Iodine-125 electrons from the radioisotope have been found in one study to do little cellular damage, unless the radionuclide is incorporated chemically directly into cellular DNA, which is not the case for present radiopharmaceuticals which use I-125 as the radioactive label nuclide. As with other radioisotopes of iodine, iodine-125 uptake in the body (mostly to the thyroid) can be blocked with prompt administration of stable iodine-127 in the form of an iodide or iodate salt. Potassium iodide (KI) is typically used for this purpose. Iodine-125 Iodine-125 (I) is a radioisotope of iodine which has uses in biological assays, nuclear medicine imaging
Iodine deficiency little iodine in the diet, typically remote inland areas and semi-arid equatorial climates where no marine foods are eaten, iodine deficiency gives rise to hypothyroidism, symptoms of which are extreme fatigue, goiter, mental slowing, depression, weight gain, and low basal body temperatures. Iodine deficiency is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation, a result which occurs primarily when babies or small children are rendered hypothyroidic by a lack of the element. The addition of iodine to table salt has largely eliminated this problem in the wealthier nations, but as of March 2006, iodine deficiency remained a serious public health problem