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Fluoride Linked to Low IQ, Studies Show
From Fluoride Action Network
Monday, August 25, 2003
Children's intelligence declines as their natural drinking water
fluoride levels increase, concluded a Chinese study in the May 2003
journal, "Fluoride."
Children scored inferior IQ's even when fluoride levels were similar
to that added to U.S. water supplies to prevent tooth decay(1).
"As the fluoride levels in drinking water increased, the IQ fell
and the rates of mental retardation and borderline intelligence
increased," write researchers Xiang, et al.
Tested were 512 children, aged 8-13 years from Wamiao, a high-fluoride
village, and Xinhuai, a low-fluoride village. The high-fluoride
village was divided into five subgroups by water fluoride levels, from
0.62 mg Fluoride per Liter to 4.38 mg F/L. As water fluoride levels
increased within the high fluoride village, IQ decreased.
"When the data from the 512 children in the two villages were
considered as a whole, a significant inverse correlation was found
between IQ and the level of fluoride in urine," the researchers
report. "These results are consistent with the findings recorded
by Li at al.(3), Zhao et al.(4), and Lu et al.(5) of an inverse
correlation between intelligence and dietary fluoride from either
contaminated food or drinking water," they report.
Neither village experiences coal burning pollution nor do residents
drink brick tea, two common fluoride sources in China. Children with
brain disease or head injury history were excluded. Only water
fluoride levels differed between the two rural, low-income villages
situated in the same province (Jiangsu) and county. Neither blood lead
levels(2) nor urinary iodine differed between the test groups. The
authors also controlled for family income and parental education
Fluoride crosses the blood-brain barrier producing biochemical and
functional impairment of the nervous system during the developmental
periods of infancy and childhood, the authors report.
"...despite growing evidence of serious neurotoxicity for both
fluoride and lead, U.S. safety standards for fluoride in water have
been moving in the opposite direction to those for lead in blood. From
a scientific standpoint, this is very difficult to understand or to
justify," says organic chemist Albert Burgstahler, Ph.D., Editor,
Fluoride(5a).
Chemistry Professor Paul Connett, Ph.D., presented (5b http://www.fluoridealert.org/nrc-paper.pdf
) and explained these and other fluoride adverse-effect studies,
published since 1993, to the National Academy of Sciences' National
Research Council (NRC) panel studying "Toxicologic Risk of
Fluoride in Drinking Water"(6) on 8/12/03. See power point
presentation at http://www.fluoridealert.org/NRC-final.ppt . The NRC
will recommend safe levels of fluoride in drinking water
"Two neurological studies are particularly important," says
Connett. "In 1995 Mullenix and colleagues(7) discovered fluoride
gets into the brain, contrary to former beliefs. Then Varner and his
team, in 1998,(8) found that even 1 part per million fluoride, the
amount purposely added to U.S. water supplies, facilitated uptake of
aluminum into rats' brains causing amyloid deposits similar to
Alzheimer's patients," says Connett.
The American Dental Association (ADA), a union that represents
dentists' interests, told the NRC panel "... the ADA urges the
subcommittee to support retaining the current (1993)
regulations...Since that time, there has been no published scientific
evidence that should change those conclusions," according to the
ADA news.(9)
"Contrary to the ADA's assurances of fluoridation's safety, the
ADA is disregarding new adverse fluoride studies," says Attorney
Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to
Fluoridation. "The ADA can't be relied on by the media,
legislators, health officials and the public about fluoride and
fluoridation's safety or bodily effects," says Beeber.
Contact:
Albert Burgstahler, awburg@ku.edu, http://www.fluoride-journal.com,
Paul Connett, ggvideo@northnet.org, http://www.fluoridealert.org
Paul Beeber, nyscof@aol.com, http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof
References
1) "Effect of Fluoride in Drinking Water on Children's
Intelligence," Fluoride, Xiang et al., May 2003
2) "Blood Lead of Children in Wamiao-Xinhuai Intelligence
Study," letter Fluoride Xiang et al, August 2003
3) Li et al., "Effect of excessive fluoride intake on mental work
capacity of children and preliminary study of its mechanism," J
West China University of Medical Sciences 1994; 25:188-9
4) Zhao LB, et al., "Effect of a high fluoride water supply on
children's intelligence, Fluoride 1996;29:190-2
5) Lu Y. et al., Fluoride Vol. 33 No. 2 74-78 2000 "Effect of
High-Fluoride Water on Intelligence in Children"
http://www.fluoride-journal.com/00-33-2/332-74.pdf
5a) Editorial, Fluoride Vol. 35 No. 2 79-81 2003, by Albert W.
Burgstahler, Editor
5b) Paul Connett's presentation to the NRC
http://www.fluoridealert.org/nrc-paper.pdf
6) Toxicologic Risk of Fluoride in Drinking Water
http://www4.nas.edu/webcr.nsf/5c50571a75df494485256a95007a091e/22e94ca1755cb92685256d0f005f6839?OpenDocument
7) Mullenix, PJ, et al, "Neurotoxicity of sodium fluoride in
rats," Neurotoxicity and Teratology, 1995;17:169-72
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7760776&dopt=Abstract
8) Varner JA, et al., "Chronic administration of
aluminum-fluoride or sodium-fluoride to rats in drinking water:
alterations in neuronal and cerebrovascular integrity," Brain
Res. 1998 Feb
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9518651&dopt=Abstract
(9) ADA NEWS, "Association urges NAS review panel to support
current EPA fluoride practices, by Craig Palmer, posted August 14,
2003
http://www.ada.org/prof/pubs/daily/0308/0814wash.html
Also See: Fluoride and the Brain
http://www.fluoridation.com/brain.htm
http://www.slweb.org/bibliography.html#brain
Co-Founder
Fluoride Action Network
ggvideo@northnet.org
Web site:
http://www.fluoridealert.org
