Radiation hormesis

Luckey, T.D. 1980. Hormesis with Ionizing Radiation. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 222 pp. 

Thompson, G.A., J. Smithers, and H. Boxenbaum. 1990. Biphasic mortality response of chipmunks in the wild to single doses of ionizing radiation toxicity and longevity hormesis. Drug Metabol. Rev. 22 269-289. 

Mehendale HM. 1992. Biochemical mechanisms of biphasic dose-response relationships Role of hormesis. In Calabrese EJ, ed. Biological effects of low level exposures to chemicals and radiation. Workshop, Amherst, MA, April 30 - May 1, 1991. Chelsea, Ml Lewis Publishers, Inc., 59-94. 

Induction of hormesis and adaptive responses by low dose radiation have been extensively studied (Wang et al, 2008). Pre-exposure of diabetic prone mice to low dose radiation (LDR) has reduced the incidence of alloxan diabetes and delayed the onset of hyperglycemia, although the mechanisms are unclear (Wang et al, 2008). Low intensity laser (LIL) has stimulated healing in diabetes (Wang et al., 2008). 

Thus, it would appear that low dose irradiation is fully capable of inducing adaptive responses so that the overall response is below that when the adaptive response was not induced. Advocates of hormesis suggest that we may be ignoring the benefits of radiation hormesis (the low level that produces adaptation necessary to combat higher levels of radiation) if we set our allowable radiation limits too high. The next study addresses this concept. 

Zapponi and Mastrello argue that at low level the allowable exposure limit would not provide the protection described by hormesis. I tend to agree. They go on to say that the critique which says that US EPA, by setting these limitations, is denying us the protection of radiation... 

Sakai, K. (2006). Biological responses to low dose radiation -hormesis and adaptive responses. Yakugaku Zasshi 126 827-31. 

One of the most intensively studied areas of hormesis research is the effects of exposure to low-level ionizing radiation (LLIR). The concept that LLIR can... 

Mossman KL (2001) Deconstructing radiation hormesis. Health Physics 80 263-269. 

Prekeges JL (2003) Radiation hormesis, or, could all that radiation be good for us Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology 31 11-17. 

Despite these impediments to the acceptance of hormesis (even in the presence of compelling data), there are activities that suggest that the hormesis concept could be embraced by society. The widely accepted and well-established observation that ingestion of a daily glass or two of red wine reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease may have preconditioned society to consider the hormetic hypothesis for pollutants and radiation. In addition, the recognition that anticancer agents can both stimulate and inhibit tumor growth via an hormetic dose response may enhance the clinical interest in this concept. 

Calabrese EJ, Baldwin LA. 2000. Radiation hormesis its historical foundations as a biological hypothesis. Hum. Exp. Toxicol. 19 41-75... 

Upton AC. 2001. Radiation hormesis data and interpretations. Crit. Rev. Toxicol. 31 681-95... 

Calabrese EJ, Baldwin LA. 2002. Radiation hormesis and cancer. Hum. Ecol. Risk Assess. 8 327-53... 

Cuttler, J. M., and Pollycove, M. (2009). Nuclear energy and health and the benefits of low-dose radiation hormesis. Dose-Response 7, 52-89. 

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