SOY Toxins, Brain Chemistry, and Behavior

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SOY Toxins, Brain Chemistry, and Behavior

 

 

> Toxins, Brain Chemistry, and Behavior 10/10/01 -

> http://www.mercola.com/2001/oct/10/toxins.htm - Home Page New Patients

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>

> Toxins, Brain Chemistry, and Behavior

> By Dr. Roger D. Masters and Myron Coplan

> I. The Problem

> During the last two decades, evidence has accumulated that the interaction

> of environmental pollution, poor diet, and lifestyle contributes to the

> exceptionally high rates of violent crime in many American cities.

> Lead intoxication, even at low levels, correlates with aggressive behavior

> as well as learning disabilities. Manganese, a toxin that at high levels

of

> exposure contributes to Parkinsonism, has also been linked to violent

> behavior (especially thanks to research by the Violence Research

> Foundation).

> Effects of lead and manganese interact, moreover, so that individuals

> exposed to both show stronger effects than those exposed to either one

> alone. Alcohol and drug use, often associated with violent crime, increase

> the deleterious effects of toxic metals through complex biochemical

> interactions at the cellular level.

> These chemicals compromise the serotonin, dopamine, and other

> neurotransmitter systems that are integral to self-control due to their

> effects in lowering thresholds for violent behavior.

> Environmental pollution does not impact everyone equally. Brain cells

absorb

> toxic metals when diets are low in calcium, iron, zinc, Vitamin D, and

other

> essential nutrients. Prenatal exposure to lead and alcohol can result in

> premature or low weight births, small head circumferences and learning or

> behavioral deficits.

> Bottle-feeding with commercial formulas, especially soy exposes infants to

> four or five times as much manganese uptake as breast milk, a finding that

> suggests why studies show breast fed infants have IQ scores 2 to 8 points

> higher than comparable babies fed infant formula.

> In addition to direct effects of poor diet on children's behavior,

> nutritional deficits thus probably combine with exposure to toxic metals

to

> increase the likelihood of attention deficit disorder (ADD),

hyperactivity,

> and other learning deficits.

> In addition, because the problems of poverty and broken families often

> co-vary with inadequate diet, housing with lead paint, and aging water

> systems, as well as inadequate prenatal health care, high rates of bottle

> feeding, and exposure to industrial pollution, poor urban populations are

at

> risk for neurotoxicity in multiple ways.

> The neurotoxicity hypothesis is strongly grounded in findings from a

number

> of laboratory studies and observations of human behavior. In seven

different

> groups of prison inmates, violent criminals had substantially higher

levels

> of lead or manganese in their hair than nonviolent criminals or

law-abiding

> controls.

> Otherwise puzzling geographical differences in rates of violent crime in

the

> U.S. are highly correlated with environmental pollution and death rates

from

> alcoholism. Counties in which the EPA did not report industrial releases

of

> either lead or manganese, and where alcoholism was lower than average, had

a

> rate of 228 violent crimes per 100,000 people (well under the national

> average).

> In contrast, counties with industrial releases of lead and manganese and

> higher than average alcoholism had rates of violent crime of 969 per

100,000

> (three times above the national average). (The statistics linking

> differences in the rate of violent crime to lead, to manganese, and to

> alcoholism would each occur by chance less than once per 10,000 times.)

> Controlling for 17 other factors, including population density, poverty,

and

> ethnic composition, the three sources of neurotoxicity are significantly

> associated with violent crime.

> II. Current Research

> With the support of a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency,

> current work is exploring a number of ways that toxic pollution affects

the

> public.

