LIST of MAJOR SYMPTOMS: CHRONIC FLUORIDE TOXICITY SYNDROME
and "Conclusion: “The Patient's Dilemma.” In Fluoridation: The Great Dilemma Waldbott GL, Burgstahler AW, McKinney HL, Waldbott GL, Burgstahler AW, McKinney HL.
Coronado Press, 1978: 392-393;375-377.
Fluoride in Drinking Water
Document for public comment. Prepared by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water. Health Canada (September 2009:98pp.)
Summary
Widespread use of fluoride has been a major factor in the decline in the prevalence and severity of dental caries (i.e., tooth decay) in the United States and other economically developed countries. When used
appropriately, fluoride is both safe and effective in preventing and controlling dental caries. All U.S. residents are likely exposed to some degree to fluoride, which is available from multiple sources. Both
health-care professionals and the public have sought guidance on selecting the best way to provide and receive fluoride. During the late 1990s, CDC convened a work group to develop recommendations for using
fluoride to prevent and control dental caries in the United States. This report includes these recommendations, as well as a) critical analysis of the scientific evidence regarding the efficacy and effectiveness
of fluoride modalities in preventing and controlling dental caries, b) ordinal grading of the quality of the evidence, and c) assessment of the strength of each recommendation.
Because frequent exposure to small amounts of fluoride each day will best reduce the risk for dental caries in all age groups, the work group recommends that all persons drink water with an optimal fluoride
concentration and brush their teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste. [...]
Abstract Background:
The addition of the chemical fluorine to the water supply, called water fluoridation, reduces dental caries by making teeth more resistant to demineralisation and more likely to
remineralise when initially decayed. This process has been implemented in more than 30 countries around the world, is cost-effective and has been shown to be efficacious in preventing decay across
a person's lifespan. However, attempts to expand this major public health achievement in line with Australia's National Oral Health Plan 2004–2013 are almost universally met with considerable
resistance from opponents of water fluoridation, who engage in coordinated campaigns to portray water fluoridation as ineffective and highly dangerous.
Discussion:
Water fluoridation opponents employ multiple techniques to try and undermine the scientifically established effectiveness of water fluoridation. The materials they use are often based
on Internet resources or published books that present a highly misleading picture of water fluoridation. These materials are used to sway public and political opinion to the detriment of public
health. Despite an extensive body of literature, both studies and results within studies are often selectively reported, giving a biased portrayal of water fluoridation effectiveness. Positive findings
are downplayed or trivialised and the population implications of these findings misinterpreted. Ecological comparisons are sometimes used to support spurious conclusions. Opponents of water
fluoridation frequently repeat that water fluoridation is associated with adverse health effects and studies are selectively picked from the extensive literature to convey only claimed adverse findings
related to water fluoridation. Techniques such as "the big lie" and innuendo are used to associate water fluoridation with health and environmental disasters, without factual support. Half-truths are
presented, fallacious statements reiterated, and attempts are made to bamboozle the public with a large list of claims and quotes often with little scientific basis. Ultimately, attempts are made to
discredit and slander scientists and various health organisations that support water fluoridation. [...]
Fluoride is found in vegetables, fruit, tea and other crops. although drinking water is usually the largest contributor to the daily fluoride intake. Fluoride is also found in the atmosphere, originating
from the dusts of fluoride-containing soils, from gaseous industrial wastes, from the burning of coal fires in populated areas and from gases of volcanic activity. Thus fluoride, in varying concentrations,
is freely available in nature. Most of the studies of fluoride intake have been done in developed countries. In temperate climates, daily exposure is about 0.6mg/adult/day if the water is not fluoridated. The
WHO guideline value for fluoride is 1.5mg/litre, with a target of between 0.8–1.2mg/l to maximise benefits and minimise harmful effects. Acceptable levels depend on climate, volumes of water intake and the
likely intake of fluoride in other sources. Much depends on whether other sources, such as those mentioned above, also have high levels.
The effects of too little — and too much — Fluoride
Fluoride is a desirable substance: it can prevent or reduce dental decay and strengthen bones, thus preventing bone fractures in older people. Where the fluoride level is naturally low, studies have shown
higher levels of both dental caries (tooth decay) and fractures. Because of its positive effect, fluoride is added to water during treatment in some areas with low levels. But you can have too much of a
good thing; and in the case of fluoride, water levels above 1.5mg/litre may have long-term undesirable effects (Table 1: see also fact file on fluorosis). Much depends on whether other sources, such as
vegetables, also have high levels. The risk of toxic effect rises with the concentration. It only becomes obvious at much higher levels than 1.5mg/l. The natural level can be as high as 95mg/l in some waters,
such as in Tanzania where the rocks are rich in fluoride-containing minerals. [...]
Fluoride
Steven G. Gilbert,
Phuong Lien Nguyen.
toxipedia.org
Accessed: 24.08.11.
Health Effects
The health effects of fluoride is contentious. It has generally been thought that small levels of Fluoride (0.7 - 1.2 ppm in drinking water for example)
increase bone density and increase calcium fluorapatite in teeth which is generally thought to lead to fewer cavities. Fluoride regulation in drinking water supplies at the .7 - 1.2 ppm level is recommended still
by the American Dental Association and the World Health Organization. But, many are beginning to believe that chronic
fluoride exposure can lead to liver damage, kidney damage, and Dental Fluorosis among other things. Amidst these negative findings, the
American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, the American Academy of Diabetes, the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, the American Nurses Association, the American Psychiatric Association,
the National Kidney Foundation, and the Society of Toxicology have discounted fluoride as a beneficial additive and no longer support its use (Kauffman, 2005). Additionally
there is an ethical argument surrounding city officials adding fluoride to drinking water supplies.
Fluoride is one of the most highly toxic substances present in our environment today. There are many different levels of toxicity:
Acute
In areas where fluoride compounds are naturally elevated in the drinking water, [fluorosis] are common (Limeback and Gingerich, 2007).
