From pfpc@istar.ca Wed Dec 29 11:18:07 1999 Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1999 18:12:55 -0800 From: PFPC PFPC NEWSLETTER #2, December 28, 1999 copyright 1999 PFPC (as always, feel free to distribute) IN THIS ISSUE: 1) NEWS/FEEDBACK 2) HOW CAN IODINE EXCESS CAUSE HYPOTHYROIDISM? 3) DOWN SYNDROME, FLUORIDE AND HYPOTHYROIDISM 4) DON HILLMAN's CATTLE/FLUOROSIS RESEARCH 5) THYROID TESTS 6) TRH TEST, DEPRESSION & HYPOTHYROIDISM 7) CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME 8) YORK REVIEW COMMENT 9) MAILBAG 10)CORRECTIONS Hello everyone, Welcome to Newsletter #2, dealing with fluoride/thyroid issues. Feedback to our first newsletter has been very positive and encouraging. Thank you for all the great comments and constructive criticism. Jane Jones went through the trouble of actually printing and distributing a (edited) version of the newsletter to the entire membership base of the NPWA...Thanks Jane! Louis Ronsivalli, food scientist and former MIT lab director (retired), wrote and asked us to explain how hypothyroidism can be caused by excessive iodine intake. We will address this question in #2. Louis also sent his comments regarding the York Review. (see:#8) Anne-Lise Gotzsche wrote and shared most interesting information on iodine deficiency and the link to breast cancer, as researched by Prof. Bernard Eskin in Philadelphia. We will address this further in a forthcoming issue of the Newsletter. Dr. Burgstahler wrote a very kind letter and pointed out an error to us (see #9), and also suggested for us to get in touch with Don Hillman, Professor Emeritus at Michigan, who then graciously sent us most-outstanding research on cattle and fluorosis. (See #4) Upon Dr.Hillman's and John Y's suggestion we also got in touch with Dr. Krook at Cornell, who also was ever so generous and send us much more than we asked for! Thank you all for your support and willingness to share your expertise. With best wishes for the New Year, Andreas Schuld Parents of Fluoride Poisoned Children Vancouver,BC, Canada ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) HOW CAN IODINE EXCESS CAUSE HYPOTHYROIDISM? A surplus of iodine taken through drugs or food can cause a functional thyroidal deficiency. Several recent European studies on borderline iodine deficiency and the occurrence of thyroid dysfunction documented that iodine deficiency has been reported to facilitate the development of toxic nodular goitre, resulting in hyperthyroidism, whereas a high iodine intake may increase the prevalence of autoimmune hypothyroidism. (Knudsen et al, 1999) The authors found a relatively high prevalence of hyperthyroidism, especially previously undiagnosed disease, but a low prevalence of hypothyroidism which would normally be expected in an area of iodine deficiency. Laurberg et al (1999) reported that in areas with relatively high iodine intake, the incidence rate of hypothyroidism is several-fold higher than that of hyperthyroidism, while a relatively low prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was observed in a low iodine intake area. In a recent survey in Pescopagano, an Italian iodine deficient village, hyperthyroidism was twice as high as that reported in iodine-sufficient areas, mainly due to an increased frequency of toxic nodular goiter (Aghini-Lombardi et al, 1999). Osteoporosis is a very serious long-term complication of hyperthyroidism. An excessive supply of iodine can cause hypothyroidism because of an intrinsic defect in the mechanism of the organic link, which permits a persistent "Wolff-Chaickoff effect", named after two scientists who in 1948 reported that organic binding of iodide in the thyroid was decreased when plasma iodide levels were elevated. (Eng, 1999) A genetic predisposition is supposed and also a higher frequency in patients with a preceding thyroiditis, Basedow disease or Hashimoto's disease. (Nefosi, 1999) Other experimental studies indicate that excess iodide blocks thyroid hormone release by inhibiting thyroid stimulators (Yamada 1999). Fluorides can greatly potentiate either iodine deficiency or iodine excess. ------------------------------------------------------------------ 3) DOWN SYNDROME, FLUORIDE AND HYPOTHYROIDISM by Jennifer Thandy Down's Syndrome is a disease closely associated with thyroid pathology. Because the symptoms of hypothyroidism closely resemble many conditions common to Down syndrome, this association has become well recognized, and many studies have explored various aspects of that association (Mattheis, 1997). Prevalence data are essentially limited to one large study of newborn screening, which reported an incidence of 0.7 % for congenital hypothyroidism in babies with Down syndrome. This figure is about 30 times the normal rate for newborns. A general estimated incidence of all types of thyroid dysfunction in Down syndrome falls in the range of 13-63%, with acquired hypothyroidism accounting for 13-54% of that total. A number of small sample studies have reported frequencies throughout this range, with the largest sample sizes in the range of several hundreds. (Mattheis, 1997) Already in the 1950s, Ionel Rapaport published studies showing links between Down's Syndrome and natural fluoridation. Later Rapaport also showed that the age of women bearing mongolid children decreased, directly related to increasing fluoride intake. In other words, the more fluoride was in the water, the