About Allergies: No Link Between Iodine and Shellfish Allergy

If you can't see this email, click here

Allergies Allergies Symptoms / Diagnosis Treatment Coping From Daniel More, MD, your Guide to Allergies The recent nuclear disaster in Japan has caused a number of people around the world, especially in the United States, to prepare to deal with the possibility of radiation exposure. Exposure to radiation, including radioactive nutrients in food that contain iodine, may damage vital organs, including the thyroid. Taking iodine supplements during the time of radiation exposure, prevents the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine, thereby protecting this vital organ. There has been the long-held false belief that there is an association between shellfish allergy and iodine allergy. Apparently, this association came about as a result of the belief that the ocean contains large amounts of iodine, so therefore shellfish -- which live in the ocean -- must therefore contain a large amount of iodine. In fact, they might, but shellfish allergy is caused by proteins found in the food, not from iodine. While some people may be allergic to iodine, this has nothing to do with shellfish allergy. Therefore, people with shellfish allergy are not at an increased risk of an allergic reaction to iodine tablets are needed to protect against radiation exposure. All About Shellfish Allergy and Iodine It is a long held myth, even among non-allergist physicians, that a person with an allergy to IV dye has an increased risk of being allergic to shellfish. This myth seemed to come about based on... Read more See More About:  drug allergy  sulfa allergy  sulfite allergy Reactions to IV Dye Radiocontrast Media (RCM), or IV dye, is used more than 10 millions times each year in the United States for various radiological studies, such as angiograms, "cat" scans, and intravenous pyelograms (IVPs). In general, there are two basic types of RCM used for most radiological studies... Read more See More About:  medication allergy  latex allergy  allergist More on Shellfish Allergy The protein that causes most people to be allergic to shellfish -- called tropomyosin -- is found in all types of shellfish. Therefore, most people with an allergy to one kind of shellfish are allergic to... Read more See More About:  iv dye allergy  sulfite allergy  shellfish avoidance diet Allergies Ads Allergies Food Allergy Iodine Allergy Allergy Treatment Asthma and Allergies Featured Articles Common Allergy Issues in Children Food Allergies Allergies in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Drug and Latex Allergies Insect Allergies Anaphylaxis   More from About.com Discover the Disney Dream Disney's newest cruise ship has something for every family member, from the Aqua Duck watercoaster to adults-only lounges. More> Cruise the Celebrity Eclipse The Eclipse features luxurious interiors, a spa, and the "iLounge" where guests can check email and create their own photo books. More> This newsletter is written by: Daniel More, MD Allergies Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Allergies newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Must Reads What are Allergies? Symptoms of Allergies Diagnosis of Allergies Treatment of Allergies Preventing Allergies Advertisement