Dietary supplement[edit]

The major uses of KI include as a nutritional supplement in animal feeds and also the
human diet. For the latter, it is the most common additive used to "iodize" table salt (a
public health measure to prevent iodine deficiency in populations that get little seafood).
The oxidation of iodide causes slow loss of iodine content from iodised salts that are
exposed to excess air. The alkali metal iodide salt, over time and exposure to excess
oxygen and carbon dioxide, slowly oxidizes to metal carbonate and elemental iodine,
which then evaporates.[10]Potassium iodate is used to add iodine to some salts so that
the iodine is not lost by oxidation. Dextrose or sodium thiosulfate are often added to
iodized table salt to stabilize potassium iodide thus reducing loss of the volatile
chemical.[11]
Thyroid protection[edit]

Pheochromocytoma seen as dark sphere in center of the body. Image is by MIBGscintigraphy with
radiation from radioiodine in the MIBG. However, note unwanted uptake of radioiodine from the
pharmaceutical by the thyroid gland in the neck, in both images (front and back) of the same patient.
Radioactivity is also seen in the bladder.

Thyroid iodine uptake blockade with potassium iodide is used in nuclear

medicine scintigraphy and therapy with some radioiodinated compounds that are not
targeted to the thyroid, such as iobenguane (MIBG), which is used to image or treat
neural tissue tumors, or iodinated fibrinogen, which is used in fibrinogen scans to
investigate clotting. These compounds contain iodine, but not in the iodide form.
However, since they may be ultimately metabolized or break down to radioactive iodide,
it is common to administer non-radioactive potassium iodide to ensure that iodide from
these radiopharmaceuticals is not sequestered by the normal affinity of the thryoid for
iodide.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved dosing of potassium iodide for this
purpose with iobenguane, is as follows (per 24 hours): infants less than 1 month old,
16 mg; children 1 month to 3 years, 32 mg; children 3 years to 18 years, 65 mg; adults
130 mg.[12] However, some sources recommend alternative dosing regimens.[13]
Not all sources are in agreement on the necessary duration of thyroid blockade,
although agreement appears to have been reached about the necessity of blockade for
both scintigraphic and therapeutic applications of iobenguane. Commercially available
iobenguane is labeled with iodine-123, and product labeling recommends administration
of potassium iodide 1 hour prior to administration of the radiopharmaceutical for all age
groups,[14] while the European Associated of Nuclear Medicine recommends (for
iobenguane labeled with either isotope,) that potassium iodide administration begin one
day prior to radiopharmaceutical administration, and continue until the day following the
injection, with the exception of new-borns, who do not require potassium iodide doses
following radiopharmaceutical injection.[13][15]
Product labeling for diagnostic iodine-131 iobenguane recommends potassium iodide
administration one day before injection and continuing 5 to 7 days following
administration, in keeping with the much longer half-life of this isotope and its greater
danger to the thyroid.[16]Iodine-131 iobenguane used for therapeutic purposes requires a
different pre-medication duration, beginning 2448 hours prior to iobenguane injection
and continuing 1015 days following injection.[17]
Nuclear accidents[edit]
In 1982, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved potassium iodide to
protect thyroid glands from radioactive iodine involving accidents or fission
emergencies.[citation needed] In an accidental event or attack on a nuclear power plant, or
in nuclear bomb fallout, volatile fission product radionuclides may be released. Of these
products, 131I is one of the most common and is particularly dangerous to the thyroid
gland because it may lead to thyroid cancer.[citation needed] By saturating the body with a
source of stable iodide prior to exposure, inhaled or ingested 131I tends to be excreted,
which prevents radioiodine uptake by the thyroid. According to one 2000 study "KI
administered up to 48 h before 131I exposure can almost completely block thyroid uptake
and therefore greatly reduce the thyroid absorbed dose. However, KI administration 96 h
or more before 131I exposure has no significant protective effect. In contrast, KI
administration after exposure to radioiodine induces a smaller and rapidly decreasing
blockade effect."[18] For optimal prevention, KI must be dosed daily until a risk of
significant exposure to radioiodine by either inhalation or ingestion no longer exists.