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Fluoride in tap water and thyroid function
Has anyone else read about or experienced the effect of fluoride on thyroid function?
According to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Thyroid Disease by Dr. Alan Christianson and Hy Bender copyright 2011, "Fluoride is so effective at reducing T4 and T3 production that it's used as a a treatment for hyperthyroidism. If you're on the verge of being hypothyroid, though, fluoride is likely to push you over the edge. And if you're already hypothyroid, fluoride can make your condition even worse."
The book recommends installing a reverse osmosis filter for your tap water or drinking bottled water. I have no idea how much this costs and whether it can be uninstalled as I rent an apartment.I know some bottled water has fluoride in it and it would really add to my grocery bill.
Water is my beverage of choice so this concerns me. I drink a lot of water from the tap as is and make hot tea with it daily.
According to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Thyroid Disease by Dr. Alan Christianson and Hy Bender copyright 2011, "Fluoride is so effective at reducing T4 and T3 production that it's used as a a treatment for hyperthyroidism. If you're on the verge of being hypothyroid, though, fluoride is likely to push you over the edge. And if you're already hypothyroid, fluoride can make your condition even worse."
The book recommends installing a reverse osmosis filter for your tap water or drinking bottled water. I have no idea how much this costs and whether it can be uninstalled as I rent an apartment.I know some bottled water has fluoride in it and it would really add to my grocery bill.
Water is my beverage of choice so this concerns me. I drink a lot of water from the tap as is and make hot tea with it daily.
I was given fluoride tablets (pharmaceutical grade) from age 5 to around age 13 and I have dental fluorosis. It's not that bad thankfully. I've seen really bad cases online. I can't say if my thyroid was affected or not since I had undiagnosed juvenile pernicious anaemia. By age 15, I can 100% say I had hypothyroid symptoms (not thyroid gland related but cellular). Not sure what the problem is but could be something to do with insulin.
Fluoride was added to the town's water supply so I switched to spring water. My ex neighbour brings over water from her rainwater tank as well. A few years later the fluoride was removed from the town's water supply so I tried the tap water again. Tastes terrible! I'll stick to spring or rain water!
Fluroride Alert has a lot of info.
"In total, 377,655,000 million people worldwide drink artificially fluoridated water. This represents 5% of the world’s population. There are more people drinking fluoridated water in the United States than the rest of the world combined. There is no difference in tooth decay between western nations that fluoridate their water and those that do not."
Fluoride was added to the town's water supply so I switched to spring water. My ex neighbour brings over water from her rainwater tank as well. A few years later the fluoride was removed from the town's water supply so I tried the tap water again. Tastes terrible! I'll stick to spring or rain water!
Fluroride Alert has a lot of info.
"In total, 377,655,000 million people worldwide drink artificially fluoridated water. This represents 5% of the world’s population. There are more people drinking fluoridated water in the United States than the rest of the world combined. There is no difference in tooth decay between western nations that fluoridate their water and those that do not."
I also wonder about soda and juice manufacturers. They are most likley located in a municipal location where they get their water to make these beverages with city water. Most likely that has Fluoride in it. Now MAYBE they treat the water to remove the Fluoride, but I doubt it.
So many of the drinks we have probably are pretty likely to have Fluoride in it.
Bottom line in my mind is that if as it seems that there is no longer significant proven scientific benefits to teeth. Then whether dangerous or not, there is no reason to add it and the costs of adding it to municipal drinking water and additional costs to the taxpayers to pay for to add it to the water, pay to have the water tested for this chemical etc. All for no real evidence that it even contributes to teeth. It just makes no sense.
And even IF there is benefits to developing teeth in kids. It still makes zero sense to me to add it to the entire drinking water for EVERY human in the area to be forced to injest a known toxin (even at "safe levels") which benefits ONLY the children in a small age group. Why not just sell a supplment for these kids instead of forcing everyone to have something they don't need. AND have to pay for it in taxes besides. It makes absolutely no sense. We have just gotten used to it as normal as we've been adding Fluoride for 50+ years. But we all know the idea of "normal" doesn't make it right.
But just because we've always done it one way ofr decades does not necessarily make it right.
So many of the drinks we have probably are pretty likely to have Fluoride in it.
Bottom line in my mind is that if as it seems that there is no longer significant proven scientific benefits to teeth. Then whether dangerous or not, there is no reason to add it and the costs of adding it to municipal drinking water and additional costs to the taxpayers to pay for to add it to the water, pay to have the water tested for this chemical etc. All for no real evidence that it even contributes to teeth. It just makes no sense.
