| The thyroid gland is located in the neck just below the larynx
| It's primary function is to control the body's metabolism
| It requires iodine to function properly(It absorbs iodide from the blood which is then converted into iodine by enzymes in the gland)
| It is vunerable during exposure to radiation as it can absorb radioactive iodine.
| A diet rich in iodine can be benficial as it increases the effectiveness of the iodine tablet on the thyroid gland
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| A standard iodine tablet contains 130mg of iodine(The RDA is 150mcg)
| It protects the thyroid gland from radioactive iodine by saturating it with radioactive iodine. This decreases the uptake of radioactive iodine into the thyoid gland considerably. This is why experts recommend that they be distributed before or soon after exposure to radiation
| Iodine has a relatively short half-life.As a result the tablets can begin to decay as early as five years after manufacturing
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