Another fluoride study from the U.S. shows harm

Another significant study on fluoride harm in humans has just been published. This is the first human study to provide the mechanism by which fluoride is causing harm. This adds to the ever growing database of human studies finding fluoride causes harm to the developing brain. 

See our page Research since the 2014 NZ Fluoridation Report for a list of all the major studies since the 2014 New Zealand Report on fluoridation. 

We will be doing another post on this in the couple of days once we get a detailed analysis from the scientists at Fluoride Action Network in the US.  In the meantime remember to tell any family or friends that are pregnant or bottle feeding a baby, to make sure they avoid fluoridated water and all other sources of fluoride including fizzy drinks bottled in fluoridated areas and black tea.

From the study:
“Fluorine is one of the most reactive elements with high electronegativity and the second-highest electron affinity. While animal studies and cell culture studies have shown that fluoride ion affects oxygen metabolism to induce oxygen radicals enhancing oxidative stress at the cellular and molecular levels [38], this study is the first to identify a relationship between systemic fluoride concentrations and oxidative stress in humans. Oxidative stress is known to result in developmental neurotoxicity [39], and therefore is of critical importance in fetal development.

Oxidative stress is also associated with increased inflammation [40], which also has negative effects on neurodevelopment [41]. In summary, our findings in this pilot study reveal that maternal plasma fluoride concentration is significantly associated with pathways related to oxidative stress, and provides the first human evidence of fluoride related mechanisms, previously identified in animal studies. The findings of this pilot study indicate the need for further studies on possible mechanisms by which low level fluoride exposure during pregnancy may alter fetal development.”