> Data from a number of surveys of children's blood lead are being combined

> with socio-economic and demographic data from the US Census Bureau, health

> data from the Center of Disease Control, pollution data from the EPA, and

> crime data from the FBI. Our research has considered the extent to which

> lead is being absorbed by humans due to:

> a) water treatment procedures

> b) industrial releases of lead and other toxins

> c) plumbing systems, leaded paint, and other sources of lead associated

with

> old housing

> d) other sources, such as lead residues in soil, that are particularly

> common in the center of some American cities

> e) dietary habits (such as shortages of calcium and iron) and demographic

> factors (such as poverty, stress, and minority ethnicity) which are known

to

> be associated with increased risk of lead uptake

> In addition, we have analyzed annual crime rates to show that the ban on

> leaded gasoline rates appears to have led to a decline in violent crime

> rates after 1991. (The time delay of 17 years between reductions in sales

of

> leaded gas and rates of violence indicates that, for the particulate lead

in

> such gas exhaust, the serious effects were apparently during fetal

> development and the first year of life.)

> In addition,geographical variations in lead levels in children's blood are

> being studied as a factor that might explain rates of crime, educational

> failure and disease that are unusually high.

> We have also been considering " risk co-factors " that make lead and other

> toxic metals in the environment more dangerous to local residents.

> Here our emphasis has been on the use of silicofluorides as agents in

water

> treatment. There are two reasons for this focus.

> First, both fluosilicic acid and sodium silicofluoride are toxins that are

> used in water delivered to 140 million Americans even though the EPA has

> admitted that their effects on health and behavior have never been

studied.

> German research has revealed that these chemicals do not dissociate

> completely when added to water -- and both leave potentially toxic

residues

> that have important chemical effects.

> In studying the correlations between the use of these chemicals and crime,

> disease, and behavioral dysfunction, we seek to establish clearly whether

or

> not these compounds are poisoning the public.

> Second, the silicofluorides apparently function to increase the cellular

> uptake of lead and other toxic metals, such as manganese; confirming

> correlations between silicofluorides and lead uptake should thus clarify

the

> extent to which these compounds are risk cofactors for toxicity and other

> hazardous effects.

> III. Results to date

> Our analysis of blood lead data from Massachusetts, New York State, and

the

> NHANES National Sample has revealed several important findings that

concern

> violent behavior as well as other health issues.

> 1. Communities with a higher percentage of children having blood lead over

> 10 mg/dL are significantly more likely to have higher rates of violent

crime

> and higher rates of educational failure.

> 2. Communities using either fluosilicic acid (H2SiF6) or sodium

> silicofluoride (NaSiF6) have significantly higher rates of crime than

those

> using sodium fluoride or delivering unfluoridated water (with the

exception

> of towns with naturally fluoridated water).

> 3. The use of fluosilicic acid (H2SiF6) to fluoridate public water

supplies

> significantly increases the amounts of lead in the water (whereas the use

of

> sodium silicofluoride (NaSiF6) or sodium fluoride (NaF) does not.

> 4. There is no linear relationship between the amount of lead in a

> community's public water supply (as measured by current methods of

> determining " 90th percentile first draw water lead " ) and the rates of

> violent or property crime.

> IV. Implications

> If these research hypotheses are confirmed, it should be possible to

target

> both criminal and civil environmental enforcement strategies in a way that

> produces major public health benefits by reducing exposure and absorption

of

> lead pollution and thereby reducing violent crime, learning disorders. and

> such diseases as hypertension.

> In the past, questions have been raised about the need to regulate

> industrial releases of lead and some have doubted that chronic exposure to

> low levels of lead pollution actually harm humans. Other efforts, such as

> the removal of leaded paint from old houses, have also been subjected to

> criticism on the grounds that they actually release more lead into the

> environment.

> Evidence from our research supports efforts to remove lead from the

> environment and indicates ways their effectiveness could be improved. In

> addition, our studies suggest some relatively inexpensive non-enforcement

> interventions, such as ending or modifying water fluoridation procedures

> using silicofluorides.

> For all these reasons, environmental protection will be greatly enhanced

by

> the acquisition of more comprehensive evidence of how environmental

sources

> of lead and the risk cofactors for lead uptake are correlated with

disease,

> crime, and behavioral dysfunction.

