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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
(Pronounced poe TASS-e-um EYE-oh-dyed)
iOSAT™ Tablets
- 130 mg. potassium iodide per tablet
- 14 tablets per package
How Potassium Iodide Works
Certain forms of iodine help your thyroid gland work right. Most people get the iodine they need from foods like iodized salt or fish. The thyroid can "store" or hold only a certain amount of iodine.
In a radiation emergency, radioactive iodine may be released in the air. This material may be breathed or swallowed. It may enter the thyroid gland and damage it. The damage would probably not show itself for years. Children are most likely to have thyroid damage.
If you take potassium iodide, it will fill up your thyroid gland. This reduces the chance that harmful radioactive iodine will enter the thyroid gland.
Who Should Not Take Potassium Iodide
The only people who should not take potassium iodide are people who know they are allergic to iodide. You may take potassium iodide even if you are taking medicines for a thyroid problem (for example, a thyroid hormone or antithyroid drug). Pregnant and nursing women and babies and children may also take this drug.
How And When To Take Potassium Iodide
Potassium iodide should be taken as soon as possible after public health officials tell you. You should take one dose every 24 hours. More will not help you because the thyroid can "hold" only limited amounts of iodine. Larger doses will increase the risk of side effects. You will probably be told not to take the drug for more than 10 days.
Side Effects
Usually side effects of potassium iodide happen when people take higher doses for a long time. You should be careful not to take more than the recommended dose or take it for longer than you are told. Side effects are unlikely because of the low dose and the short time you will be taking the drug.
Possible side effects include skin rashes, swelling of the salivary glands, and "iodism" (metallic taste, burning mouth and throat, sore teeth and gums, symptoms of a head cold, and sometimes stomach upset and diarrhea).
A few people have an allergic reaction with more serious symptoms. These could be fever and joint pains, or swelling of parts of the face or body and at times severe shortness of breath requiring immediate medical attention.
Taking iodide may rarely cause overactivity of the thyroid gland, underactivity of the thyroid gland, or enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter).
What To Do If Side Effects Occur
If the side effects are severe or if you have an allergic reaction, stop taking potassium iodide. Then, if possible, call a doctor or public health authority for instructions.
How Supplied
IOSAT Tablets (Potassium Iodide Tablets, U.S.P.): packages of 14 tablets (NDC51803-001-01): Each white, round, scored tablet contains 130 mg. potassium iodide.
Product Description
In 1982, the FDA approved IOSAT potassium iodide tablets for blocking the thyroid's absorption of cancer-causing radioactive iodine (only the thyroid absorbs iodine). Saturate the thyroid with potassium iodide's stable iodine so it won't absorb radioactive iodine, the predominate radioisotope released from a nuclear reactor release or nuclear bomb fallout.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
246 of 250 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Packaging! Here's Some Info on How Potassium Iodide Works
July 12, 2011
Amazon Verified Purchase
I like the professional way these Potassium Iodide tablets are packaged. Each packet has 14 tablets, which equals 14 adult daily doses. Each tablet is individually foil-wrapped in a packet. This is great for keeping track of how many you've taken. I have one packet for each member of the family, and if an emergency arises, it will be easy to keep track of who took his/her supplement. The packets are easy to store, and will be in better shape for a longer time than pills in a bottle.
I thought I'd post some basic information on Potassium Iodide as an emergency supplement:
The thyroid gland uptakes iodine from the bloodstream. Radioactive iodine is one of the most common of the radionuclides that may be released by nuclear fallout. If it is ingested or inhaled, the radioactive iodine will be taken up by the thyroid, greatly increasing the risk of thyroid cancer. To help avoid this, you want to saturate the body with a source of stable iodide. If the thyroid's iodine receptors are all "taken" by the non-radioactive iodide, the radioactive iodide will generally be excreted by the body.
The effectiveness of potassium iodide (KI) was proven after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident. Some areas with heavy nuclear fallout after Chernobyl were NOT given potassium iodide supplements, and others were. Two decades later, studies show that the rate of thyroid cancer among populations given potassium iodide soon after the accident were the same as the rate among populations that were not affected by Chernobyl. However, populations that were affected by Chernobyl, but were not given the supplement, have shown epidemic experiences of thyroid cancer.
Note that potassium iodide cannot protect against any other causes of radiation poisoning. Dirty bombs, for example, produce radionuclides other than radioactive iodine.
