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1999 > Thomas D. Luckey 1999 |
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Evidence of a requirement for ionizing radiation completes the dose-response curve for this
ubiquitous agent (Fig. 1). LOW DOSE is any dose between TWO THRESHOLDS: one
at ambient levels, A, and the threshold of harm, ZEP. The radiation deficiency
syndrome includes: DECREASED growth rate, neuromuscular development, mental
acuity, reproduction immune competence and mean lifespan; INCREASED sterility,
infections, neonatal deaths and mortality rates for respiratory diseases, cardiovascular
disease and cancer. A radiation deficiency was obtained by maintaining non-vertebrates in laboratories with <10% of ambient levels of ionizing radiation. The results (Table) consistently show ionizing radiation is essential for non-vertebrates. Comparable mammalian research is needed. Increased reproduction and mean lifespan of rats fed uranium dust was the basis for the first limits on radiation set by the Health Physics Society. Brown found the 12th
generation of rats continuously exposed to 2 cGy/d gamma rays had better reproduction than controls: 117 % more litters, 152% increased litter size, 147% more weaned young and 172% increased total weight of litters. Similar experiments were continued for 12-82 generations. Japanese babies from parents who were exposed to atomic bombs with <20 cGy showed 30% fewer molecular mutations, 33% fewer chromosomal aberrations and fewer phenotypic abnormalities than controls. Clearly, low dose irradiation enhances reproduction. Total cancer mortality in 140,000 nuclear workers exposed to average lifetime exposures of 5.5 cSv was only 51% that of 136,000 carefully selected unexposed workers from the same plants. This result has been amply confirmed with both human and animal populations exposed to low levels of ionizing radiation. Predictably, safe radiation supplementation would prevent almost half of our premature cancer deaths. The nuclear worker data suggest 5 cSv/y is safe.
The statistically significant benefit of low dose radiation in lifespan (Fig. 2) was denied by those who used median rather than mean or average values. However, this benefit has been confirmed in more than 20 reports with experimental animals. Humans show comparable results. Those Japanese exposed to low dose irradiation from atom bombs have a longer average lifespan than controls. Increased immunity decreases mortality rates from cancer and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. This increases the average lifespan. The conclusion: safe supplementation of ionizing radiation would elicit a new plateau of health.
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The
Seventh International Conference on Nuclear Engineering April 21, 1999 |
RSH > Documents > Tokyo 1999 >
Thomas D. Luckey 1999
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