> The neurotoxicity hypothesis implies the benefits of a biomedical and

> dietary approach to educational failure, crime, and social deviance.

Studies

> show IQ increases of as much as 15 points among children with poor diets

who

> are given vitamin supplements.

> Removal of lead ( " chelation " ) and other methods of biochemical

normalization

> have also been found to improve behavior and learning.

> High lead uptake is often a factor among children who are hyperactive

> (ADHD). As a result, instead of using Ritalin to treat ADHD, specialists

at

> the Pfeiffer Treatment Center in Illinois have found that treatments to

> reduce levels of lead and other toxins provide lasting improvement without

> medication.

> Other studies indicate that the successes of Head Start may have been in

> good part to its nutritional component.

> Because many children do not continue to benefit from balanced diets after

> Head Start, poor nutrition may explain the frequently observed declines in

> educational performance after these programs have been completed.

> Interventions such as good neonatal care, breast-feeding, vitamin

> supplements, and school lunches might therefore improve educational

> performance, as well as reduce violence and social disintegration.

> The neurotoxicity hypothesis provides a new and potentially crucial

> dimension to accepted theories of crime. Factors like poverty, population

> density, social disintegration, race, easy access to guns, and violence on

> TV are obviously important contributors to violence, yet they do not

effect

> everyone the same way.

> Studies of the behavioral impact of heavy metals can increase our

knowledge

> of why these factors influence some individuals more than others. Crime

> prevention, better systems for screening prison inmates for potential

> violence, and cost-effective parole or probation options are all

attractive.

> At the same time, the implications of the neurotoxicity hypothesis for our

> social, education, and legal systems are enormous. This approach does not

> excuse crime on the grounds of biochemistry.

> If poor diet and alcoholism contribute to learning disabilities and crime,

> this information ought to have the same status as knowing that drinking

and

> driving do not mix. Given advances in neuroscience, dare we ignore the

> behavioral effects of neurotoxicity when this knowledge promises more

> effective crime prevention -- and perhaps also more effective

> rehabilitation -- than current methods?

>

>

>

> Publications on Silicofluorides, Neurotoxicity, and Behavior

> Masters, R,, Hone, B, and Doshi, A. (1998). " Environmental Pollution,

> Neurotoxicity, and Criminal Violence, " in J. Rose, ed., Environmental

> Toxicology: Current Developments (London: Gordon and Breach, 1998), pp.

> 13-48.

> Survey of evidence linking lead and manganese neurotoxicity to aggressive

> behavior and crime, presenting multivariate analysis correlating Toxic

> Release Inventory for lead and manganese with crime data for 1991 from all

> 3141 US counties Emphasizes effects of heavy metals on neurotransmitter

> function and behavior.

> Masters, Roger D., with Baldwin Way, Brian T. Hone, David J. Grelotti,

David

> Gonzalez, and David Jones (1998) " Neurotoxicity and Violence, " Vermont Law

> Review, 22:358-382.

> Legal implications of the evidence linking neurotoxicity and crime

> (including data from Toxic Release Inventory and crime for partial sample

of

> US counties)

> Masters, R. and Coplan, M. (1999a) " Water Treatment with Silicofluorides

and

> Lead Toxicity, " International Journal of Environmental Studies, 56: 435-49

> First published analysis of data linking silicofluoride treatment of

public

> water supplies with higher uptake of lead, focused on survey of children's

> blood lead in Massachusetts (by town).

> Masters, R. and Coplan, M. (1999b) " A Dynamic, Multifactorial Model of

> Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Crime: Linking Neuroscience and Behavior to

> Toxicology, " Social Science Information, 38:591-624.

> Articulation of the linkages between neurotoxicity, brain chemistry,

> environmental pollution, and behavior (with focus on substance abuse and

> crime), using data from National Institute of Justice study of drug use in

> over 30,000 criminal offenders at time of arrest).

> Data show that where silicofluorides are in use, criminals are more likely

> to consume alcohol, more likely to have used cocaine at time of arrest -

and

> that communities have significantly higher crime rates.

