Fluoride: A Hidden Cause of ADHD? « The Unritalin Solution Blog

Fluoride: A Hidden Cause of ADHD? « The Unritalin Solution Blog

Fluoride: A Hidden Cause of ADHD?

May 24, 2010 by Dr. Yannick Pauli

It’s no big secret that exposure to lead, mercury, and other heavy metals increase the risk of ADHD and other neurological disorders. For centuries, the accidental ingestion of these heavy metals has impaired nervous system development and function. Only in the late 20^th century did governments around the world prohibit the use of these products in the manufacture of water pipes and consumer goods. Today, researchers are starting to worry that fluoride, a common chemical compound found in toothpaste and drinking water, may have the same neurotoxic effects as heavy metals. Some evidence suggests that fluoride exposure may be the culprit behind the increased cases of ADHD in the 20^th century.

The neurotoxicity of fluoride

Fluoride is artificially added to drinking water in the United States and some parts of the world in order to prevent cavities. It is also a common ingredient in toothpaste. Its potential for neurotoxic effects went undiscovered until Dr. Phyllis Mullenix, a pharmacologist and toxicologist, first examined the compound in 1982. At the time, she was working with the Boston’s Children’s Hospital and Neuropathology at Harvard Medical School. Her work dealt with a series of environmental neurotoxins, such as lead, amphetamines, and nitrous oxide. Fluoride was included in this list.

She began her in-depth investigation on fluoride in 1995, when she gave fluoride-treated water to lab rats. She expected that the rats would easily tolerate the fluoride in their water but they did not; brain scans showed that the fluoride crossed the blood-brain barrier, effectively altering their behavior and the central nervous system function. Dr. Mullenix’s rat study noted that fluoride exposure can increase the risk for learning disabilities, IQ deficits, and motor dysfunctions in humans. Shortly after, she discovered two studies from China with data on the IQ scores of children who were over-exposed to fluoride through burning coal or drinking water. The Chinese studies showed that children who had the most exposure to fluoride had more IQ deficits. Another study in the International Clinical Psychopharmacology showed that excessive fluoride exposure over 60 years causes impaired memory, poor concentration, lethargy, and confusion.

Fluoride and lead

These preliminary findings outlined above suggest that fluoride alone can cause significant harm to brain development. However, there is no single cause for childhood developmental disorders; ADHD and related conditions are often the result of several environmental factors working together.

A study from Dartmouth University suggests that fluoride alone may not be the culprit behind ADHD. Rather, fluoride makes the central nervous system more vulnerable to neurotoxic damage. After looking at data across the United States, the researchers observed that children from communities that use fluoride-treated drinking water have higher lead levels in their blood than children from locations with non-fluoridated water. Children who drank fluoride-treated water were also found to have more antisocial behaviors, hyperactive tendencies, and higher rates of crimes. The researchers observed that through several mechanisms, fluoride in water can increase the transport of heavy metals across the blood-brain barrier, which aggravates behavioral dysfunction and impaired nervous system development in children.

Avoiding fluoride

Although the presence of artificial additives in our food and drink are more likely to trigger ADHD than fluoride, you can err on the side of caution and reduce your child’s fluoride exposure.

• Avoid processed beverages made out of fluoride-treated water, such as colas and juice drinks.
• Drink distilled or bottled water with low fluoride content.
• Avoid toothpaste enriched with fluoride.
• Switch to non-fluorinated medications if possible. Antibiotics, steroids, anti-depressants, and anesthetics contain fluorine, which can increase blood fluoride levels when metabolized by the body.
• Enrich your child’s meals with magnesium and calcium. Besides fighting off the effects of fluoride and protecting the brain from heavy metal damage, magnesium and calcium improves the production of neurotransmitters deficit in ADHD sufferers.