Exposure levels of 1-5 mg/kg body weight can create acute fluoride toxicity symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and in rare cases cardiac arrhythmias and death
(Fallon, 2006). Acute ingestion of fluoride can be fatal. Skin or eye contact with gaseous fluoride results in irritation of the skin or eyes.
Chronic
Fluoride is everywhere. It is present as a mineral and is ubiquitously present in natural water sources throughout the world. It is also added to toothpaste to prevent cavities and decay. The most common problem
associated with fluoride exposure is [fluorosis].
Dental fluorosis occurs in areas with a fluoride exposure level higher than 1.0 ppm (Fallon, 2006). Fluoride intake can cause mild symptoms such as white, opaque mottling of teeth
and enamel wear. At higher levels of exposure, severe dental fluorosis occurs with pronounced brown or black discoloration and pitting of teeth. Staining only happens with developing teeth below the gum line. As such,
any noticeable characteristic of dental fluorosis only indicates the fluoride exposure level an individual has had up to age 8-10 (Meenakshi, 2006). Dental fluorosis symptoms,
in effect, are more of a time capsule rather than a present indicator of fluoride exposure and may fail to determine alone whether adults currently suffer from excessive fluoride intake. Additionally, although fluoride
fosters bone formation, the new bones develop abnormally (Fallon, 2006).
Skeletal fluorosis happens at the advanced stage of fluorosis. Fluoride deposits in the joints of the neck, knees, pelvic and shoulder bones and hinders movement. In the early stages, back stiffness, burning sensations,
tingling or prickling, and muscle weakness arise and irregular calcium deposits show up in ligaments and bones. Advanced skeletal fluorosis creates osteoporosis, growth of bony spikes at the joint, vertebral fusion,
and even osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Damage to the entire musculoskeletal and nervous systems marks the end stage of advanced fluorosis (Meenakshi, 2006).
Overexposure to fluoride affects more than just bone and teeth. It can cause physical damage to human physiology by lowering hemoglobin count, distorting red blood cell shape, suppressing immunity, destroying enzymes
and disrupting the normal mechanisms of the excretory, digestive, and respiratory systems (Meenakshi, 2006). Children who drank water with fluoride levels exceeding 2.0 mg/L had
kidney and liver function damage, the latter independent of dental fluorosis (Xiong et al., 2007). Excessive fluoride intake can also cause mental harm in the forms of depression,
nervousness and symptoms similar to those of Alzheimer's disease as well as reproductive harm such as male sterility, still birth, and abortion (Meenakshi, 2006). [...] Read More
Introduction Fluoride, well established as one of the most toxic elements known to humans when ingested in large doses, is likely among the least understood medicines that
primary care practitioners may encounter in terms of its chronic toxicology. In areas of the world where Fluoride is naturally elevated in the drinking water,
endemic fluorosis is relatively common. This is a crippling skeletal condition and it is a major public health problem in the areas where
Fluoride levels are severely elevated (Ayoob and Gupta, 2006). Skeletal
[fluorosis] remains an undiagnosed problem in North America but there have been several obvious cases reported (Whyte, et al, 2005,
Eichmiller, et al, 2005, Boyle and Chagnon, 1995).
Even chronic exposure to relatively low daily doses of Fluoride can lead to joint pain, a symptom of early stage, skeletal [fluorosis].
While most dentists recognize that over exposure to Fluoride can result in Dental Fluorosis,
other health care professionals might be unaware that fluoride is toxic to other parts of the body. Physicians should be able to identify young patients at risk for
skeletal fluorosis by quickly examining their teeth. Excess Fluoride intake causes dental
[fluorosis], a mottling of teeth. Dental Fluorosis has been on the rise in North America because of the widespread
exposure to fluorides in fluoridated water, oral care products, pollution and synthetic chemicals including fluorinated drugs. While chronic [fluorosis] remains largely undetected, acute fluoride
poisoning is likely something that a family physician might actually encounter and treat.
Pharmacology of Fluoride Fluoride ions convert to [hydrofluoric acid] (HF) at pH 1.0-2.0 in the gut and are rapidly absorbed. Approximately 50% of ingested
Fluoride is excreted in the urine
(J. Ekstrand, G. Alván1, O. Boréus1, and A. Norlin). A small amount is excreted in the feces, saliva
and sweat. Serum Fluoride levels peak within 1 hour of ingestion and return to normal after approximately 3 to 5 hours.
Fluoride accumulates in patients with impaired kidney function and its retention is affected by the acid-base balance: a diet rich in meat protein will produce
an acidic renal filtrate and cause more Fluoride to be retained. Nearly all (99%) of retained Fluoride
is incorporated into developing bones and teeth in the mineral. Fluoride exchanges with the hydroxyl groups of existing hydroxyapatite crystals in bone to
form fluorapatite (FA), which is less soluble in acid. Tooth enamel with more FA is more resistant to acid erosion from dietary acids and the weak acids produced by oral bacteria that cause dental decay. Similarly,
FA in bone makes it more resistant to osteoclasts, which use protons to dissolve the mineral. The pharmacokinetics of Fluoride are described in detail by
Whitford (Whitford, 1999).
The Epidemiology of Fluorosis
In Canada most non-fluoridated communities have less than 0.3 mg/L (parts per million or ppm) Fluoride occurring naturally in their drinking water.
Fluoride is added to elevate the Fluoride level to 0.8 - 1.0 ppm, a level that was designed
to maximize the benefits of Fluoride and minimize Dental Fluorosis
(Brown and Polove, 1963). Many Canadian cities have been adding fluoridated chemicals, primarily silicofluorides, to the
drinking water for over 40 years. (Some cities - e.g. Vancouver, Montreal- for many reasons, did not fluoridate.) There has been a steady rise in the prevalence and severity of
Dental Fluorosis (Foman, et al, 2000 and
Rozier, 1999). [...] Read More
25 August 2011
Fluoridated Drinking Water Blues: Old Ideas and Adverse Effects Notes on the Fluoride Debate
This page examines the problems associated with the practice of drinking water fluoridation. The neurotoxic characteristics and widespread availability of fluoride are reviewed, and adverse effects
are discussed in detail, as is the ingestion of or exposure to fluoride from ubiquitous sources, natural and manufactured. Although fluoridated drinking water may be the main source of ingestion, fluoride
is now used in food processing and storage, in the production of everything from toothpaste to cigarettes, and is found in various pesticides and toxics. This information has been compiled from authoritative
sources for purposes of personal reference.
