Experts confirm extremely low levels of fluoride can damage the developing brain
The results of a study recently published in the journal Risk Analysis, involving the US EPA’s preferred Benchmark Dose Analysis method (BMD), confirms that extremely low fluoride exposure during pregnancy impairs brain development in the fetus and may be causing more damage to our population than lead, mercury, or arsenic.
This groundbreaking study by Grandjean et al is the first study conducted on the effects of water fluoridation using the Benchmark Dose Analysis method (BMD). It confirms what 58 studies, conducted over the last 20 years, have shown us – that fluoridation chemicals impair the development of the brain in the fetus, infant and child.
A benchmark dose (BMD) is a dose or concentration that produces a predetermined change in the response rate of an adverse effect or harm. This predetermined change in response is called the benchmark response (BMR).
In the context of neurotoxicity (or the possible damage to the brain), a Benchmark Dose Analysis is used to identify a dose that would likely cause a BMR of a loss of 1 IQ point.
This BMD method has become the US Environmental Protection Agency’s preferred dose–response assessment method and the BMR loss of 1 IQ point has been used by the EPA in other risk assessments.
It is well established that a loss of one IQ point leads to a reduced lifetime earning ability of US$18,000.
In this new study, Grandjean et al. used pooled data from the cohorts of two major fluoride studies funded by the US Government’s National Institutes of Health – the “ELEMENT” Bashash 2017 study and the “MIREC” Green 2019 study.
This BMD study found that a maternal urine fluoride concentration of 0.2mg/L, which is generally exceeded 4 to 5 times in pregnant women in Australia, was enough to lower IQ by 1 point. The Author of the study states:
“These findings provide additional evidence that fluoride is a developmental neurotoxicant … and the benchmark results should inspire a revision of water-fluoride recommendations aimed at protecting pregnant women and young children.”
This study confirms that with around 90 per cent of Australians receiving fluoridated water (96% in NSW) most pregnant women are currently being exposed to levels of fluoride that have the potential to lower their children’s IQ by at least 4 points and probably more – especially given that our fluoride concentration is higher than the Canadian MIREC cohort and our water consumption will also be higher in some regions.
This new BMD study found that a maternal urine fluoride concentration of 0.2mg/L, which is generally exceeded 4 to 5 times in pregnant women in Australia, was enough to lower IQ by 1 point.