How Floride Kills Human Cells

[Guest guest]

How Fluoride Kills Human Cells -

http://www.mercola.com/2000/sept/24/fluoride_kills_cells.htm -

 

 

How Fluoride Kills Human Cells

 

Researchers uncovering mechanisms behind fluoride's toxicity

 

Fluoride, the " Golden Child " of dental professionals around the world,

seems to have a " dark side " that few outside a very specialized field of the

scientific community are aware of. As disturbing as it may be, fluoride

apparently has the ability to cause DNA damage and even " cell death " in human

cells.

 

In a new study, researchers from the National Institute for Environmental

Studies in Japan note that

 

" Even though fluoride toxicity is increasingly being considered to be

important, very little information is available on the mechanism of action of

fluoride. "

You might think that most everything would be known about a chemical that

is being added to our water and prescribed for our children, but regrettably

this is not the case.

 

Researchers decided to investigate the mechanism by which fluoride's is

able to kill cells by observing how it affects human leukemia cells. Cancerous

cells are often used in research on toxicity because they are more active than

normal cells.

 

They found that the fluoride induced a form of cell death known as

" apoptosis " in a dose-dependent and time dependent manner.

 

Now, if fluoride killing cancerous cells were the " end of the story " , this

would be a great breakthrough in cancer treatment and would likely save many

lives. Unfortunately, things are not quite so simple.

 

Lead researcher Dr. C.D. Anuradha, in comments to the Optimal Wellness

Center, explains that " fluoride in general is harmful to any type of cell. We

have seen that fluoride causes cell death in other non-cancerous cells but

however the mode of death has been found to be different. " Instead of causing

apoptosis, in normal cells fluoride seems to kill cells through a different

mechanism, known as " necrosis " .

 

Cell Death - Murder or Suicide?

 

Apoptosis, also known as " programmed cell death " in a process governed by

genes in which the cell dies from within upon activation by some stimulating

factor. It is a useful phenomenon, which occurs often as part of the normal

functioning of the human body, as it gets rid of unwanted cells. The term

apoptosis is derived from the Greek word that signifies " the dropping of leaves

from the trees. " The falling leaves are no longer needed, just as is the case

with the unwanted cells, so they are gotten rid of, and recycled back into the

earth.

 

Necrosis, on the other hand, is an externally influenced death, which

occurs through some type of local injury (as loss of blood supply, corrosion,

burning, or the local lesion of a disease).

 

A useful analogy between apoptosis and necrosis might be to compare

suicide (apoptosis) to murder (necrosis).

 

Is it Dangerous at Much Lower Doses?

 

Now many readers may ask the intelligent question of - How does this

affect me? Are the much lower concentrations found in fluoridated water and

toothpaste a danger to my family and me?

 

The answer unfortunately is that nobody knows for sure. However, Dr.

Anuradha states that, although the concentrations are quite low " & still we

expect some amount of damage even at lower concentrations, since at higher

concentrations the results are quite clear that the difference is enormous and

significant. "

 

She notes that the issue of therapeutic fluoridation is the subject of

much debate. Could this be the reason that Japan does not fluoridate ANY of its

water supplies? This can't be said with certainty, but after all, doesn't it

make sense to keep a potentially dangerous substance out of the water and not

FORCE the entire population to consume it?

 

In the United States currently about 60% of the population drinks

fluoridated water, although if the federal government has its way, that

percentage will rise dramatically. This is especially true with states like

California MANDATING the fluoridation of the public water supplies over a

certain size.

 

How it Caused Cell-Death

 

Dr. Anuradha and colleagues found that fluoride caused apoptosis in the

human leukemia cells by activating an enzyme called caspase-3, which has been

identified as a key mediator of apoptosis of cells in humans and other mammals.

 

The authors note that " The results clearly suggest that fluoride causes

cell death in HL-60 (human leukemia) cells by causing the activation of

caspase-3 which in turn cleaves PARP leading to DNA damage and ultimately cell

death. "

 

 

What Type of Fluoride?

 

Except for readers with strong scientific backgrounds, most people don't

realize that there is really no such thing as plain " fluoride " . When it said

that " fluoride " is added to the water, in reality it is a fluoride-compound such

as sodium fluoride (NaF), which is the form used in these toxicity experiments.

 

While this may be the most well known and well-studied of all the fluoride

compounds, it is actually very rarely used for water fluoridation. In over 90%

of the fluoridated water in the US, the chemicals used are one of the

silicofluorides (either fluosilicic acid or sodium silicofluoride).

 

However, these chemicals have been shown to act much differently from the

much simpler sodium fluoride. In one study, it was shown that these chemicals

enhance the cellular uptake of lead

(http://www.fluoride-journal.com/98-31-3/313-s25.htm).

 

Being that there is evidence that silicofluorides may be even more toxic

than NaF, it is quite possible that the DNA damage and cell-killing ability

might be even greater in the type of fluoride used in the water supplies.

 

What Can I Do About it?

 

Whether you believe that water fluoridation is a vast conspiracy or simply

that it is a possibility that fluoride is a dangerous substance that you would

just rather avoid, the question remains the same - what to do about it?

 

The best advice would be to go to our Fluoride Links Page and get

involved.

 

 

 

--------

 

Upcoming Conference:

 

For those of you interested in the water fluoridation issue, there is a

scheduled debate, which will take place at an upcoming conference sponsored by

The Association for Science in the Public Interest, June 1-3, 2001, in Richmond,

Virginia.

 

Paul Connett, PhD, (Fluoride Action Network) and J. William Hirzy, PhD,

are scheduled to represent the anti-fluoride camp in the debate, although it

seems as though the conference sponsor is having trouble finding anyone willing

to debate them. Pretty amazing considering that the American Dental Association

is one of fluoridation's biggest champions. You would think they could at least

send someone to defend their position.

 

 

--------

 

Related Articles:

 

 

Prominent Researcher Apologizes for Pushing Fluoride

 

Canadian Dental Association Advises AGAINST Fluoride Supplements in

Young Children

 

Links for Fluoride Information

 

Fluoridation Increases Lead Absorption In Children

 

The Fluoride Controversy

 

Toothpaste and Other Fluoride Sources Can Damage Preschoolers' Teeth