WARNINGS:
1. There are risks if you take too large a dose of potassium iodide. Side effects include skin rashes, swelling of the salivary glands, and "iodism" (metallic taste, burning mouth and throat, sore teeth and gums, symptoms of a head cold, and sometimes stomach upset and diarrhea). In addition, it is of no use to take a larger dose. Your thyroid is able to hold only so much of the iodide, so to take more than your thyroid can "take" gives you the side-effects with no benefit.
It is not common, but people can have an allergic reaction to the supplement, and they'll have more serious symptoms, such as fever, joint pain, swelling of the face and/or body, and severe shortness of breath requiring immediate medical attention.
In even rarer circumstances, taking a potassium iodide supplement can cause overactivity of the thyroid gland, underactivity of the thyroid gland, or enlargement of the thyroid (goiter).
The probability of side-effects increases with age, particularly after age 40.
2. Time is of the essence. You DO start your potassium iodide supplement as soon as public health authorities advise. However, it is a waste to take the supplement if it is not needed and higher side-effect risk to take the supplement for longer than the recommended time, unless the public health authorities have actually said that you should continue. The side effects listed under number 1 may hold true for extended use as well as excess dosages. The standard treatment period, if you are in an area exposed to nuclear fallout, is 10 days.
3. The potassium iodide in iodized salt is the correct form of iodide. Trace amounts of it have been added to salt in the U.S. since 1924. The purpose is to reduce the incidence of the simple goiter (swelling of the thyroid gland). Worldwide, over 90% of treatable cases of goiter are caused by an iodine deficiency.
HOWEVER, the amount of potassium iodide in iodized salt is so small that you would have to consume 160 tablespoons of salt DAILY to secure the 130 mg/day adult dose for radioactive iodide protection.
FDA RECOMMENDED DOSAGE OF POTASSIUM IODIDE FOR RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCIES:
AGE and MG per day
Age less than 1 month old ...............16 MG per day
Age 1 month - 36 months old .............32 MG per day
Age 3 years - 12 years old ..............65 MG per day
Age 12 - 18 years who weigh less than 150 pounds ..... 65 MG per day
Age 12 - 18 years who weigh more than 150 pounds .....130 MG per day
Adults over 18 years old ................ 130 MG per day
Pregnant or lactating women take the same adult MG dose as usual. However, it is recommended that they remove themselves from the radioactive risk area as quickly as possible so that they can stop the daily dose as soon as possible. (Well, I think that goes for everybody!) This is to lessen the risk of blocking fetal thyroid function with excess iodine.
The FDA does recommend that adults over 40 only take the potassium iodide supplement if the radioactive exposure is relatively high, but I know for myself (I'm over 40) that I would probably accept the risk of side-effects and take the supplement, if adults under 40 are told to take them.
The protective effect of a potassium iodide supplement lasts about 24 hours. The dose needs to be taken daily, and at about the same time of day each time.
Potassium iodide pills can be split, as needed.
The standard dosage period is 10 days. Please note that the 10 day period is based on an important assumption - that 10 days is enough time for evacuation. There are people who live and work in areas contaminated by Chernobyl who have been taking KI supplements for decades. It's not that they are safe from radioactivity, but they are protected from radioactive iodine.
SOME NOTES ON AVAILABLE SUPPLEMENTS:
Potassium iodide is a supplement, not a drug. It has not been tested or approved by the FDA the way a drug is tested before being sold to the public. Usually, the FDA does not allow supplements to make health claims on their bottles or in their advertising. However, in the public interest, the FDA allows Potassium Iodide to state on its packaging and advertising that it is a "thyroid block", which means it stops the thyroid from uptaking a radioactive iodide (or for other thyroid conditions).
There are many brands of potassium iodide (KI) available, and the FDA does not favor one brand above the other.
There are supplements, legally sold, with Potassium Iodate instead of iodide. The World Health Organization, allows both potassium iodide and potassium iodate as effective thyroid blocks. However, WHO recommends using iodide if possible because it is easier on the digestive track. That's a good enough recommendation of potassium iodide for me. I think the stress of being affected by nuclear fallout is quite enough; I don't need stomach upset on top of it!
The usual shelf life for a potassium iodide supplement is seven years. I just purchased these ioSAT tablets, and they are manufacturer stamped with a 2018 expiration date.
