Fluorine and decreased IQ in children.
A study published in JAMA Pediatrics, found that high levels of fluoride exposure during pregnancy were associated with reduced IQ in children. Previous research has made similar findings, but this is the first study of its kind to evaluate the effect of fluoride on stocks that are in the Public Health Service of the United States considers optimal levels of 0.7 mg of fluoride per liter water.
A study was conducted on 601 pairs of mother and Canadian children, tracing fluoride exposure of 512 mothers seeing the average fluoride concentration in urine samples taken during pregnancy as an indicator of prenatal exposure to the substance. fluoride intake of mothers asking for beverage intake was also estimated, including tap water.
Between the ages of 3 and 4 years, all children born of mothers studied were tested IQ.
It was found that for every additional 1 mg per liter in the fluoride concentration in the urine of a mother, there was a fall of 4.5 points in IQ in men. The study found no association as important for girls and examined why children were most affected.
The researchers measured fluoride intake in 400 mothers against IQ scores of their children. They say the measure could reflect postnatal exposure to fluoride because a child will probably eat the same kind of water that the mother during pregnancy.
Researchers believe that the concentration of urine reflects better prenatal exposure. It was found that for every increase of 1 mg / L fluoride intake by a mother, there was a fall of 3.7 points in IQ of the child, regardless of gender.
The gender difference in the results difficult to interpret. At this point, the gender gap is problematic, said Dr. Aparna Bole said this research alone will not change any organization's recommendations for using fluoride to prevent cavities, but (I think the study was well done and the comment was considered).
Grainme McAlonan, a professor of neuroscience at the Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopmental at King`s College London, said the findings were statistically significant, could not do much with them in a practical sense. Actually, the average difference in levels of fluoride from most living in areas of low and high fluoride content is about 1 mg / L. The average urinary fluoride levels nonfluoridated areas is 0.4 mg / L, while in higher areas, is almost 0.7 mg / L, a difference of only 0.3 mg / L, said McAlonan.
Water fluoridation is sometimes considered marginal science, and the editorial board of JAMA Pediatrics recognized that publishing the document would generate controversy.
In a statement, the American Dental Association said: (We welcome this and other scientific studies of the problem to see if the findings can be replicated with methods that demonstrate more conclusive evidence, it was determined that further research will have.