The issue of drinking water fluoridation remains hotly contested in some circles. The practice of adjusting fluoride concentration in drinking water,
begun in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 25 January 1945 in an effort to promote dental health, has become an established
and largely unquestioned tradition in many jurisdictions. Belief in the beneficial and benign effects of fluoridation was inculcated in many of us from an early age. But there are many now who
disagree with the practice on principle, and a great many more who, in result of medical challenges and in light of more resent research recognizing the many social, medical, nutritional and environmental
changes which have taken place in the last 60 years, are persuaded of the need to stop the practice — or filter their water in self-defense. Despite this, proponents of the practice have no
difficulty making what they consider an evidence-based case in support of fluoridation, and many are quick to brand water fluoridation opponents as cranks who use misinformation and rhetoric and make selective
use of the literature to induce doubts in the minds of the public and government officials. There is resistance, yes, but the time has come for a shift of paradigm.
Fluoride is added to our drinking water right here in Ottawa, Canada's capital.
Under the direction of the Medical Officer of Health, Ottawa adds fluoride to adjust the natural
concentration of the water supply to the level recommended for optimal dental care. fluoride is added to drinking water as a public health measure in accordance with provincial guidelines for drinking
water and recommendations supported by the Ontario's Ministry of Health, Health Canada, the World Health Organization and American and Canadian Dental Associations.
I have personal experience with the deleterious effects of fluoridation. Consider the opinion and evidence on both sides of the question, and see what you think.
Fluoride has been added to drinking water in Canada for a very long time. And a long list of experts have endorsed it ever since.
But none of them get to decide whether it happens in your community. That decision is generally made at the municipal level. And no matter what the experts say, municipalities keep revisiting this debate.
Ontario Today Podcast (17.08.11)
Host Lucy Vanoldenbarneveld interviews Heather Gingerich, medical geologist and anti-fluoride activist.
Source:The Fluoride Debate
The Current, Host: Anna Maria Tremonti. CBC
(10 January 2011) Adapted, several links added.
The debate over fluoride in our drinking water has raged across Canada for half-a-century. And now a proposal to ditch the fluoride in Calgary's water has re-ignited a fight over safety, liberty and good oral hygiene.
PART THREE
Fluoride - Panel
We started this segment with a clip from broadcaster, Gordon Sinclair speaking on CBC Radio in February of 1959 [see archives, Gordon Sinclair's rant]. At the time, Toronto had approved a plan to add fluoride to the city's drinking water. But it was facing
a wave of protests and legal challenges. In the end, the issue went to a plebiscite and fluoridation passed by the slimmest of margins.
Today, a similar debate is raging in Calgary. But this time, city council is weighing a motion to get rid of fluoride treatment. Calgary wouldn't be the first municipality to take this step. In the early 2000's,
several communities in British Columbia voted to get rid of fluoride
[Kitimat, Campbell River, Port Hardy, Squamish, Courtney, Comox and Kelowna].
Whitehorse got rid of fluoride in 1998. And Waterloo, Ontario voted to quit treating its water with fluoride in November.
The [Waterloo referendum] vote was tight, with 49.7 per cent voting 'yes,' and 50.3 per cent against fluoridation, which [had] been in place in the city for 44 years.
On Feb. 8, Calgary city council voted 10-3 in favour of removing fluoride from the city's drinking water. Earlier in the day, city council considered and rejected putting the issue to a plebiscite during
the 2013 municipal election. Council also rejected the idea of referring the matter to an expert panel.
The issue of fluoridation has proved a lightning rod for Calgarians, and has been a contentious issue for many Canadian municipalities in the past. To capture both sides of the debate, CBC News spoke to
two health-care professionals.
Dr. Robert C. Dickson is a family physician leading the anti-fluoridation campaign in Calgary. Dr. Lynn Tomkins is a Toronto dentist and president of the Ontario Dental Association and she supports fluoridation
in community water.
CBC: What is your position on fluoride in drinking water?
Dr. Dickson: Putting a toxic chemical like fluoride in the water just to make a small difference and to be affecting so many body systems at the same time is not ethical and is not safe. Fluoridation does not work.
It does not work ingested. It's like trying to ingest your sunscreen. Fluoride works topically.
Even the Centers for Disease Control in the States has said that, they've admitted that. The American Dental Association has admitted that. Health Canada has admitted that. So fluoride does not work ingested,
it works topically.
So let's put it on our teeth. Let's put it on with brushing. Let's put it on at the dentist, if you choose. Let's not put it inside our bodies where it doesn't work and where it causes a lot of harm and a lot
of toxicity. It works on the exterior of the teeth. So there's very very little — if any — effect coming from the inside out. It works topically on the teeth. That's why dentists do it in their offices. They
put the fluoride on your teeth, you're very careful not to swallow any there, you spit it out. And then you brush with fluoride. You brush with fluoridated toothpaste — and that goes topically as well.
Dr. Tomkins: We know that community water fluoridation is safe and effective and it reaches all populations and it prevents tooth decay. So we are very, very much in favour of community water fluoridation. There's a
tremendous body of scientific evidence that does show that water fluoridation — in the right amount — is safe and it is effective.
We have the support of over 90 national and international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, Health Canada — they all agree that water fluoridation is safe and effective.
