Fluoride in Water: The Science Behind a Toxic Practice

Water fluoridation is the practice of adding fluoride to public drinking water supplies, which began in the United States in the mid-20th century as a public health initiative, supposedly to reduce dental cavities. However, recent scientific discoveries have confirmed prior research about the toxicity of this practice. Consumption of any amount of fluoride can lead to a range of adverse health effects, including dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis, thyroid dysfunction, and potential neurotoxic impacts. As fluoride exposure also comes from various sources such as toothpaste, food, and beverages, it becomes crucial to understand the cumulative impact to prevent excess intake.

The dangers were known decades ago. As noted by G. Edward Griffin, in his book, A World Without Cancer:

"West Germany banned fluoridation on January 4, 1971. Sweden did so on November 18, 1971. And the highest court in the Netherlands declared fluoridation illegal on Jue 22, 1973. As the National Health Federation asked: 'Do these countries know something we don’t, or refuse to accept?'” 

Clearly, they did know something, and the evidence continues to corroborate their concerns. 

Fluoride:Toxic to Human Biochemistry

For starters, extensive evidence exists that fluoride impairs enzymes, growth factors, hormones, and neurotransmitters (Li, 2003). No evidence has ever been provided for fluoride deficiency, and in studies on animals, even very low levels of fluoride in drinking water increased the uptake of aluminum in the brain (Varner, et al. 1998). 

Fluoride has also been found to be associated with increases the lead in children’s blood, and increases in violent behavior (Master and Coplan, 2000).

Is Flouride Even Good for Our Teeth?

Recent studies have shown no difference in dental health for patients receiving fluoridated water. They have found, however, significant evidence that even low fluoride levels are very toxic, especially since they are routinely detected at levels higher than the lowest allowable limit (Hendryx, 2011). Chlorine spikes are often seen in water supplies to address build-up within the pipe system, but fluoride spikes are also seen, with no justification.

According to the FDA, fluoride is not classified as a nutrient, but a medication, which is why the FDA never approved it as a supplement, and why European countries have banned it, deeming the public water supply an inappropriate place to add medications!  

Key Points:

• Fluoride accumulates in the body and is difficult to remove, leading to calcification of arteries, bones and the pineal gland (Luke, 2001).
• A 2019 study found that fluoride caused male reproductive dysfunction, causing large reductions in sperm count, testosterone levels, and several other important markers of testicular inflammation and oxidative load (Kumar et al., 2020).
• Many studies have now shown that fluoride is neurotoxic and linked to lower IQ scores and higher incidences of ADHD.
• Fluoridated water has caused millions of children to develop dental fluorosis, caused by being exposed to toxic levels of fluoride for too long.
• Fluoride was first developed for use as a pesticide, and it used the most basic form: sodium fluoride.
• There has never been randomized clinical trials on the safety of ingesting fluoride.
• Fluoride disproportionately effects infants, pregnant women, and people with kidney disease.
• It has been found to act as an endocrine disrupter, linked to thyroid disease

Does Fluoride Really Impact the Pineal Gland?

Many mainstream health websites completely disregard this idea, labeling it as a conspiracy theory without scientific basis. However, many studies have been done showing exactly this negative effect of fluoride on the pineal gland.

The pineal glad is an endocrine system organ that secretes melatonin, and experiences some natural calcification over time, reducing its capacity to produce melatonin. In one study, rats given a fluoride-free diet, after being raised on fluoridated water, showed a 96% increase in supporting cells, and 73% increase in  pineal gland cell numbers compared to the fluoridated control animals. These results occurred after 2 months of the fluoride-free diet (Mrvelj et al., 2020). The researchers note that:

“this element [fluoride] interacts with cellular systems even at low doses. In recent years, several investigations demonstrated that fluoride can induce oxidative stress and modulate intracellular redox homeostasis, lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content, as well as alter gene expression and cause apoptosis.” (Barbier, 2010).  

Fluoride was even found to cause behavioral and physiological changes in both adult zebra fish and their offspring. They found that the fluoride exposure disrupted the circadian rhythm, decreased brain antioxidants and melatonin, and created anxiety-like behaviors. For the offspring, they experienced delays in hatching, increased mortality, malformation, and low blood flow (Karaman, 2003).

