Written and compiled by Dr Evelyn Ho, Radiologist, Editor of Radiology Malaysia

Isn’t it strange to hear that a little bit of radiation might do us good? We have always been bombarded by how dangerous radiation could be and visions of cancer or mutants ala X-Men (the comic strip/cartoon and movie) would dance before us in a menacing manner. Yet everyday we live with background radiation from a variety of sources, sunlight, cosmic radiation including the food we eat. However, we tend only to be aware of radiation, when we seek or need to use it for treatment or diagnosis using ionizing radiation (eg x-rays)! 

Let’s hear the other side of the story.  

Emeritus Professor John Cameron’s article in the British Journal of Radiology (July issue) suggests that we all need more radiation for good health.  A moderate annual dose of radiation may actually increase longevity! 

Current policies of radiation protection in most parts of the world are based on the assumption that the risk of fatal radiation induced cancer is linearly proportional to the dose received.  However, there is no human data to support this theory for short term dose below 0.2Gy. 

In the November 2002 issue of American Journal of Roentgenology, Dr Bernard Cohen of the University of Pittsburgh states, “substantial evidence exists that low level radiation may even be protective against cancer, a view known as hormesis.”

There is evidence that low levels of radiation actually trigger various processes that protect against the development of cancer and stimulate the immune system. Some of the health spas millions of people visit have high radiation levels – perhaps, this may explain the greater benefits of some health spas over others. (T.D. Luckey Hormesis with Ionizing Radiation CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL 1980 & Radiation Hormesis, 1991) 

The -This US government sponsored study which Prof Cameron participated in showed that in the 28,000 nuclear shipyard workers with greatest radiation doses, there was significantly less cancer and a 24 % lower death rate from all causes compared to the 32,500 shipyard workers who had no exposure to radiation on the job. This translates to an almost 3-year increase in longevity. (Just compare with this fact - the chance of health improvement being accidental is less than one in 10 million billion) 

British radiologists who entered the field between 1955 and 1979 had a 29% lower cancer death rate compared to all other male English physicians of the same age. Radiologists also had a 36% lower death rate from non-cancer causes and a 32% lower death rate from all causes. 

Closing comments
What are we to make of this information? For the radiologists… it’s all music to their ears! For the rest of us out there…it will help us be less radiation phobic – since it is invisible most of the time, and like it or not, we are exposed to low levels daily. If we live in geographical regions with higher background radiation, we may actually be exposed to higher levels but from the data, it would appear that this little bit of radiation may actually help us to live longer! 

No, we should not be going all out to get exposed to radiation in an attempt to live longer either! The balance is achieved when we respect radiation for what it is, the benefits it has given to mankind in terms of diagnosis, treatment and energy supply and risks that come with it when “abused”. 

Further reading:

http://www.er.doe.gov/production/ober/lowdose.html

http://cnts.wpi.edu/RSH/

http://lowdose.tricity.wsu.edu/radiation_links.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/mo/radioadaptive/jcameron1.html

http://criepi.denken.or.jp/eng/PR/News/datas/den354e.pdf

Overview of Radiation (From Radiology Inside the Human Body) http://www.radiologymalaysia.org/Archive/RITHB/radiation.html

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Last Updated:
Thursday, 21 August, 2003