This is a review of iOSAT Potassium Iodide Tablets, 130 mg (14 Tablets)
.
I thought I'd post some basic information on Potassium Iodide as an emergency supplement:
The thyroid gland uptakes iodine from the bloodstream. Radioactive iodine is one of the most common of the radionuclides that may be released by nuclear fallout. If it is ingested or inhaled, the radioactive iodine will be taken up by the thyroid, greatly increasing the risk of thyroid cancer. To help avoid this, you want to saturate the body with a source of stable iodide. If the thyroid's iodine receptors are all "taken" by the non-radioactive iodide, the radioactive iodide will generally be excreted by the body.
The effectiveness of potassium iodide (KI) was proven after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident. Some areas with heavy nuclear fallout after Chernobyl were NOT given potassium iodide supplements, and others were. Two decades later, studies show that the rate of thyroid cancer among populations given potassium iodide soon after the accident were the same as the rate among populations that were not affected by Chernobyl. However, populations that were affected by Chernobyl, but were not given the supplement, have shown epidemic experiences of thyroid cancer.
Note that potassium iodide cannot protect against any other causes of radiation poisoning. Dirty bombs, for example, produce radionuclides other than radioactive iodine.
WARNINGS:
1. There are risks if you take too large a dose of potassium iodide. Side effects include skin rashes, swelling of the salivary glands, and "iodism" (metallic taste, burning mouth and throat, sore teeth and gums, symptoms of a head cold, and sometimes stomach upset and diarrhea). In addition, it is of no use to take a larger dose. Your thyroid is able to hold only so much of the iodide, so to take more than your thyroid can "take" gives you the side-effects with no benefit.
It is not common, but people can have an allergic reaction to the supplement, and they'll have more serious symptoms, such as fever, joint pain, swelling of the face and/or body, and severe shortness of breath requiring immediate medical attention.
In even rarer circumstances, taking a potassium iodide supplement can cause overactivity of the thyroid gland, underactivity of the thyroid gland, or enlargement of the thyroid (goiter).
The probability of side-effects increases with age, particularly after age 40.
2. Time is of the essence. You DO start your potassium iodide supplement as soon as public health authorities advise. However, it is a waste to take the supplement if it is not needed and higher side-effect risk to take the supplement for longer than the recommended time, unless the public health authorities have actually said that you should continue. The side effects listed under number 1 may hold true for extended use as well as excess dosages. The standard treatment period, if you are in an area exposed to nuclear fallout, is 10 days.
3. The potassium iodide in iodized salt is the correct form of iodide. Trace amounts of it have been added to salt in the U.S. since 1924. The purpose is to reduce the incidence of the simple goiter (swelling of the thyroid gland). Worldwide, over 90% of treatable cases of goiter are caused by an iodine deficiency.
HOWEVER, the amount of potassium iodide in iodized salt is so small that you would have to consume 160 tablespoons of salt DAILY to secure the 130 mg/day adult dose for radioactive iodide protection.
FDA RECOMMENDED DOSAGE OF POTASSIUM IODIDE FOR RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCIES:
AGE and MG per day
Age less than 1 month old ...............16 MG per day
Age 1 month - 36 months old .............32 MG per day
Age 3 years - 12 years old ..............65 MG per day
Age 12 - 18 years who weigh less than 150 pounds ..... 65 MG per day
Age 12 - 18 years who weigh more than 150 pounds .....130 MG per day
Adults over 18 years old ................ 130 MG per day
Pregnant or lactating women take the same adult MG dose as usual. However, it is recommended that they remove themselves from the radioactive risk area as quickly as possible so that they can stop the daily dose as soon as possible. (Well, I think that goes for everybody!) This is to lessen the risk of blocking fetal thyroid function with excess iodine.
The FDA does recommend that adults over 40 only take the potassium iodide supplement if the radioactive exposure is relatively high, but I know for myself (I'm over 40) that I would probably accept the risk of side-effects and take the supplement, if adults under 40 are told to take them.
The protective effect of a potassium iodide supplement lasts about 24 hours. The dose needs to be taken daily, and at about the same time of day each time.
Potassium iodide pills can be split, as needed.
