Re: Experimental Proof of Hormesis

["Mike Malaxos" <mike@radiationsafety.com.au>]

I have been following the thread on Hormesis for some time and  have some
difficulty in understanding  the reluctance to accept that radiation may
cause simultaneous positive and detrimental effects.

TD Luckey provided a great deal of data much of which was presented at the
?? Oakford conference around 1986.

The hypothesis that any nuclear event in a cell could trigger the
development of cancer seems scientifically valid. When one considers that
every cell in the body may be ionised every week by background radiation the
risk of developing cancer from one event approaches zero.

It also seems logical that the higher the dose rate, the greater the number
of "hits" and the greater the risk of developing cancer.
If the immune system is stimulated by low levels of radiation is it not
reasonable to assume that in real "dirty" environments the activated immune
system provides a greater level of protection from other insults such as
viruses or bacteria not evident in  vitro studies.  In the dirty environment
there must be some point where the detriment caused by the radiation offsets
the additional protection provided by the stimulated immune system producing
the "U" shaped curve and the second zero point
(?Zip Point) referred to by Luckey. Would this curve be observed under
sterile laboratory conditions.  Luckey complained that the insulted added to
a culture to validate his hypothesis was more than fifty time the lethal
dose therefore guaranteeing a negative result.

What studies been carried out with those working in very low background
areas such as sailors and submariners. Or possibly air traffic controllers
working in low background elevated areas.

Best Regards,
Mike Malaxos.
Radiation Safety Services
Mike@radiationsafety.com.au
www.radiationsafety.com.au
69 Robinson Avenue Belmont Western Australia 6104
Phone 61 (0)8 94750011 FAX  61 (0)8 94750011

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