Fluoride Exposure May Contribute to Early Puberty

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Fluoride Exposure May Contribute to Early Puberty

Up until the 1990s, no research had ever been conducted to determine

the impact of fluoride on the pineal gland -- a small gland located between

the two hemispheres of the brain that regulates the production of the

hormone melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the onset of

puberty and helps protect the body from cell damage caused by free radicals.

It is now known -- thanks to the meticulous research of Dr.

Luke from the University of Surrey in England -- that the pineal gland is

the primary target of fluoride accumulation within your body.

After finding that the pineal gland is a major target for fluoride

accumulation in humans, Dr. Luke conducted animal experiments to determine

if the accumulated fluoride could impact the functioning of the gland --

particularly the gland's regulation of melatonin.

Luke found that animals treated with fluoride had lower levels of

circulating melatonin, as reflected by reduced levels of melatonin

metabolites in the animals' urine. This reduced level of circulating

melatonin was accompanied -- as might be expected -- by an earlier onset of

puberty in the fluoride-treated female animals.

Sources:

a.. Fluoride Action Network November 2008

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

U.S. girls are reaching puberty at younger ages than ever

before. In the 1990s, breast development -- the first sign of puberty in

girls -- at age 8 was considered an abnormal event that should be

investigated by an endocrinologist.

However, by 1999, following a 1997 study that found almost half

of African Americans and 15 percent of whites had begun breast development

by age 8, the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society suggested changing

what is viewed as " normal. "

Instead of acknowledging that girls reaching puberty at

increasingly younger ages is a sign that something is wrong, some " experts "

would rather just change the definition of what's considered normal!

In reality, something is wrong, very wrong, when 5-, 6- and

8-year-old girls are starting puberty. Some studies have even found girls as

young as 2 who are starting sexual development.

Not only do these children have to deal with an unfairly

increased risk of breast cancer down the road, but they lose precious years

of their childhood because their bodies have matured faster than their

minds.

What is Causing Early Puberty?

There are likely numerous factors contributing to this

phenomenon, but one is certainly environmental chemicals. Along with

endocrine-disrupting chemicals (BPA, phthalates, PFOA (Teflon)) and PCBs,

fluoride has also been suggested.

Fluoride has been added to the U.S. water supply for so long --

and has been thoroughly hoisted upon people around the world for its

supposed benefit to teeth -- that hardly anyone thinks twice about it.

Well, this was not always the case. In 1944, LP , DDS

editor of the Journal of the American Dental Association, said:

" Fluoride is a highly toxic substance . "

Before that, in 1936, an article in the Journal of the American

Dental Association stated that fluoride at the 1 ppm (part per million)

concentration is as toxic as arsenic and lead.

The Journal of the American Medical Association also stated in

their September 18, 1943 issue that fluorides are general protoplasmic

poisons that change the permeability of the cell membrane by certain

enzymes.

And, an editorial published in the Journal of the American

Dental Association, October 1, 1944, stated:

" Drinking water containing as little as 1.2 ppm fluoride will

cause developmental disturbances. We cannot run the risk of producing such

serious systemic disturbances. The potentialities for harm outweigh those

for good. "

Others, too, have tried to spread the word about the dangers of

fluoride, including Bryson, the author of The Fluoride

Deception, who has recently called the widespread promotion of fluoride

" scientific fraud on a grand and global scale. "

Yet, this element, or as some may call it, this caustic

industrial chemical, is deliberately added to about two-thirds of U.S.

public water supplies. For people living in these areas, fluoride is a part

of every glass of water, every bath and shower, and every meal cooked using

that water.

In the UK, meanwhile, 42 schools have decided it is a good idea

to add fluoride to children's milk in schools. And some of you may also

think that the fluoride treatments offered by your dentist are a good idea.

Well, it's time to shed this myth once and for all.

Fluoride is the Active Toxin in Rat Poisons and Cockroach Powder

Common sense would dictate, then, that this can't be a good

thing to put in your body, and your instincts would be correct.

Once inside your body, fluoride destroys your enzymes by

changing their shape. You may remember that your body depends on thousands

of enzymes to perform various cell reactions, and without these enzymes, we

would all die. They are able to perform their reactions because they have a

specific shape that allows them to work with other elements in your body,

like a lock and key.

Once fluoride destroys their shape, however, your body does not

recognize the enzymes, and in fact will view them as foreign invaders and

attempt to attack them.

When your enzymes are damaged, it can lead to collagen

breakdown, eczema, tissue damage, skin wrinkling, genetic damage, and immune

suppression. It can also cause problems with your:

. Immune system

. Digestive system

. Respiratory system

. Blood circulation

. Kidney function

. Liver function

. Brain function

. Thyroid function

Studies from China have even confirmed that elevated fluoride

exposure leads to reduced I.Q. in children. This is understandable when you

consider that even at levels as low as 1 ppm, studies have demonstrated

direct toxic effects on brain tissue, including:

. Reduction in lipid content

. Impaired anti-oxidant defense systems

. Damage to your hippocampus

. Damage to your purkinje cells

. Increased uptake of aluminum

. Formation of beta-amyloid plaques (the classic brain

abnormality in Alzheimer " s disease)

. Accumulation of fluoride in your pineal gland

This last effect is completely in correlation with the research

of Dr. Luke, which suggests that fluoride impacts your pineal gland's

regulation of melatonin, and this may contribute to the early onset of

puberty.

All of These Risks, and it Doesn't Even Help Your Teeth!

Clearly risks as serious as those above would not justify

preventing a few cavities, yet, fluoride does not even do that.

Figures from the World Health Organization show the same

declines in tooth decay that have been experienced in fluoridated countries

since the 1960s have occurred equally in non-fluoridated countries.

In another study from 2004, pro-fluoridation dental researchers

from the University of Aderlaide in South Australia were unable to

demonstrate any difference in the permanent teeth between children who had

lived all their lives drinking fluoridated water and those who had drunk

rain or bottled water.

What does fluoride do to your teeth, then?

Well, it's known that it interferes with the development of

tooth enamel, a condition called " dental fluorosis. " Those in favor of

fluoride like to say that fluorosis is a purely " cosmetic condition, " but

rarely do symptoms appear for no reason.

In this case, the white spots that form on your teeth after

consuming too much fluoride are likely a warning sign that other tissues are

being impacted. Studies have shown, for instance, that children with severe

dental fluorosis are more likely to have bone fractures.

The Environmental Working Group even reported a finding from a

Harvard PhD thesis that showed boys exposed to fluoridated water when they

were between the ages of 6 and 8 had a seven-fold increased risk of

developing osteosarcoma, a form of frequently fatal bone cancer.

If you're wondering how to keep your teeth healthy, remember

that fluoride was never the answer in the first place. Instead, look to your

diet for naturally healthy teeth. In fact, most people whose diet includes

very little sugar and few processed foods have very low rates of tooth

decay.

As for how to get toxic fluoride out of your drinking water,

regular carbon-based filtration will NOT work. About the only way to remove

this toxic chemical from your water is to use a reverse osmosis filter.

Other Hidden Sources of Fluoride

If you have any non-stick pans, the moment you start to heat

them they will start to volatilize fluoride as that is the polymer that

makes them " non-sticky. " The higher the heat, the more fluoride you will

have in your home. So do yourself a favor and get rid of all of your

non-stick pots and pans.

Related Articles:

Fluoride Added to Children's Milk in Schools

The Fluoride Controversy

Is Fluoride Really As Safe As You Are Told?