Flouride in Water Dumbs-Down Kids' IQs - Study

[GD4XXX]

This is interesting. The effect has been rumoured for years so it's nice to have some actual science to back it up.

 

https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/conspiracy-fact-higher-fluoride-levels-linked-lower-iq-scores-children-new-review-finds

[kevster]

"However, the relationship between fluoride and lower IQ scores only persisted when fluoride concentrations in drinking water were above 1.5 mg/L, higher than the current fluoride drinking water standard of 0.7 mg/L."

[RecklessAbandon]

Zero Hedge - Wikipedia

 

[Chinahand]

The study has multiple issues:

https://arstechnica.com/health/2025/01/controversial-fluoride-analysis-published-after-years-of-failed-reviews/

It is one flawed data point in a huge field - millions of people have lived drinking fluoridated water, next to populations which don't (Birmingham v Manchester; Northern Ireland v Eire). There is no evidence one group has worse health than the other apart from in one clear area: fewer fillings and children being out under general anaesthetic for dental work. 

Ars Technica also has this article about how medical misinformation spreads in AI models. 

https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/01/its-remarkably-easy-to-inject-new-medical-misinformation-into-llms/

Sadly it is easy to spread elsewhere too. 

[woolley]

8 hours ago, kevster said:

"However, the relationship between fluoride and lower IQ scores only persisted when fluoride concentrations in drinking water were above 1.5 mg/L, higher than the current fluoride drinking water standard of 0.7 mg/L."

Given the issues of excessive alkalinity in our mains water over the years from too much chlorine, I wouldn't hold my breath for them to get it right if let loose with fluoridation. No thanks.

[The Bastard]

21 hours ago, woolley said:

Given the issues of excessive alkalinity in our mains water over the years from too much chlorine, I wouldn't hold my breath for them to get it right if let loose with fluoridation. No thanks.

What issues are those ?

[woolley]

7 minutes ago, The Bastard said:

What issues are those ?

Excessive alkalinity.

[The Bastard]

3 minutes ago, woolley said:

Excessive alkalinity.

What issues has that caused ?

[woolley]

3 hours ago, The Bastard said:

What issues has that caused ?

Not good for industrial processes. Not good for humans either over sustained period. They couldn't believe the pH levels coming out of the mains until they came and tested it themselves. It was a sporadic problem, but it doesn't inspire confidence about fluoridation which is completely unnecessary. 

[The Bastard]

1 hour ago, woolley said:

Not good for industrial processes. Not good for humans either over sustained period. They couldn't believe the pH levels coming out of the mains until they came and tested it themselves. It was a sporadic problem, but it doesn't inspire confidence about fluoridation which is completely unnecessary. 

Who was "They" who came and tested it themselves ? Again, what issues has it actually created ? Got any sources ?

[woolley]

17 hours ago, The Bastard said:

Who was "They" who came and tested it themselves ? Again, what issues has it actually created ? Got any sources ?

"They" - the Government Lab. pH very high messes with the process we were running at the time. We sorted it for the process, by the way. We neutralised it with sulphuric acid, although we didn't drink the water for a while.  I'm the source.

[GD4XXX]

On 1/10/2025 at 2:34 PM, The Bastard said:

What issues has that caused ?

Who knows? The human body depends on many systems all operating in balance with each other. You go for a blood test and your doctor checks to see if the results of each sub-test fall within the normal range for the average human. You don't get to hear about anything unless it's flagged as an abnormality; either above or below the allowable range.

[John Wright]

Fluoride

[wrighty]

3 hours ago, John Wright said:

Fluoride

Quite. Flouride brings to mind some sort of powdered version of a log flume. Very messy.