HOUSTON- Potassium iodide is flying off the shelves in Houston, even though the threat of radiation is thousands of miles away.
A number of vitamin and health food stores sold in a day what they normally sell in a year.
“At first, it was kind of a shock when two people in a row were asking for a supplement that we don’t normally sell,” said Edward Caplan of the Houston’s Buyers Club.
Potassium iodide is sold over the counter and comes in pill and liquid form. The supplement is used as a preventative against radiation poisoning of the thyroid.
Arch Carson M.D. of The University of Texas School of Public Health said there is no need for Americans to be taking the supplement in response to the nuclear threat in Japan.
“The accident in Japan is not going to have any effect on this continent that will require people to use potassium iodide pills,” said Carson.
But that hasn’t stopped Americans from stockpiling the stuff -- even right here in Houston. U.S. poison control centers are even receiving an increase in calls.
Carson warned that taking the salt pills can do more harm than good when they’re not needed.
“A bad taste in the mouth like metallic taste, sore gums, nausea and vomiting,” said Dr. Carson. “People can also get mild skin rashes if they take it over long periods of time. If anyone has severe problems or develops hives or changes in numbness or tingling or dizziness, they should definitely stop taking it.”
A new order has been placed at the Houston Buyers Club, but employees don’t expect the shipment anytime soon.
“All are backordered for probably at least one year so we are looking at a wait time for anymore potassium iodine,” said Caplan.
