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Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute Research Debunks Radiation Phobia
Research on Low Dose Radiation Actually Shows a Protective Health Effect
September 26, 2011…….ABQ, NM…..Radiation phobia, the belief that exposure to a small dose of radiation is dangerous, persists because media outlets and government agencies continue to fan the flames of fear in the public despite a wealth of research to the contrary. Radiation-phobia-related harm is a significant risk that should be considered during radiological emergencies such as the incident at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.
Such radiation phobia is based on the linear no-threshold (LNT) hypothesis, an outdated and incorrect assumption that any amount of radiation can cause cancer no matter how small the dose. The LNT model claims that there is a linear increase in cancers as the radiation exposure increases. The model assumes that if every member of a large population received a small dose of radiation, cancer rates would increase.
However, research from eminent scientists worldwide, including radiation experts at Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute (LRRI) -- the only facility in the world dedicated to respiratory research -- debunks the LNT hypothesis, especially as it relates to lung cancer.
Now, a mathematical tool developed at LRRI will help scientists measure those health benefits. Through their research, they support a proven alternative to LNT, which is called low-dose-radiation-activated natural protection (ANP). Using a hormetic relative risk (HRR) model, they can actually show that ANP provides a radiation benefit.
Low dose radiation causes mild stress in the body that activates the body’s defenses against cancer, including repairing damage DNA, eliminating pre-cancerous cells caused by smoking, and even increasing anti-cancer immunity.
Findings from LRRI’s research will not only continue to shed light on the fallacy of the LNT model and the promise of radiation ANP. Hopefully that same research will find its way into the media to help reduce radiation phobia and educate the public on the truth about low dose radiation.