We all benefit from water fluoridation, because the fluoride that is secreted in your saliva bathes your teeth daily and that helps reduce decay. It's an important adjunct to all of the other things you do to keep
your teeth healthy and you do benefit from it at any age. [...] Read More
Source:Fluoride Can Impair Thyroid Function
The Fluoride Action Network, posted by Dr. Joseph Mercola, Mercola.com (13 August 2011). Reprinted with permission; see credit below. Adapted; links, videos and additional references added.
It has been established that fluoride has the ability to alter your endocrine function, yet this fact is being ignored by the agencies and associations that continue to promote the practice of water fluoridation.
According to a 2006 report by the National Research Council of the National Academies1 ,
fluoride is "an endocrine disruptor in the broad sense of altering normal endocrine function."
This altered function can involve your thyroid, parathyroid, and pineal glands, as well as your adrenals, pancreas, and pituitary.
Your thyroid gland and its associated hormones are responsible for maintaining your body's overall metabolic rate, and for regulating normal growth and development. As all metabolically active cells require thyroid
hormone for proper functioning, disruption of this system can have a wide range of effects on virtually every system of your body. Thyroid dysfunction is considered among the most prevalent of endocrine diseases in the
United States.
Historical Use of Fluoride as a Medical Intervention for Hyperthyroid
Up until the 1970s, scientists in Europe prescribed fluoride to reduce the basal metabolism rate in patients with an over-active thyroid gland. One published clinical study from this period reported that doses of just
2 to 3 milligrams of fluoride—a dose that many, if not most, Americans now receive on a regular basis—were sufficient to reduce thyroid activity in hyperthyroid patients.
According to the US National Research Council, "several lines of information indicate an effect of fluoride exposure on
thyroid function."
Fluoride's potential to impair thyroid function is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that — up until the 1970s — European doctors used fluoride as a thyroid-suppressing
medication for patients with HYPER-thyroidism (over-active thyroid). Fluoride was utilized because it was found to be effective
at reducing the activity of the thyroid gland - even at doses as low as 2 mg/day.
Today, many people living in fluoridated communities are ingesting doses of fluoride (1.6-6.6 mg/day) that
fall within the range of doses (2 to 10 mg/day) once used by doctors to reduce thyroid activity in hyperthyroid patients.
While it may be that the thyroid in a patient with hyperthyroidism is particularly susceptible to the anti-thyroid actions of
fluoride, there is concern that current fluoride exposures may be playing a role in the widespread incidence
of HYPO-thyroidism (under-active thyroid) in the U.S.
Hypothyrodisim, most commonly diagnosed in
women over 40, is a serious
condition with a diverse range of symptoms including: fatigue, depression, weight gain, hair loss, muscle pains, increased levels of "bad" cholesterol (LDL), and heart disease. The drug
(Synthroid) used to treat hypothyroidism is now one of the top five prescribed drugs in the U.S.
As recommended by the US National Research Council: “The effects of fluoride on various aspects of endocrine function should
be examined further, particularly with respect to a possible role in the development of several diseases or mental states in the United States.”
The use of fluoride as an anti-thyroid treatment was prompted by research beginning in the 1800s2 linking fluoride ingestion to goiter, a swelling of the thyroid gland resulting from a
hypothyroid condition.
In its 2006 report Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards, the National Research Council (NRC) reported that "several lines of information indicate an effect of fluoride on thyroid function."
Specifically, the report discussed research showing that:
[f]luoride exposure in humans is associated with elevated TSH concentrations, increased goiter prevalence, and altered T4 and T3 concentrations; similar effects on T4 and T3 are
reported in experimental animals [...] [p.218]
In addition, the NRC discussed research linking fluoride to impacts on parathyroid activity, impairment of glucose tolerance, and possibly the timing of sexual maturity.
In light of these findings, the NRC panel recommended that the "effects of fluoride on various aspects of endocrine function should be examined further, particularly with respect to a possible role in the development of
several diseases or mental states in the United States"3. Despite this, proponents of fluoridation continue to ignore the scientific literature concerning the detrimental effects that fluoride has on the endocrine system.
Surprisingly Tiny Amounts of Fluoride Can Change Your Thyroid Function
Altered thyroid function is associated with fluoride intakes as low as 0.05-0.1 mg fluoride per kilogram body weight per day (mg/kg/day), or 0.03 mg/kg/day with iodine deficiency. Increased prevalence of goiter
(>20 percent) is associated with fluoride intakes of 0.07-0.13 mg/kg/day, or 0.01 mg/kg/day with iodine deficiency.4
For a 70 kg (154 pound) adult, this means that 3.5 mg fluoride per day (or 0.7 mg fluoride per day with iodine deficiency) could result in thyroid dysfunction. The most recent exposure analysis by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency5 estimates that the average American adult is consuming nearly 3 mg fluoride on a daily basis, and some are routinely ingesting 6 mg per day or more.
Professional Perspectives: Fluoride in Tap Water
Part of a new series of "Professional Perspectives" on Fluoride. In this short video, general and cosmetic dentist Dr. Bill Osmunson explains why he is now concerned about fluoride and water fluoridation. 15 January 2008. (00:5:18)
Even more concerning, however, are the doses of fluoride in children.
For a 14 kg (30 pound) child, fluoride intakes greater than 0.7 mg per day (or 0.14 mg per day with iodine deficiency) puts the child at risk for endocrine dysfunction. The EPA (2010) estimates children within this
weight range (1-3 year-olds) consume over 1.5 mg fluoride each day, or more than twice the amount necessary to induce altered thyroid function, even with an adequate iodine intake.
These chronic exposures could have profound and life-long effects on the intellectual, social, sexual and overall physical development of children.
Numerous studies have found a relationship between relatively low to moderate levels of fluoride exposure and reduced IQ in children6 . Even fluoride levels of less than 1.0 mg/L have been
associated with reduced IQ and increased frequency of hypothyroidism in children experiencing iodine deficiency7.
