A recent study done by researchers at the University of Kent focused on the effects that adding fluoride to public water has.
Data obtained from many medical practices in England show that fluoride increases the risk for hypothyroidism, also known as underactive thyroid. This is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone and is manifested by obesity, depression, and fatigue.
A recent UK study includes the “largest population ever studied in regard to adverse effects of elevated fluoride exposure”
The data collected from 8,020 general medical practices in England showed that people living in areas with fluoridated water were 30% more likely to have hypothyroidism than those living in areas with low, natural levels of fluoride in the water.
According to The Telegraph, this goes to show that over 15,000 people may be suffering from depression, fatigue, weight gain, and aching muscles. If fluoride were removed from the water, all of these conditions could be prevented.
‘Overall, there were 9% more cases of underactive thyroid in fluoridated places,” reports Newsweek, which also notes that 10% of England’s water is fluoridated compared with nearly 70 % of America’s.
When the researchers compared Birmingham (fluoridated) with the city of Manchester (non-fluoridated) found that doctor`s in Birmingham were almost twice as likely to report high levels of hypothyroidism.
According to Trevor Sheldon, a medical researcher, and dean of the Hill York Medical School, “The study is an important one because it is large enough to detect differences of potential significance to the health of the population.”
Sheldon initially supported fluoride but now admits that “case for general water fluoridation” is no longer clear.
A recent study on fluoride shows the opposite of what last year`s report by Public Health England stated. According to this report which was released in March of last year, “there is no evidence of harm to health in fluoridated areas,” and no differences were found between fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas in regard to rates of hip fractures, Down’s syndrome births, osteosarcoma (a form of bone cancer) and other cancer types.
On the other hand, the recent research blames fluoridated water for the rapid rise in the number of cases of hypothyroidism in areas like the West Midlands and the North East of England.
According to Stephen Peckham, the study`s lead author, “The difference between the West Midlands, which fluoridates, and Manchester, which doesn’t do particularly striking. There were nearly double the number of cases in Manchester.”
Women are 15 times more likely to develop an underactive thyroid.
“Underactive thyroid is a particularly nasty thing to have and it can lead to other long-term health problems. I do think councils need to think again about putting fluoride in the water. There are far safer ways to improve dental health.”
Women are 15 times more likely to develop hypothyroidism when compared to men, which means that they should be particularly concerned.
Earlier studies have found that fluoride inhibits thyroid`s ability to use iodine, an element that is needed for the production of thyroid hormone.
source: http://besthealthyguide.com/