The standard dosage period is 10 days. Please note that the 10 day period is based on an important assumption - that 10 days is enough time for evacuation. There are people who live and work in areas contaminated by Chernobyl who have been taking KI supplements for decades. It's not that they are safe from radioactivity, but they are protected from radioactive iodine.
SOME NOTES ON AVAILABLE SUPPLEMENTS:
Potassium iodide is a supplement, not a drug. It has not been tested or approved by the FDA the way a drug is tested before being sold to the public. Usually, the FDA does not allow supplements to make health claims on their bottles or in their advertising. However, in the public interest, the FDA allows Potassium Iodide to state on its packaging and advertising that it is a "thyroid block", which means it stops the thyroid from uptaking a radioactive iodide (or for other thyroid conditions).
There are many brands of potassium iodide (KI) available, and the FDA does not favor one brand above the other.
There are supplements, legally sold, with Potassium Iodate instead of iodide. The World Health Organization, allows both potassium iodide and potassium iodate as effective thyroid blocks. However, WHO recommends using iodide if possible because it is easier on the digestive track. That's a good enough recommendation of potassium iodide for me. I think the stress of being affected by nuclear fallout is quite enough; I don't need stomach upset on top of it!
The usual shelf life for a potassium iodide supplement is seven years. I just purchased these ioSAT tablets, and they are manufacturer stamped with a 2018 expiration date.
This is a review of iOSAT Potassium Iodide Tablets, 130 mg (14 Tablets)
.
91 of 93 people found the following review helpful
By kimchi
Amazon Verified Purchase
I've bought these pills in the past and they come like the picture shows. I ordered 4 of these and they were all out of the plastic wrap but still in the foil. On closer inspection I could see the date was erased. I can faintly see 2008 and 2010 on the pills. The buyer refunded me and said he does not sell expired products. I can would be more understanding if the dates weren't erased but this was purposefully done. I will post pictures later if I can. DO NOT BUY FROM THIS SELLER: SMART-CART!!!
86 of 92 people found the following review helpful
By Rob Bekker
Amazon Verified Purchase
These Potassium Iodide pills are the only ones FDA recommended, and the same pills distributed to people living near nuclear reactors in case of a radiation release. I recommend them over the cheeper (but less effective) Potassium IodATE because the absorptive nature of KiO3 (iodate) is less known, and they are packed in a simple plastic bottle. The Foil pack of the iOSAT pills is much better for long term storage and tracking dosage.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
As Advertised
Haven't had to use these, but they arrived and are packaged just as advertised. Hope I never have to use them, but got'em just in case. Expiration date on mine was 2018.
Published 3 days ago by John D. Barnes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Buy them
These pills will save you if you are in a war zone and the enemy is bombing with God knows what (radioactive materials).
Published 3 days ago by Pavlos Chatzikonstantinou
3.0 out of 5 stars
must have prep item
these are a must to have in your b.o.b, you never know what might be ahead and these are cheap and storable for a long time. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Mark Gutierrez
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hope to never use
I live near a nuclear power plant and it is recommended to have Potassium Iodide on hand. I purchased two, one for me and one for the wife. Read more
Published 10 days ago by jake8380
5.0 out of 5 stars
Came exactly as described
It has a long expiration date which is goo because I hope not to ever use it. It has good instructions in case it ever needs to be used. It has excellent packaging for storage.
Published 12 days ago by CARLA K. THORNTON-RIVERS
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just in case
Product as described and with a 2019 expiration. Worth it for the price to have some on hand, so you arent relying on others, just in case.
Published 12 days ago by J. Bell
4.0 out of 5 stars
For use in a go back
Although I hope I will never need to use these, the packaging is very secure and well labeled and I am happy with the purchase.
Published 12 days ago by Adam H
4.0 out of 5 stars
I can't say much..yet-Thank God for that.
Hopefully I will never have to use this product, but in today's volatile times, no one should be without it.
Published 12 days ago by H.M. Frank
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice
TOO MUCH POTASSIUM CAN BE LETHAL. ONLY USE IN CASE OF SERIOUS RADIATION HAZARD. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. LIVE LONG AND PROSPER
Published 18 days ago by Paul trace
4.0 out of 5 stars
Review with expiration date.
Bought these here on Amazon from seller AJ Wholesale. They arrived within a few days sealed in cellophane. Received on 5/2/13 and they have an expiration date of 01/2020. Read more
Published 20 days ago by I. Nunez