Professional Perspectives on Water Fluoridation
fluoridealert, 22 April 2011 (00:28:47)
In this full length video produced by the Fluoride Action Network, respected professional researchers, scientists, and health practitioners openly discuss their experience and opinions concerning the adverse health
effects and ethical problems associated with the public health policy of water fluoridation.
Featuring a Nobel Laureate in Medicine, three scientists from the National Research Council's landmark review on fluoride, as well as dentists, medical doctors, and leading researchers in the field, this
professionally-produced 28 minute DVD presents a powerful indictment of the water fluoridation program.
Iodine Deficiency, Fluoride, and Thyroid Disease
Iodine is necessary for proper functioning of your thyroid gland. As your body cannot produce its own iodine, it must be obtained from your diet. Iodine is sequestered into your thyroid gland, where it is
incorporated into the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) or triiodothyronine (T3). In healthy individuals these hormones are precisely regulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and are required by all
metabolically active cells in your body.
Iodine deficiency is known to be responsible for a variety of disorders—including hypothyroidism, goiter, and disturbances of physical and mental development. According to recent research, "normal" dietary
intake of iodine is 100-150 mcg per day, however greater amounts of iodine are recommended for pregnant and lactating women, as studies have shown that the most detrimental effects of iodine deficiency occur
during fetal and neonatal growth.
Fluoride, Frank Pangallo, www.todaytonightadelaide.com.au. Broadcast Date: 22.07.10.
State Of Wisconsin Circuit Court Fond Du Lac County
SAFE WATER ASSOCIATION, INC., Plaintiff,
vs.
CITY OF FOND DU LAC, Defendant.
Case No. 92 CV 579
AFFIDAVIT OF A.K. SUSHEELA, Ph.D.
IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT
Nation of India City of New Dehli
A. K. Susheela, Ph.D., being first duly sworn on oath, under penalty of perjury, and with personal knowledge of the information contained herein, respectfully states to the Court as follows: [...]
From my extensive experience, I state without hesitation and with a high degree of scientific certainty, the following evaluation of fluoridation.
Fluoride destroys muscle structure, muscle function and depletes muscle energy.
Fluoride destroys the bone.
Fluoride destroys the teeth.
Fluoride destroys the RBCs.
Fluoride destroys the Blood Vessels.
Fluoride destroys the lining of the stomach and intestine causing GI problems.
Evidence that is forthcoming also strongly suggests that in some individuals it causes infertility (not in all, depending on their hormonal status). [...]
The primary sources of iodine are saltwater fish and seaweed, with grains providing trace amounts. An estimated 2.2 billion people worldwide are at risk for iodine
deficiency8. Many countries have introduced iodine supplements into the food supply to combat deficiencies, such as has been done with table salt in the United States, where iodine
deficiency is generally no longer considered a problem.
However, data suggest that iodine intakes have decreased over the past few decades9. Although this decline may have stabilized in recent years10, more
than 11 percent of all Americans — and more than 15 percent of American women of child-bearing age — presently have urine iodine levels less than 50 mcg/L11, indicating
moderate to severe iodine deficiency. An additional 36 percent of reproductive-aged women in the U.S. are considered mildly iodine deficient (<100 mcg/L urinary iodine).
Considering the importance of iodine for proper functioning of your thyroid gland, and the importance of your thyroid gland for proper functioning of your entire body, any disturbances to this delicate balance
must be seriously considered. Your thyroid gland may be the most sensitive tissue in your body to fluoride12, with more fluoride accumulating in your thyroid than many other soft
tissues13.
Fluoride may directly or indirectly interfere with proper functioning of your thyroid gland, with potential actions including fluoride's ability to:
Mimic thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
Disrupt sensitive G-proteins, which serve as the building blocks of your body's hormone receptors
Disrupt conversion from the inactive form of the thyroid hormone (T4) to the active form (T3)
The Bizarre History Of Fluoride FULL VERSION — 29 March 2011. (1:01:31)
Inadequate diet — including deficiencies in iodine, calcium and protein — can play a key role in fluoride-induced thyroid dysfunction. For someone with a deficient diet and/or an already compromised thyroid gland, any of
the detrimental effects of fluoride exposure on the thyroid system, and thus the entire body, will likely be compounded. In fact, in one 2005 study, Gas'kov et al.15 determined that even an
increased intake of iodine would not be sufficient to counter the adverse effects of excessive fluoride exposure on the thyroid gland in children.
When the function of your thyroid gland is suppressed, your body cannot produce or maintain adequate levels of T3 and T4, resulting in a condition known as hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism is Pervasive Among Women
According to PubMed Health, women over the age of 50 are at the highest risk for developing hypothyroidism, or under-active thyroid. Nearly 4 percent of the U.S. population (over 11 million people) have overt
hypothyroidism.16 Perhaps an additional 10 percent of the general population (21 million people) have subclinical hypothyroidism, which is considered a strong risk factor for later
development of overt hypothyroidism.
It is important to understand that even these surprisingly large numbers likely vastly underreport the number of women that are affected as they rely on outdated
criteria to diagnose hypothyroidism.
The frequency of hypothyroidism tends to increase with age—one 2010 study estimates that up to 20 percent of older age groups have some form of hypothyroidism. Synthroid and Armour, both pharmaceuticals used to
treat hypothyroidism, were the 7th and 73rd top selling drugs in the United States in 2009, with over 24 million combined units sold.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism are numerous, and may include:
fatigue, loss of energy, general lethargy
muscle and/or joint pain
depression
weight gain
hair loss
carpal tunnel syndrome
weakness in extremities
menstrual disturbances
impaired fertility
fullness in the throat, hoarseness
increased "bad" cholesterol (LDL)
emotional instability
mental impairment
cold intolerance
decreased sweating
puffiness
coarse or dry skin and hair
sleep apnea
forgetfulness, impaired memory, inability to concentrate
bradycardia (reduced heart rate)
decreased appetite
constipation
increased risk of heart disease
decreased hearing
blurred vision
Despite a higher incidence in older populations, the rate of primary (neonatal) congenital hypothyroidism has increased by nearly 75 percent over the past two decades in the United States, now affecting 1 in every 2,370
births17. Untreated neonatal hypothyroidism can lead to mental retardation, growth retardation, and heart problems. Children with congenital or juvenile hypothyroidism have been reported
to have delayed eruption of teeth and/or enamel defects, although the connection between these findings and the impact of fluoride on the thyroid has not been studied18.