> Coplan, M.J. And Masters, R.D. (1999). " Is Silicofluoride Safe? Comments

Re

> EPA Response to Rep. Calvert's Inquiry " Submission to Representative

Kenneth

> Calvert, Subcommittee on Energy and Science, Committee on Science, U. S.

> House of Representative (August 12, 1999).

> Analysis and rejoinder to letter dated 12 June 1999 from J. Charles Fox,

> Assistant Administrator, EPA, to Hon.Kenneth Calvert, U. S. House of

> Representative, commenting on errors and omissions in a " Question and

> Answer " statement and " Fluorosilicate Fact Sheet " enclosed by Mr. Fox.

> This document contains a preliminary review of scientific data on the

> differences between sodium fluoride (NaF) and the silicofluorides (H2SiF6

> and Na2SiF6), with an emphasis on the complex production process and

> chemical interactions of the latter compounds.

> Masters, R. D. and Coplan, M. J., with Hone, B.T., Grelotti, D. J.,

> Gonzalez, D. and Jones, D. (in press). " Brain Biochemistry and the

Violence

> Epidemic: Toward a 'Win-Win' Strategy for Reducing Crime, " in Stuart

Nagel,

> ed., Super-Optimizing Examples Across Public Policy Problems (NOVA Science

> Publishers) (in press).

> Review of the evidence linking neurotoxicity and crime, using data from

both

> county-level study (correlating EPA Toxic Release Inventory with FBI crime

> reports ) and Massachusetts data on silicofluorides and lead uptake.

> Masters, RD and Coplan, M.J. (1999c). " The Triune Brain, the Environment,

> and Human Behavior: Hommage to Paul MacLean, " to appear in Russell

Gardner,

> ed. Festschrift in Honor of Paul MacLean . First presented at Back Bay

> Hilton Hotel, Boston, Mass. - July 16, 1999; volume publication

anticipated

> 2002-3.

> Survey of research on neurotoxicity, brain chemistry and behavior,

including

> evidence of the role of lead and other heavy metal pollution and crime (as

> demonstrated by individual data, neurochemistry, and both geographic and

> longitudinal data} as well as survey of data linking silicofluorides to

> enhanced lead uptake.

> First presentation of findings on the extremely high correlation (r = .90)

> between gallons of leaded gasoline sold and the crime rates sixteen years

> later, confirming special vulnerability of pregnant mothers and newborns

to

> lead toxicity.

> Masters, RD, Coplan, M. J., Hone, B.T., And Dykes, J.E.

(2000). " Association

> of Silicofluoride Treated Water with Elevated Blood Lead, " Neurotoxicology

> 21: 101-1100.

> Follow-up epidemiological study of the association between silicofluoride

> treated community water and enhanced child blood lead parameters. This

> statistical study of 151,225 venous blood lead (VBL) tests taken from

> children ages 0-6 inclusive, living in 105 communities with populations

from

> 15,000 to 75,000 in New York state, shows for every age and racial group a

> significant association between siliocfluoride treated community water and

> elevated blood lead.

> Roger D. Masters (2001) " Biology and Politics, " in Nelson W. Polsby, ed.,

> Annual Review of Political Science, vol. 4, PP. 345-369.

> A survey of the scope of the emerging subfield called " biopolitics, "

> reflecting the activities of the membership of the Association for

Politics

> and the Life Sciences. Four areas are discussed in some detail:

> 1). genetics and health

> 2), toxins and behavior (including hyperactivity, depression, and violent

> crime)

> 3) the specific case of silicofluorides in water treatment and their

effect

> in enhancing lead uptake

> 4) biopolitics and political theory.

> Note: one-time e-print available.