Bone Cancer

Several epidemiological studies in humans have discovered a link between fluoridated drinking water and bone cancer in young males. The reason is that fluoride accumulates more in bones than any other part of the body, particularly during childhood. Fluoride is also a mutagen, and stimulates the proliferation of osteoblasts, increasing the chances of malignancy (Bassin, 2006). Previous studies failed to detect this effect due to exclusion of age-related exposure windows.  

Results from the US National Toxicology Program

In 2022, the US National Toxicology Program was forced to release (through Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) requests) the results of a six year meta-analysis of all studies on the effect of fluoride on intelligence, which found that there was no amount of fluoride that did not cause neurological damage. Another recent study on zebra fish, found similar results, and that very low concentrations disrupted behavior through complex neurological mechanisms (Karaman et al., 2023). 

How to Avoid Fluoride?

Besides the obvious strategy of giving up fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwashes, the most dangerous is in the water itself, including any beverage made with tap water, such as beer, wine, soda, tea. Restaurants often use tap water for their drinks and food recipes, and even when filtered, do not use the type of filtration that removes fluoride.

Even reverse osmosis does not completely get rid of the kinds of fluoride used in our tap water, like hydrofluorosilicic acid, derived from the fertilizer industry. These kinds of fluoride have been found to have high contamination rates with arsenic, with around 40% of fluoride being contaminated. Fluoride was also found to leach lead out of pipes, and studies found elevated levels of lead associated with fluoride intake in children. 

The best water purification method for removing fluoride is distillation, or deionization filters that can be added to a multi-stage system. 

Avoid:

• Tap water (use a special fluoride filter w/RO system, deionizer, or distiller)
• Restaurant drinks, soups, and beverages made with tap water.
• Breathing-in steam from unfiltered shower water
• Soaking in a tub full of unfiltered water
• Toothpastes and mouthwashes with fluoride added

To stimulate fluoride detoxification, supplement with:

• Iodine: Displaces some fluoride accumulation and prevents uptake of more. Buy Here: Lugol's iodine
• NAC: Aids in detoxifying fluoride and preventing its toxic effects (Pawlowska-Goral, 2013). Buy here: NAC
• Boron: Displaces fluoride accumulation in the bone 
• Lithium: Competes with and displaces fluoride protecting critical areas of the brain 

Best Filter: Distiller from Amazon: Durastill

We are planning to have a less expensive option available soon, but currently offer this whole house system: Dr. Hulda Clark Whole House Filter

Sources

Barbier O, Arreola-Mendoza L, Del Razo LM. Molecular mechanisms of fluoride toxicity. Chem Biol Interact. 2010 Nov 5;188(2):319-33

Bassin EB, Wypij D, Davis RB, Mittleman MA. (2006). Age-specific Fluoride Exposure in Drinking Water and Osteosarcoma (United States). Cancer Causes and Control 17: 421-8.

Hendryx M, et al. (2011). Water fluoridation and dental health indicators in rural and urban areas of the United States. West Virginia Rural Health Research Center. Available at: http://wvrhrc.hsc.wvu.edu/docs/2011_fluoridation_final_report.pdf

Karaman M, Toraman E, Sulukan E, Baran A, Bolat İ, Yıldırım S, Kankaynar M, Ghosigharehagaji A, Budak H, Ceyhun SB. Fluoride exposure causes behavioral, molecular and physiological changes in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) and their offspring. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2023.

Kumar J, Haldar C, Verma R. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020 Aug;196(2):552-564. doi: 10.1007/s12011-019-01946-6. Epub 2019 Dec 11. PMID: 31828722

Li L. (2003). The biochemistry and physiology of metallic fluoride: action, mechanism, and implications. Critical Reviews of Oral Biology and Medicine. 14: 100-14.

Luke J. (2001). Fluoride deposition in the aged human pineal gland. Caries Research 35: 125-128.

Mrvelj A, Womble MD. Fluoride-Free Diet Stimulates Pineal Growth in Aged Male Rats. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020 Sep;197(1):175-183. doi: 10.1007/s12011-019-01964-4. Epub 2019 Nov 12. PMID: 31713773.

Pawłowska-Góral K, Kurzeja E, Stec M. N-acetylcysteine protects against fluoride-induced oxidative damage in primary rat hepatocytes. Toxicol In Vitro. 2013 Dec;27(8):2279-82. doi: 10.1016/j.tiv.2013.09.019. Epub 2013 Oct 2. PMID: 24095861.

Pizzo G, Piscopo MR, Pizzo I, Giuliana G. 2007. Community water fluoridation and caries prevention: a critical review. Clinical Oral Investigations 11(3):189-93.