Also extremely concerning is the inverse relationship between the severity of subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnant women and the reduced IQ of their children19. Maternal subclinical
hypothyroidism has also been proposed as a cause or contributor in the development of autism20.
Fluoride's potential to impact the thyroid gland highlights, yet again, the need for a precautionary approach to the indiscriminate use of fluorides. The deliberate addition of fluoride to public drinking water
supplies is particularly problematic, as it exposes your entire body — not just your teeth — to a biologically-active substance, without regard to individual need or sensitivity, and thereby violates
key principles of modern pharmacology.
References
National Research Council. 2006.
Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards.
National Academies Press: Washington, DC. 507 pp.
Maumené E. 1854.
Experiencé pour déterminer l'action des fluores sur l'economie animale.
Compt Rend Acad Sci (Paris) 39:538-539 (1854)
May W. 1935.
Antagonismus Zwischen Jod und Fluor im Organismus.
Klinische Wochenschrift 14:790-92.
National Research Council. 2006.
Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards.
National Academies Press: Washington, DC.
idem.
EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2010.
Fluoride: Exposure and Relative Source Contribution Analysis.
Health and Ecological Criteria Division. Office of Water. Washington, D.C.
Connett P, Beck J, Micklem HS. 2010.
The Case Against Fluoride. How Hazardous Waste Ended Up in Our Drinking Water and the Bad Science and Powerful Politics That Keep It There.
Chelsea Green Publishing: White River Junction, VT. 372pp.
Ding Y, Gao Y, Sun H, et al. 2011.
The relationships between low levels of urine fluoride on children's intelligence, dental fluorosis in endemic fluorosis areas in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, China.
J Hazard Mater. Feb 28;186(2-3):1942-6.
Xiang Q, Liang Y, Chen B, et al. 2010.
Serum fluoride level and children's Intelligence Quotient in two villages in China.
Env Health Persp. (Online 17 Dec 2010). doi:10.1289/ehp.1003171.
Lin FF, Aihaiti HX, Zhao J, et al. 1991.
The relationship of a low-iodine and high-fluoride environment to subclinical cretinism in Xinjiang.
IDD Newsletter 7(3):24-25.
ICCIDD (International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders). 2011. Iodine Deficiency.
Hollowell JG, Staehling NW, Hannon WH, et al. 1998.
Iodine nutrition in the United States. Trends and public health implications: iodine excretion data from NHANES I and III (1971-1974 and 1988-1994).
J Clin Endocrin Metab. 83(10):3401-8.
Lee SL, et al. 2009. Iodine Deficiency. Medscape Reference.
Caldwell KL, Miller GA, Wang RY, et al. 2008.
Iodine status of the U.S. population, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004.
Thyroid. 18(11):1207-14.
Shashi A. 1988.
Biochemical effects of Fluoride on thyroid gland duringexperimental fluorosis.
Fluoride. 21:127–130.
Monsour PA, Kruger BJ. 1985.
Effect of fluoride on soft tissue in vertebrates.
Fluoride. 18:53-61.
Call RA, Greenwood DA, LeCheminant H, et al. 1965.
Histological and chemical studies in man on effects of fluoride. Pub Health Reports. 80(6):529-38.
Ge Y, Ning H, Wang S, Wang J. 2005.
DNA damage in thyroid gland cells of rats exposed to long-term intake of high fluoride and low iodine. Fluoride 38(4):318-23.
Gas'kov A, Savchenkov MF, Lushkov NN. 2005.
[The specific features of the development of iodine deficiencies in children living under environmental pollution with fluorine compounds] [in Russian]. Gig Sanit. Nov-Dec (6):53-5.
Aoki Y, Belin RM, Clickner R, et al. 2007.
Serum TSH and total T4 in the United States population and their association with participant characteristics: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-2002).
Thyroid. 17(12):1211-23.
Olney RS, Grosse SD, Vogt RF. 2010.
Prevalence of Congenital Hypothyroidism—Current Trends and Future Directions: Workshop Summary.
Pediatrics. 125, May 2010, pp. S31-S36. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-1975C.
National Research Council. 2006.
Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA's Standards.
National Academies Press: Washington, DC.
Klein RZ, Sargent JD, Larsen PR, et al. 2001.
Relation of severity of maternal hypothyroidism to cognitive development in offspring.
J Med Screen. 8(1):18-20.
Román GC. 2007.
Autism: Transient in utero hypothyroxinemia related to maternal flavonoid ingestion during pregnancy and to other environmental antithyroid agents.
J Neuro Sci. 262:15-26.
Sullivan KM. 2009.
Iodine deficiency as a cause of autism.J Neuro Sci. 276:202.
Additional Sources
Fluoride Deception, Parts 1 & 2
Christopher Bryson. 29 June 2006. (00:09:37 | 00:09:30)
In this video, award-winning journalist Christopher Bryson examines one of the great secret narratives of the industrial era; how a grim workplace poison and the most damaging environmental
pollutant of the cold war was added to our drinking water and toothpaste.
Andersson M, de Benoist B, Delange F, Zupan J. 2007.
Prevention and control of iodine deficiency in pregnant and lactating women and in children less than 2-years-old: conclusions and recommendations of the Technical Consultation.
Public Health Nutr. 10(12A):1606-11.
Bharaktiya S, et al., 2010. Hypothyroidism. Medscape Reference.
Delange F. 2004.
Optimal iodine nutrition during pregnancy, lactation and neonatal period. Int J Endocrinol Metab 89:3851.
