Re: Laymans questions on hormesis and LNT

[John Jacobus <crispy_bird@YAHOO.COM>]

Barbara,

While this is true by definition, I doubt if it is

true in biology.  The result will depending on the

endpoint you study, whether it the production of

double-strand breaks, activation of repair enzymes,

etc.  To me, the real test should be the

epidemiological evaluation of populations.  As noted

in many of the discussion on this list, the results

are based on projecting high dose results to low dose

levels where reliable results are hard to extract.



--- BLHamrick@AOL.COM wrote:

> In a message dated 8/27/2003 5:13:58 PM Pacific

> Standard Time, tgi@cit.bg 

> writes:

> If hormesis means provoking some self-defence

> reaction of the body by

> means of something it recognizes as harmful, why

> would hormesis and LNT

> be mutually exclusive?

> Because the LNT assumes that any radiation dose

> above zero (including 

> background radiation) delivers some measure of harm,

> with no commensurate or 

> overriding benefit.  Hormesis proposes that within

> some range a low dose of radiation 

> actually provides an overall beneficial effect.

> 

> Barbara

> 





=====

-- John

John Jacobus, MS

Certified Health Physicist

e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com



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