I can’t stress the importance of regularly consuming water enough. I personally drink at least eight to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water every day to support my healthy body. It is well known that drinking plenty of water is important for proper hydration, body temperature regulation, digestion, and nutrient metabolism. It is also crucial in maintaining the health of nearly every organ in the body.
It’s not just important that you drink water, but that you also consider the type of water you consume. I always get my water from a filtered tap, because municipal drinking water straight from the tap is known to contain a heavily toxic chemical—fluoride.
Fluoride is added to municipal water without your permission to help prevent tooth decay; however, the risks outweigh the rewards in this case. Water fluoridation has been linked to several health problems, including brain damage, permanent teeth discoloration, and dental enamel fluorosis—caused by exposure to excessive amounts of fluoride
But fluoridated water is now also suspected to lead to stroke, heart attack, or heart failure, meaning you could unknowingly be drinking yourself to heart disease.
I read a study recently in the journal Toxicology that shed some light on heart complications and water fluoridation. The study observed the effect of fluoride exposure in a cell model (in vitro) and a rat model (in vivo). This study suggested that fluoride exposure could potentially lead to heart disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends drinking water fluoridation at a level of 1.5 milligrams per liter—the same amount thought to prevent cavities and the amount used in this study. In the study, the fluoride was found to prevent calcification in the cell model; however, the same level of fluoride led to nephrotoxicity (kidney damage) in the aortic smooth muscle cells of rats with chronic kidney disease. It is important to note that chronic kidney disease is a condition that makes it difficult to eliminate fluoride, and this can increase blood plasma levels, potentially leading to kidney failure, as well as media vascular calcification—highly linked to heart disease.
A form of calcium, hydroxylapatite, is known to gradually harden and calcify arteries and lead to atherosclerosis. Fluoride forms fluorapatite by replacing hydroxyls in hydroxylapatite—simply put, this process enhances the cardiotoxic effect and makes it harder for your body to remove it.
There are even human studies that demonstrate the cardiotoxic effects of fluoridated water. One study, for example, found that chronic fluoride exposure causes the development of coronary artery ectasia—a form of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.
Other harmful side effects of water fluoridation include:
- Bone cancer
- Thyroid complications
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Dementia
- Lead absorption
- Infertility
- Collagen production issues
How else can you put an end to fluoride exposure in your body aside from filtering your water? You could consider getting your drinking water from a local spring, if you’re so lucky to have one near you. It is also smart to avoid fluoride at the dentist and fluoride toothpaste. Finally, you should consider what you eat as well; some highly processed foods are also known to contain the toxic chemical.
Source for Today’s Article:
Ji, S., “Fluoridated Water Can Calcify Arteries, Study Finds,” GreenMedInfo web site, September 28, 2014; http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/fluoridated-water-can-calcify-arteries-study-finds.
Martin-Pardillos, A., et al., “Effect of water fluoridation on the development of medial vascular calcification in uremic rats,” Toxicology April 6, 2014; 318: 40–50, doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2014.01.012.
Dede, O., et al., “Chronic fluoride exposure has a role in etiology or coronary artery ectasia: sialic acid/glycosaminoglycan ratio,” Biological Trace Element Research November 2011; 143(2): 695–701, doi: 10.1007/s12011-010-8913-9.