Drugs.com. Undated. Top-selling drugs of 2009.
IOM (Institute of Medicine). 2001.
Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc.
A Report of the Panel On Micronutrients, Subcommittees on Upper Reference Levels of Nutrients and of Interpretation and Uses of Dietary Reference Intakes, and the Standing Committee on the Scientific
Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes, Food and Nutrition Board.
National Academy Press: Washington, D.C.
Larsen PR, Davies TF, Schlumberger MJ, Hay ID. 2002.
Thyroid physiology and diagnostic evaluation of patients with thyroid disorders.
In Williams Textbook of Endocrinology, 10th Ed., pp:331-373.
Larsen PR, Krongenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, eds.
Saunders: Philadelphia, PA.
PubMed Health. 2009. Neonatal hypothyroidism.
PubMed Health. 2010. Hypothyroidism.
Wang H, Yang Z, Zhou B, et al. 2009.
Fluoride-induced thyroid dysfunction in rats: roles of dietary protein and calcium level.
Toxicol Ind Health. 25(1):49-57.
Zimmermann MB. 2009.
Iodine deficiency in pregnancy and the effects of maternal iodine supplementation on the offspring: a review.
Am J Clin Nutr. 89(2):668S-72S.
What You Can Do TODAY!
The Fluoride Action Network has a game
plan to END water fluoridation in both Canada and the United States, and this Fluoride Awareness Week will hopefully bring us a lot closer to that goal by spreading mass awareness.
We're pleased to report that during Fluoride Awareness Week, yet another city, Philomath in Oregon, decided to remove fluoride from their water supply! Proof again that there is hope for change in your city, and you CAN
make it happen.
Our fluoride initiative is primarily focused on Canada since 60 percent of Canada is already non-fluoridated. If we can get the rest of Canada to stop fluoridating their water, we believe the U.S. will be forced to follow.
Please, join the anti-fluoride movement in Canada, New Zealand and the United States by contacting the representative for your area below.
If you are a mom and want to see an end to water fluoridation, you can also contact a new group called "Moms Against Fluoridation" by sending an email to:
info@MomsAgainstFluoridation.org.
Contact Information for Canadian Communities:
If you live in Ontario, Canada, please join the ongoing effort by contacting Diane Sprules at diane.sprules@cogeco.ca.
The point-of-contact for Toronto, Canada is Aliss Terpstra. You may email her at aliss@nutrimom.ca.
Contact Information for American Communities:
We're also going to address three US communities: New York City, Austin, and San Diego:
New York City, NY: With the recent victory in Calgary, New York City is the next big emphasis. The anti-fluoridation movement has a great champion in New York City
councilor Peter Vallone, Jr. who introduced legislation on January 18 "prohibiting the addition of fluoride to the water supply."
A victory there could signal the beginning of the end of fluoridation in the U.S.
If you live in the New York area I beg you to participate in this effort as your contribution could have a MAJOR difference. Remember that one person can make a difference.
The point person for this area is Carol Kopf, at the New York Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation (NYSCOF). Email her at NYSCOF@aol.com . Please contact
her if you're interested in helping with this effort.
POB 7486
Austin, Texas 78713
Phone: (512) 371-3786
San Diego, California: Contact Patty Ducey-Brooks, publisher of the Presidio Sentinel at pbrooks936@aol.com.
Contact Information for New Zealand Communities:
New Zealand: Contact Mary Byrne if you would like to be involved in stopping fluoridation in New Zealand. Mary would like to hear from you! Email her at:
mbyrne64@yahoo.co.nz
In addition, you can:
Tell the EPA you expect them to uphold their duty to protect you and your children from this toxic food fumigant.
Introduction
Fluoridation is the practice of adding a fluoride compound to the public drinking water supply ostensibly for the purpose of fighting tooth decay. The levels used range from 0.6 to 1.2 milligrams of fluoride ion per
liter (or parts per million, ppm). The practice began in the U.S. in 1945 and was endorsed by the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) in 1950. Very few countries have adopted this practice to any significant extent. Only
eight countries in the world have more than 50% of their populations drinking artificially fluoridated water (Australia, Colombia, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the U.S.). In Europe, only Ireland
(with 73% of the population fluoridated), the U.K. (10%) and Spain (10%) fluoridate some of their water supplies. In the U.S., about 70% of the population is drinking fluoridated water – that is approximately 200 million
people and about half the number of people drinking artificially fluoridated water worldwide. Some countries have areas with high natural fluoride levels in the water. These include India, China and parts of Africa. In
these countries measures are being taken to remove the fluoride because of the health problems that fluoride can cause.
Fluoridation is a bad medical practice
Fluoride is the only chemical added to water for the purpose of medical treatment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies fluoride as a drug when used to prevent or mitigate disease (FDA 2000).
As a matter of basic logic, adding fluoride to water for the sole purpose of preventing tooth decay (a non-waterborne disease) is a form of medical treatment. All other water treatment chemicals are added to improve the
water's quality or safety, which fluoride does not do.
Fluoridation is unethical. Informed consent is standard practice for all medication, and one of the key reasons why most of Western Europe has ruled against fluoridation. With water fluoridation we are allowing
governments to do to whole communities (forcing people to take a medicine irrespective of their consent) what individual doctors cannot do to individual patients. While referenda are preferential to imposed policies
from government, it still leaves the problem of individual rights versus majority rule. Put another way: Does a voter have the right to require that their neighbor ingest a certain medication (even if it is against that
neighbor's will)?
The dose cannot be controlled. Once fluoride is put in the water it is impossible to control the dose each individual receives because people drink different amounts of water. Being able to control the dose a
patient receives is critical. Some people (e.g., manual laborers, athletes, diabetics, and people with kidney disease) drink substantially more water than others.
