Fluoride In Tap Water Linked To Thyroid Problems, Scientists Say

Adding fluoride to tap water may afflict ratepayers with health problems linked to depression and weight gain, according to researchers at the University of Kent.

"A study of 98 percent of GP practices in England found that high rates of underactive thyroid were 30 percent more likely in areas of the greatest fluoridation," the Telegraph reported. High fluoride areas included West Midlands and the North East of England.

"It could mean that up to 15,000 people are suffering needlessly from thyroid problems which can cause depression, weight gain, fatigue and aching muscles," the report continued.

Whether to fluoridate water is one of the water sector's most debated policy questions. Fluoride issues boil up periodically in municipalities around the world.

Lead author of the study, Professor Stephen Peckham, said the results are troubling. He said policy changes may be necessary.

“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,” he said, per the Gloucester Echo.

How striking were the results?

According to the study, published in the latest Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, "We found that higher levels of fluoride in drinking water provide a useful contribution for predicting prevalence of hypothyroidism. We found that practices located in the West Midlands (a wholly fluoridated area) are nearly twice as likely to report high hypothyroidism prevalence in comparison to Greater Manchester (non-fluoridated area)."

Fluoridation advocates say the practice has numerous health benefits. Nutrition expert Monica Reinagel broke down the pros and cons of fluoridation for the publication QDT.

On the plus side, this practice is seen as "a safe and effective way to reduce cavities and tooth decay in the general population....The World Health Organization points out that benefits are greatest for those who don’t have access to adequate dental care."

On the other hand, "Opponents of fluoridation say too little is known about the long term risks of fluoride ingestion." They point to studies that see negative health consequences, though the other side disputes much of that data.

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