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            Fluoride Can Make You Sick, researchers warn
                             by nyscof@aol.com September 2, 2002

New York - August 2002 -- Research from India shows that fluoride can
make people sick; but improved diet and complete fluoride withdrawal can
relieve symptoms, according to the May-June, 2002, "Molecular and Cellular
Biochemistry."(a)

Fluoride's harmful health effects, except to teeth, are rarely studied in
the U.S. and, in fact, are often discouraged(b). Also never studied,
incredibly, are the most widely-used artificial fluoride chemicals
Americans drink daily(c) - silicofluorides, derived from fertilizers,
purposely added to water supplies, at about 1 milligram fluoride per quart
of water, in an attempt to reduce tooth decay.

In areas of India, where food and water are naturally fluoride-abundant,
severe fluoride toxicity is common and manifests as debilitating and
disfiguring diseases(d). Well-known is that fluoride excess irreversibly
cripples bones and crumbles teeth (fluorosis).

Lesser-known are early fluorosis warning signs, or soft tissue toxicity,
whose manifestations and resulting clinical complaints are reversible with
a diet adequate in calcium, vitamins C, E, other antioxidants and
withdrawal of all fluoride sources (the intervention), report researchers
Madhu Bhatnager and Professor (Dr.) A.K. Susheela, the CEO and Director of
India's Fluorosis Research and Rural Development Foundation.

Susheela and Bhatnager examined ten patients (6 males, 4 females; ages
ranging from 8-60 years) having clinical symptoms suggestive of fluoride
poisoning. Blood, urine and drinking water samples were collected. Water
samples contained 0.l4, 0.38, 0.90, l.06, 2.00, 1.74, 3.00, 5.80, 26.07
and 29.00 milligrams fluoride per liter (approximately a quart). Some
patients with fluorosis consumed safe water but ingested fluoride through
food and/or other fluoride sources.

After a year on the intervention, serum and urine fluoride levels dropped
significantly with patients' complete relief from joint pain and rigidity,
polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (constant thirst), muscle
weakness, and gastrointestinal complaints, some alleviated after only
10-15 days.

Dr. Susheela researches fluoride extensively
(http://education.vsnl.com/fluorosis/publication.html). In this study,
Susheela and Bhatnager write: "It is now an established fact that fluoride
ingestion over a period of time can affect the structure and function of
cells, tissues, organs and systems resulting in a variety of clinical
manifestations. (For example:)

1) aches and pain in the joints, i.e. neck, back, hip, shoulder and knee
without visible signs of fluid accumulation
2) non-ulcer dyspepsia such as nausea, vomiting, pain in the stomach,
bloated feeling or gas formation in the stomach, constipation followed by diarrhea
3) polyurea (frequent urination) and polydipsia (excessive thirst)
4) muscle weakness, fatigue, anemia with low hemoglobin level
5) complaints of repeated abortions/still birth
6) complaints of male infertility with abnormality in sperm morphology,
oligospermia (spermatozoa deficiency in the semen), azoospermia
(spermatozoa absence in the semen) and low testosterone levels."

Susheela and Bhatnager recommend physicians consider fluoride toxicity for
the above-listed patient complaints and/or any loss of shine or
discoloration in the patient's front row of teeth, which may be due to
dental fluorosis.

"Americans are unaware that their arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome or
other symptoms may be fluoride-related," says attorney Paul Beeber,
President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation. "This
information should be heeded by physicians and members of the medical and
scientific communities. Dr. Susheela is a world authority on the health
effects of fluoride to the human body," says Beeber.

"Pediatricians need to be educated about fluorosis. Perhaps water
fluoridation and indiscriminate promotion of fluoridated dental products
in the name of prevention of dental caries (cavities) need to be
reviewed," writes Susheela and Bhatnager

To arrive at a definitive fluorosis diagnosis, Susheela and Bhatnager:

(1) measure fluoride levels in drinking water, blood (serum), and urine.
Twenty-four hour
urine is ideal. Samples are collected in plastic, not glass, containers
because fluoride
reacts with silica in glass resulting in unreliable data.

(2) take radiographs of the region or joint where the patient had
complaints such as pain
and stiffness

(3) take forearm X-rays to look for interosseous membrane calcification.
The forearm X-
ray is essential for diagnosis of fluorosis at early stages and to
distinguish fluorosis
from other orthopedic conditions. "This is an important message as forearm
X-ray is
only requested for diagnosing fluorosis. In patients with fluorosis and
osteomalacia,
increases in bone mass and bone density may not appear, but ligaments
would reveal
calcification." they write.

"U.S. studies show American children are fluoride saturated, ruining their
teeth with dental fluorosis; yet cavity rates are rising," says Beeber.
"These children should be studied for fluoride's other adverse health
effects and correlated to essential nutrient consumption and cavities."

(a) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12162452&dopt=Abstract

(b) http://www.fluoridealert.org/mullenix.htm

(c) http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/htdocs/Chem_Background/ExSumPDF/Fluorosilicates.pdf

(d) http://www.fluoridealert.org/fluorosis-india.htm

Contacts:
Paul Beeber, NYSCOF, nyscof@aol.com,
P.O. Box 263, Old Bethpage, N.Y. 11804
http://www.orgsites.com/ny/nyscof

Paul Connett, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, St. Lawrence University,
Canton, NY, ggvideo@northnet.org Fluoride Action Network
http://www.fluoridealert.or

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