ADHD & Mental Disorders Linked to Fluoridated Water
New research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Harvard School of Public Health has found that ADHD and mental disorders are linked to fluoridated water. This research began in 2006 and included an analysis that led to the identification of five industrial chemicals as developmental neurotoxicants. Since then, six additional chemicals have been added to this list, including manganese and fluoride.
Lead researchers Philip Landrigan and Philippe Grandjean, who published their findings in The Lancet Neurology journal, feel that the increase in chemical-related neuro-developmental disorders is a direct result of the large number of untested chemicals that are used all around the world, including fluoride. Though they call for increased systematic testing, they believe exposure to these chemicals can lead to autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, dyslexia and other mental health problems. As they continue their research they expect their list to grow.
Much of the analysis regarding fluoride was based on 27 studies of children in China where those consuming higher levels of fluoride suggested an average decline of approximately seven IQ points.
An article co-authored by Grandjean entitled Developmental Fluoride Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis published on the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM) website concludes:
...our results support the possibility of adverse effects of fluoride exposures on children’s neurodevelopment. Future research should formally evaluate dose–response relations based on individual-level measures of exposure over time, including more precise prenatal exposure assessment and more extensive standardized measures of neurobehavioral performance, in addition to improving assessment and control of potential confounders.
The recent findings published in The Lancet Neurology Journal sums up Landrigan’s and Grandjean’s desired outcome to stem the seemingly growing worldwide concern:
To control the pandemic of developmental neurotoxicity, we propose a global prevention strategy. Untested chemicals should not be presumed to be safe to brain development, and chemicals in existing use and all new chemicals must therefore be tested for developmental neurotoxicity. To coordinate these efforts and to accelerate translation of science into prevention, we propose the urgent formation of a new international clearinghouse.
Whether this proposal is met with the same urgency by U.S.researchers or the international community remains to be seen.
