Fluoride in Water Linked to Hypothyroidism

A recent study has discovered a startling link between fluoride intake and hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid is a disease which causes the body’s thyroid gland to fail to produce adequate levels of important hormones. This causes a host of undesirable side-effects such as weight gain, depression, fatigue and in the worst cases cretinism which can cause severe mental and physical developmental delays in children. This can also lead to other disorders and diseases if left untreated or undiagnosed. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Kent and although it appears their findings were not well received by their peers, they are nevertheless impossible to ignore. The researchers discovered that fluoridation above 0.3 ppm (mg/l) is directly correlated with a 30% higher rate of hypothyroidism in those drinking the fluoridated water. Studying the cases of hundreds of residents across England between 2012 and 2013, the researchers uncovered higher rates of the disease after omitting such factors as age and previous health conditions.

In Toronto, our water supply is fluoridated with at least twice as much fluoride as in the areas in England shown to have a strong correlation of fluoride intake and hypothyroidism. Now standing at 0.6 ppm (mg/l), Toronto's levels are down from 1.2 ppm in 1999 and 0.8 in 2005 which, at the time, were both considered "safe and effective" levels of water fluoridation.

Because of this new discovery, scientists are urging a change in public health policy in England. The current policy staunchly advocates for water fluoridation as a public health tool however according to the Professor responsible for the study Stephen Peckham, “...consideration needs to be given to reducing fluoride exposure, and public dental health interventions should stop [being] reliant on ingested fluoride.”

Peckham went on to say that topical fluoride applications and even that which is offered through toothpastes are much safer means of improving oral health, rather than ingesting the chemical "fluoride". Of course, Peckham’s research wasn't without criticism from the organization “Public Health of England” where they discarded Peckham's findings as irrelevant.

In the very least, Peckam's findings show that the water fluoridation debate is not over and rather, has only just begun, becoming more controversial and potentially sinister by the day. Referring back to the "precautionary principle" used in most of Europe, any doubt should immediately end the practice with the onus on those spokespeople for artificial fluoridation to prove there are absolutely no negative health consequences.

Proof of no-harm is very difficult as for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction whether to human, animal or environmental health or to the very fabric of our water infrastructure. In my opinion, I would rather see the water supply become untainted and never again used as a mass-medication delivery system.