>

> Web-site:

> Overall site for Roger Masters' research:

> http://www.dartmouth.edu/~rmasters/

> Address for research (with M. J. Coplan) on health and behavioral effects

of

> silicofluorides:

> http://www.dartmouth.edu/~rmasters/ahabs.htm

> Presentations to Scientific Conferences:

> Masters, RD and Coplan, M.J. " Silicofluoride Usage and Lead Uptake, "

> Presentation to XXIInd Conference of the International Society for

Fluoride

> Research, Bellingham, Washington, August 24-27, 1998.

> Report on findings of elevated blood lead associated with communities

using

> silicofluoride, based on sample of over 250,000 children in Massachusetts

> (see Masters and Coplan, 1999a)

> Masters, RD and Coplan, M.J. " The Triune Brain, the Environment, and Human

> Behavior, " Presentation to Festschrift in Honor of Paul MacLean . Back Bay

> Hilton Hotel, Boston, Mass. - July 16, 1999 (see Masters and Coplan,

1999c).

> Masters, R. D. . " Poisoning the Well: Neurotoxic Metals, Water Treatment

and

> Human Behavior, " Plenary address to Annual Conference of the Association

for

> Politics and the Life Sciences, " Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta, GA

(September

> 2, 1999).

> Review of evidence linking heavy metal pollution with substance abuse and

> crime, including presentation of data linking ban on sales of leaded

> gasoline with decline in crime 16 years later. Summary of geographical

data

> analyses contradicting the " null hypothesis " that there is no difference

in

> the effects of sodium fluoride and the silicofluorides.

> Coplan, M. J., Masters, R. D., and Hone, B. (1999a) " Silicofluoride Usage,

> Tooth Decay and Children's Blood Lead, " Poster presentation to Conference

on

> " Environmental Influences on Children: Brain, Development and Behavior,

New

> York Academy of Medicine, Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, May 24-25, 1999.

> Preliminary report on data from analysis of national sample of over 4,000

> children in NHANES III, showing that while water fluoridation is

associated

> with a significant increase in children's blood lead (with especially

strong

> effects among minority children), data on tooth decay from the same survey

> show limited benefits that are no longer evident among those aged 15-17.

> Coplan, M.J., Masters, RD, and Hone, B. (1999b) " Association of

> Silicofluoride Treated Water with Elevated Blood Lead, " Poster

presentation

> to 17th International Nerotoxicology Conference, Little Rock, AR, October

17

> Preliminary report on data from analysis of sample of blood lead testing

of

> over 150,000 children in New York State communities of 15,000 to 75,000

> population. Once again, average blood lead levels were significantly

higher

> (p < .0001) in communities using silicofluorides in water treatment than

in

> those with unfluoridated water.

> The effect was found independently in every age group for three ethnic

> subsamples.

>

>

>

> DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

> There are several take home points here.

> The first is that anything that can increase the level of lead in your

blood

> should be avoided. This would include exposure to fluoridated water, which

> as Dr. Masters and Myron Coplan have shown, may increase lead uptake in

> children.

> Another important point is that a proper eating plan is very important in

> keeping blood lead levels in check. Your body will absorb more lead if it

is

> not properly nourished. Following the eating plan is one of the best ways

to

> ensure that this risk is minimized.

> Additionally, the article highlights the need to pay more attention to

metal

> toxicity. Although there is some focus on lead, at least during early

> childhood, it is probably not enough. Also, very little attention paid to

> managanese toxicity by the medical establishment.

> Lastly, it shows that treatments such as chelation may be helpful in

helping

> to address behavioral problems in some patients with elevated levels of

> toxic metals.

> It has been my experience that hair analysis is a better screen for metal

> toxicity than blood testing. However, this is not true for mercury as the

> hair will only show exposure during the last three months as mercury does

> not equilibrate readily in the blood like other heavy metals. Mercury

firmly

> attaches to sulfur bonds in your body and is especially fond of your

central

> nervous system.

>

>

>

> Related Articles:

> Metal Toxicity

> Mercury Amalgam Detoxification or Detox Protocol

> Mercury Toxicity and Systemic Elimination Agents

>

>