The Dangerous Additive In Your Drinking Water – & 5 Ways to Protect Yourself
You’re most likely drinking water containing this dangerous additive. But why is it so harmful for your health, and what can you do about it?
You probably already know that most water supplies in the U.S. contain the additive fluoride. But what you may not know is that not only has fluoride been proven unnecessary, it may even be harming your health!
Some additives are added to our food and water in the interest of public health. But fluoride has a different story. A byproduct of the manufacturing industry, fluoride is supposed to improve dental health, so it has been added to public water supplies since the 1950’s.
But have you ever wondered how to measure how much fluoride you’re getting, or how much you need? If you have no idea, there’s a reason for that.
The reason is, your daily requirement for fluoride is exactly zero.
In fact, some studies have found that fluoride may actually increase dental cavities!
One study of 400,000 students found that for each 1 part-per million (ppm) of added fluoride in the water, tooth decay went up by 27%!1
And many people don’t realize that The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry lists fluoride among the top 20 substances posing the most significant threat to human health.
Here are just a few of the health issues that have been linked to this dangerous additive:
- Calcifies arteries and leads to heart disease
- Increases tumors of the mouth and thyroid as well as rare forms of bone and liver cancer
- Interferes with brain development in children and significantly lowers IQ scores
- Makes bones weak and brittle and increases the risk of fractures
- Increases the rates of ADHD in children
- Increases your risk of hypothyroidism, a common factor in conditions such as fatigue, weight gain, constipation, dry skin and thinning hair, impaired memory, and depression.
So how can you protect yourself from the effects of fluoride? It may not be easy, as fluoride is found pretty much everywhere, including in 70% of household water supplies in the U.S., as well as in antibiotics, some prescription drugs, non-stick pots and pans, some foods, and of course, toothpaste.
But there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure and your risk of fluoride-related health problems.
1. Take turmeric. This root has been proven to protect the brain from the neurotoxic effects of fluoride.3 Other studies show curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, protects kidneys against fluoride toxicity.4 It’s also been shown to prevent DNA damage from fluoride in white blood cells.5
If taking a supplement, look for one with at least 90% or greater “curcuminoids.” It should also contain piperine (an extract from black pepper). That increases the bioavailability of curcumin by 2,000%. Take 500 to 1,000 mg a day.
2. Filter your water. Most common household water filters like Brita won’t remove fluoride. Find one that specifically filters out fluoride like ZeroWater. You can also install a filter on your sink faucet and your shower (because fluoride can be absorbed into your skin).
3. Don’t use fluoride toothpaste. You may have noticed that fluoride toothpastes have to contain a poison warning. So why would you voluntarily want to put this toxin in your body? There are plenty of good fluoride-free versions on the market.
4. Check your bottled water. Some bottled water comes right from the tap. To find out how much fluoride is in your bottled water, check out the Fluoride Action Network’s chart at http://fluoridealert.org/content/bottled-water/.
5. Buy organic produce. Pesticides have high levels of fluoride. Iceberg lettuce tests at 180 times the recommended levels. Citrus fruits, potatoes, grapes and raisins also have very high levels. Buy only organic versions of these foods to minimize your exposure.
While you can’t avoid fluoride altogether, these steps can help minimize its negative effects on your health.
Sources: Via Dr. Al Sears
1. Teotia SPS, Teotia M “Dental Caries: A Disorder of High Fluoride And Low Dietary Calcium Interactions (30 years of Personal Research)” Fluoride, 1994 27:59-66.
2. S Peckham, D Lowery, S Spencer. “Are fluoride levels in drinking water associated with hypothyroidism prevalence in England? A large observational study of GP practice data and fluoride levels in drinking water.” Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, February 2015;69:619-624.
3. Sharma C, Suhalka P, Sukhwal P, Jaiswal N, Bhatnagar M. “Curcumin attenuates neurotoxicity induced by fluoride: An in vivo evidence.” Pharmacognosy Magazine. 2014;10(37):61-65.
4. Seyed Fazel Nabavi et al, “Protective effects of curcumin against sodium fluoride-induced toxicity in rat kidneys.” Biol Trace Elem Res. 2012;145(3):369-74.
5. Hemlata Tiwari, Mandava V Rao, “Curcumin supplementation protects from genotoxic effects of arsenic and fluoride.” Food Chem Toxicol. 2010;48(5):1234-8.