The fluoride goes to everyone regardless of age, health or vulnerability. According to Dr. Arvid Carlsson, the 2000 Nobel Laureate in Medicine and Physiology and one of the scientists who helped keep fluoridation
out of Sweden:
Water fluoridation goes against leading princi- ples of pharmacother- apy, which is progressing from a stereotyped medication — of the type 1 tablet 3 times a day — to a much more
individualized therapy as regards both dosage and selection of drugs. The addition of drugs to the drinking water means exactly the oppo- site of an individualized therapy (Carlsson 1978).
People now receive fluoride from many other sources besides water. Fluoridated water is not the only way people are exposed to fluoride. Other sources of fluoride include food and beverages processed with
fluoridated water (Kiritsy 1996; Heilman 1999), fluoridated dental products (Bentley 1999; Levy 1999), mechanically deboned meat (Fein 2001), tea (Levy 1999), and pesticide residues (e.g., from cryolite) on food
(Stannard 1991; Burgstahler 1997). It is now widely acknowledged that exposure to non-water sources of fluoride has significantly increased since the water fluoridation program first began (NRC 2006).
Fluoride is not an essential nutrient. (National Research Council [NRC] 1993; Institute of Medicine [IOM] 1997, NRC 2006). No disease has ever been linked to a fluoride deficiency. It has never been shown that
ingested fluoride is needed to produce decay-free teeth. Not a single biological process has been shown to require fluoride. On the contrary there is extensive evidence that fluoride can interfere with many important
biological processes. Fluoride interferes with numerous enzymes (Waldbott 1978). In combination with aluminum, fluoride interferes with G-proteins (Bigay 1985, 1987). Such interactions give aluminum-fluoride complexes
the potential to interfere with signals from growth factors, hormones and neurotransmitters (Strunecka & Patocka 1999; Li 2003). More and more studies are indicating that fluoride can interfere with biochemistry in
fundamental ways (Barbier 2010).
The level in mothers' milk is very low. Considering reason #6 it is perhaps not surprising that the level of fluoride in mother's milk is remarkably low (0.004 ppm, NRC, 2006). This means that a bottle-fed
baby consuming fluoridated water (0.6 – 1.2 ppm) can get up to 300 times more fluoride than a breast-fed baby. There are no benefits (see reasons #11-19), only risks (see reasons #21-36), for infants ingesting this
heightened level of fluoride at such an early age (an age where susceptibility to environmental toxins is particularly high).
Fluoride accumulates in the body.. Healthy adult kidneys excrete 50 to 60% of the fluoride they ingest each day (Marier & Rose 1971). The remainder accumulates in the body, largely in calcifying tissues such
as the bones and pineal gland (Luke 1997, 2001). Infants and children excrete less fluoride from their kidneys and take up to 80% of ingested fluoride into their bones (Ekstrand 1994). The fluoride concentration in bone
steadily increases over a lifetime (NRC 2006).
No health agency in fluoridated countries is monitoring fluoride exposure or side effects. No regular measurements are being made of the levels of fluoride in urine, blood, bones, hair, or nails of either the
general population or sensitive subparts of the population (e.g., individuals with kidney disease).
There has never been a single randomized clinical trial to demonstrate fluoridation's effectiveness or safety. Despite the fact that fluoride has been added to community water supplies for over 60 years,
"there have been no randomized trials of water fluoridation" (Cheng 2007). Randomized studies are the standard method for determining the safety and effectiveness of any purportedly beneficial medical treatment.
In 2000, the British Government's "York Review" could not give a single fluoridation trial a Grade A classification – despite 50 years of research (McDonagh 2000). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues
to classify fluoride as an "unapproved new drug."
Swallowing fluoride provides no (or very little) benefit
Benefit is topical not systemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 1999, 2001) has now acknowledged that the mechanism of fluoride's benefits are mainly topical, not systemic. There is no need whatsoever, therefore, to swallow fluoride to protect teeth. Since the purported benefit of fluoride is topical, and the risks are systemic, it makes more sense to deliver the fluoride directly to the tooth in the form of toothpaste. Since swallowing fluoride is unnecessary, and potentially dangerous, there is no justification for forcing people (against their will) to ingest fluoride through their water supply.
The Case Against Fluoride: How Hazardous Waste Ended Up in Our Drinking Water and the Bad Science and Powerful Politics That Keep It There Paul Connett, James Beck, H. Spedding Micklem.
Chelsea Green Publishing
1 edition (2010:392pp.)
Twenty-three human studies that report an association of lowered IQ with fluoride exposure, with many more onsite, as well as animal and biochemical studies.
Research on the Intellectual Development of Children in High Fluoride Areas
Yongxiang Chen, Fanlin Han, Zhenlong Zhou, Huiqin Zhang, Xisheng Jiao, Suocheng Zhang, Mengcai Huang, Tianqin Chang, Youfa Dong.
Fluoride. April-June 2008;41(2):120–24.
Julian Brooke, Trans. Originally published in Chinese Journal of Control of Endemic Diseases 1991;6 Suppl:99-100.
The Relationship of a Low-Iodine and High-Fluoride Environment to Subclinical Cretinism in Xinjiang
Un Fa-Fu, Aihaiti, Zhao Hong-Xin, Un Jin, Jiang Ji-Yong, Maimaiti, Aiken.
Xinjiang Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Research; Office of Leading Group for Endemic Disease Control of Hetian Prefectural Committee of the Communist Party of China; and County Health and Epidemic Prevention
Station, Yutian, Xinjiang. Iodine Deficiency Disorder Newsletter 1991;7(3):24-25.
Intraspec.ca : Tools for Personal Development — Readings, writings and research on matters of health and well-being. Richard Dagan. 2002-2012. A not-for-profit site.
All site content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Exceptions, where copyright resides with the original author or current holder thereof, include all excerpted text and third-party images provided herein. All such material is presented in accord with
fair dealing and
fair use, fully cited, and hyperlinked to source whenever possible.
Logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Country flags courtesy ConveyThis.
Translation service courtesy Google.com. For privacy and legal notices, see
About.
