Hormesis?

For your reading pleasure, I'm gong to summarize the summary of radiation-based hormesis hypothesis from the very reliable scholarly source, Wikipedia.

First, what is it? You probably already know this, based on the audience for this blog. But let me explain anyhow: hormesis is a word used to describe the positive biological reaction to a typically negative outside influence, in small enough doses (toxins, radiation, etc).

You could think of hormesis as exercising your cells by introducing them to a small contingent of "bad guy" things, letting them know there is a risk and pushing them to be ready for it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormesis

For radiation, the claim is difficult to study due to the random nature of radiation damage, difficulty in linking radiation doses to the already high base-line cancer risk, inability to perform controlled human experiments, and large errors. Because of this, little actual credit is given to the theory, and radiation protection models ignore the potential benefit of small doses in favor of assuming all radiation doses are bad.

However, there are some compelling arguments for why hormesis would apply to radiation damage, for example, this list of effects seen in small radiation doses:

• Mechanisms that mitigate reactive oxygen species generated by ionizing radiation and oxidative stress.

• Apoptosis of radiation damaged cells that may undergo tumorigenesis is initiated at only few mSv.

• Cell death during meiosis of radiation damaged cells that were unsuccessfully repaired.

• The existence of a cellular signaling system that alerts neighboring cells of cellular damage.

• The activation of enzymatic DNA repair mechanisms around 10 mSv.

• Modern DNA microarray studies which show that numerous genes are activated at radiation doses well below the level that mutagenesis is detected.

• Radiation-induced tumorigenesis may have a threshold related to damage density, as revealed by experiments that employ blocking grids to thinly distribute radiation.

• A large increase in tumours in immunosuppressed individuals illustrates that the immune system efficiently destroys aberrant cells and nascent tumors.

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_hormesis

Additionally, there has been studies done on humans in areas of naturally high background radiation (Kerala, India) which show no evidence of increases cancer risk. Studies on animals show some correlation between induced radiation and cancer resilience.

So, in summary, it's probably not a great idea to go out looking to be irradiated, but you shouldn't worry too much about the background radiation you receive, or even an extra dose or two. Turns out your body wants to live, and has methods to help keep itself alive.