of glutathione. Glutathione is the main “food” of immune cells. It can supplement and maintain high concentrations of glutathione in normal cells, activate the activity of immune cells, accelerate the differentiation and proliferation of T cells and B cells, and enhance the resistance against foreign pathogens. The ability to invade disease substances such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
5 eliminate free radicals
Glutathione is an endogenous antioxidant in the human body, known as the “King of Antioxidants”. A large number of free radicals produced in the human body every day are mainly “eliminated” by the glutathione synthesized by the human body itself. The reason why glutathione (GSH) can eliminate free radicals is because the molecular structure contains a lively sulfhydryl group “-SH”, which is easily oxidized and deoxygenated, so this specific structure enables it to eliminate the damage caused by excessive free radicals.
Where to Get Glutathione?
Glutathione can not only be used in medicine, but also can be used as the base material of functional food, which is widely used in functional food such as delaying aging, enhancing immunity and anti-tumor.
It can also be used in skin care cosmetics, because it is a very good antioxidant substance, which can also bring about the effect of freckle removal, especially because it has a strong antioxidant capacity, so it can further delay and resist waterlogging, It can also inhibit the synthesis of tyrosinase, which can inhibit the formation of melanin in the skin, so it can bring whitening effect.
