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Potassium iodide should not be taken unless directed to do so by the authorities
Photo: Alessandro Della Valle / KEYSTONE / picture alliance
To get straight to the point: no, you don't have to stock up on iodine tablets at the pharmacy.
And you shouldn't take the pills as a precaution either.
Both are pointless for several reasons.
Pharmacists are currently reporting an increased demand for iodine tablets.
Even with the drug commission of the German pharmacists, people are trying to find out how to get the funds, as Martin Schulz, chairman of the commission, told SPIEGEL.
Some preparations are also no longer available from wholesalers.
No reason to take iodine tablets
The fear of radioactive radiation, which has increased since Russia's attack on Ukraine, is behind the great demand.
Just a few days after the invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia's nuclear forces would be put on alert.
Even with the attack by Russian troops on the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhia on Friday night, concerns about radioactive radiation should not have diminished.
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In the event of a nuclear accident, taking high-dose iodine tablets, specifically potassium iodide pills, is intended to prevent radioactive iodine from being stored in the thyroid gland by saturating the thyroid gland with non-radioactive iodine.
This is called an iodine blockade.
Nevertheless, no one has to get these tablets as a precaution.
Radiological effects of the fire that broke out on the site of the nuclear power plant and has since been extinguished in Germany are not to be feared according to the information available, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) said on Friday morning.
According to the Federal Environment Ministry, there is currently no reason to take iodine tablets.
In addition, a stock of 189.5 million potassium iodide tablets is stored in the federal states.
Should radioactive iodine be expected to become airborne, the tablets will be distributed in potentially affected areas with the help of countries' civil protection authorities.
Citizens do not have to pay anything for this.
This also means that a distribution of the tablets does not necessarily mean that the drug should be taken immediately.
The authorities will then inform you about this.
Taking it as a precaution can even be harmful
Because the right time for taking the tablets would be crucial for the effect of the iodine blockade.
The iodine in the thyroid is continuously exchanged.
“If the pills are taken too late, radioactive iodine may already have accumulated in the thyroid,” explains Schulz.
"If the potassium iodide is taken too early, it may already have been excreted by the time the radioactive event occurs." So there is no point in swallowing the tablets as a precaution, for fear of a possible incident.
This can even be harmful to health, which is why experts urgently warn against it.
"Self-medication with high-dose iodine tablets harbors significant health risks, but is currently of no use," writes the BfS.
The package insert for the potassium iodide tablets lists allergic reactions or iodine-related hyperfunction of the thyroid as possible side effects, which can be accompanied by symptoms such as sweating, diarrhea or weight loss.
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In addition, taking iodine tablets only protects against the absorption of radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland, not against the effects of other radioactive substances such as strontium or cesium.
And even in the event of a radioactive event, it wouldn't make sense for all people to swallow potassium iodide.
Because of the development and sensitivity of the thyroid, children and young people are the main target group, according to the website jodblockade.de operated by the Federal Ministry for the Environment.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also take the drug - but only in an emergency if the authorities recommend it.
According to the recommendations of the Radiation Protection Commission, people over 45 should not take iodine tablets.
It is said that the likelihood of developing thyroid cancer caused by ionizing radiation decreases significantly with age.
In addition, metabolic disorders of the thyroid gland are more common in this age group.
This so-called functional autonomy increases the risk of side effects from iodine blockade.
Even low-dose preparations are hoarded
However, the current high demand for iodine tablets does not only apply to the potassium iodide used for iodine blockade.
Martin Schulz reports that the significantly lower doses of 0.1 or 0.2 milligrams of preparations that people who suffer from an iodine deficiency take are bought significantly more.
For comparison: a potassium iodide tablet contains 65 milligrams.
Depending on the age, it is recommended to take a quarter of a tablet for infants and up to two tablets for adolescents and adults up to 45 years of age for an iodine blockade.
So it makes no sense to get the normal, low-dose tablets now if you don't suffer from an iodine deficiency.
»You would have to take hundreds of tablets for an effective iodine blockade.
That alone would trigger incredible stomach pains,” explains Schulz.
Hamster purchases, as they are currently taking place, were also observed by pharmacists with other medicines at the beginning of the corona pandemic.
However, this threatens that the people who depend on the funds will no longer be able to get iodine tablets in their pharmacy.