And even IF there is benefits to developing teeth in kids. It still makes zero sense to me to add it to the entire drinking water for EVERY human in the area to be forced to injest a known toxin (even at "safe levels") which benefits ONLY the children in a small age group. Why not just sell a supplment for these kids instead of forcing everyone to have something they don't need. AND have to pay for it in taxes besides. It makes absolutely no sense. We have just gotten used to it as normal as we've been adding Fluoride for 50+ years. But we all know the idea of "normal" doesn't make it right.
But just because we've always done it one way ofr decades does not necessarily make it right.
COMMUNITY LEADER
"How many people who use this forum and have hypothyroidism have been drinking tap water as their beverage of choice for their lifetime?"
Most of us drink tap water as our beverage of choice, but not all tap water is fluoridated; I have no idea how many people have come through this forum who drink fluoridated water. I have no idea how it works in Canada, but I do know that in the U.S., and particularly, in FL, the majority of public water systems do NOT use fluoride. Typically, it's only the very large municipal systems that do, and those that do have to comply with very stringent regulations.
"I think it is a legitimate concern and fluoride could be a contributing factor in the growing numbers of individuals developing and suffering with thyroid disorders."
Fluoride "could" be a contributing factor, but from what I've seen, the absolute scientific evidence to back up the idea, just isn't there yet.
There "may" be other contributors to hypothyroidism that may be of more importance. There are certain medications that can contribute to hypothyroidism and for all we know, even some of the supplements that we buy in the local health food store, could be contributors.
Most of us drink tap water as our beverage of choice, but not all tap water is fluoridated; I have no idea how many people have come through this forum who drink fluoridated water. I have no idea how it works in Canada, but I do know that in the U.S., and particularly, in FL, the majority of public water systems do NOT use fluoride. Typically, it's only the very large municipal systems that do, and those that do have to comply with very stringent regulations.
"I think it is a legitimate concern and fluoride could be a contributing factor in the growing numbers of individuals developing and suffering with thyroid disorders."
Fluoride "could" be a contributing factor, but from what I've seen, the absolute scientific evidence to back up the idea, just isn't there yet.
There "may" be other contributors to hypothyroidism that may be of more importance. There are certain medications that can contribute to hypothyroidism and for all we know, even some of the supplements that we buy in the local health food store, could be contributors.
You have stated,
"Fluoride is only toxic if you consume too much" and I'm not necessarily a "fan" of fluoride in drinking water, but, having worked in the water treatment industry for over 20 yrs, this seems to be much ado about nothing, since the limits of fluoride are very strictly regulated.
I think it is a legitimate concern and fluoride could be a contributing factor in the growing numbers of individuals developing and suffering with thyroid disorders.
How many people who use this forum and have hypothyroidism have been drinking tap water as their beverage of choice for their lifetime?
"Fluoride is only toxic if you consume too much" and I'm not necessarily a "fan" of fluoride in drinking water, but, having worked in the water treatment industry for over 20 yrs, this seems to be much ado about nothing, since the limits of fluoride are very strictly regulated.
I think it is a legitimate concern and fluoride could be a contributing factor in the growing numbers of individuals developing and suffering with thyroid disorders.
How many people who use this forum and have hypothyroidism have been drinking tap water as their beverage of choice for their lifetime?
COMMUNITY LEADER
I'm not advocating the addition of fluoride to the water; for the most part, it's probably not necessary, because of the various other ways it can be ingested.
I was mostly addressing the comments linking fluoride use to political leanings and the suggestion that adding fluoride is just as bad as adding arsenic to drinking water.
I was also addressing your question about how things would compare, in Canada. I was pointing out that I don't know your laws or statistics, so I can't answer your question.
And actually, there are some areas, in which the water is very low in fluoride and there may very well BE a reason to add it.
I, typically, have a problem with "across the board" statements, that imply "everybody" needs this, or "nobody" needs that. Every person and situation is different.
I was mostly addressing the comments linking fluoride use to political leanings and the suggestion that adding fluoride is just as bad as adding arsenic to drinking water.
I was also addressing your question about how things would compare, in Canada. I was pointing out that I don't know your laws or statistics, so I can't answer your question.
And actually, there are some areas, in which the water is very low in fluoride and there may very well BE a reason to add it.
I, typically, have a problem with "across the board" statements, that imply "everybody" needs this, or "nobody" needs that. Every person and situation is different.
What I agreed with was the following statements by flyingfool, "there is no way that it needs to be added to drinking water" since people can choose to purchase toothpaste with fluoride if they wish to. It's readily available and affordable.
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