younger the age of the women giving birth to mongoloid children. These studies have never been refuted. Burgstahler (1975, 1977) later confirmed Rapaport's findings and noted that many of the clinical and bio-chemical peculiarities (which could be found in Down's Syndrome) were similar to the characteristics of chronic fluoride poisoning. As of 1978, all properly conducted large scale-studies conducted had shown higher incidence of Down's Syndrome births in communities with elevated levels of fluoride in the drinking water. (Waldbott et al, 1978) Ian Packington, a toxicologist on the advisory panel of the National Pure Water Association (NPWA) also reported results from an analysis done on Department of Health statistics in the UK, concluding that in the period 1983-86 cases of Down's Syndrome were 30 per cent higher in fluoridated than non-fluoridated areas. The number of excess DS births due to water fluoridation is estimated to be several thousand cases annually throughout the world (Takahashi, 1998). Considering that no studies exist investigating this issue in relation to other sources of high fluoride intake, it is very likely that fluorides might be implicated in many more cases of Down Syndrome. Identical G-protein related activities can be seen. Down Syndrome also shares many symptoms with Alzheimer's, making diagnosis often a difficult task for the practitioner(APA, 1995). If you would like more info about this issue, please see: 1)Takahashi K - "Fluoride-Linked Down Syndrome Births and Their Estimated Occurrence Due to Water Fluoridation" Fluoride, 31(2):61-73 (1998) http:/www.fluoride-journal.com/98-31-2/31261-73.htm Mattheis P - "Thyroid Disease in Down syndrome: Clinical perspectives, and directions of research" - Originally presented at the 2nd International Symposium on Biomedical and Psychoeducational Aspects on Down Syndrome, Mexico City, April 24,1997. http://fas.sfu.ca/fas-info/kin/ds/thyroid.htm APA/The Monitor - "Down's Syndrome shares symptoms with Alzheimer's" http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct95/old.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- #4 DON HILLMAN's RESEARCH ON CATTLE AND FLUOROSIS In 1978, Don Hillman, Professor Emeritus at Michigan State University, published his research conducted with Bolenbaugh and Convey on fluorosis from phosphate mineral supplements in Michigan dairy cattle. They found that cattle with fluorosis developed hypothyroidism. T3 was depressed in relation to increasing fluoride concentrations in urine (P=.025). Cattle with fluorosis also developed anemia, now diagnosed in between 20 to 60% of all hypothyroid patients and often present as the first clinical sign of hypothyroidism. Milk production was depressed in herds severely afflicted with fluorosis. Reproductive inefficiency resulted in 20 to 30% of cows open or culled as non-breeders. Administration of thyroprotein (iodinated casein) to hypothyroid cows afflicted with fluorosis resulted in DRAMATIC increases in thyroxine, milk production, hemapoiesis, serum albumin and calcium while reducing eosinophils to normal, further supporting the relationship of thyroid activity to animal health and performance. Of particular interest to us were the colour photographs of the teeth of fluorosed cattle. They re-affirmed our belief that the dark stain in a traditional "mottled tooth" might actually be due to a pulpal hemorrhage, or other bleeding occurring in the pulpal tissue. It is NOT an extrinsic stain, as the many dentists we have contacted regarding this issue would like us to believe. It is an _intrinsic_ stain, as is clearly obvious by Hillman's photographs of newborn calfs. Small hemorrhages are reported in fluoride poisoning (Takamor, 1964), and are _very_ common in hypothyroidism. Effusions into body cavities secondary to hypothyroidism are well recognised. They may precede the more specific and typical manifestations of the disease, thereby misleading the clinician. (Sachdev et al, 1975) We will address the issue of "dental fluorosis", as it compares to "enamel hypoplasia" observed in hypothyroidism, as well as other dental conditions, in further editions of the PFPC Newsletter. ------------------------------------------------------------------ 5) THYROID TESTS There is currently much controversy about the validity of existing thyroid tests. Many tests report "normal" levels, although the patient is clearly having hypothyroid symptoms. The TSH test deals with thyroid hormone production, and does not provide accurate results for other malfunctions such as disrupted hormone synthesis, or impaired thyroid hormone transport, so-called utilization problems. The receptors may be closed or desensitized. There may be a deficiency in the number of receptors. There may be a shortage of the enzyme which catalyses the conversion of T4 to T3. There may be a deficiency of T2 which is now thought to stimulate 5 deiodinase production. These problems are not detectable with standard thyroid tests. Also, nobody is considering the presence of a TSH "mimick" -> fluoride. Many experts, in apparent harmony with state-of-the-art research, recommend thyroid panels (rT3, T3, T3/rT3 ratio, T4, and TSH), or a TRH (thyrotropin-releasing-hormone) test, considered by some to be the "Gold" standard. We have been having extreme trouble convincing physicians to order any such tests, being told that one must be sick first (show "clinical" symptoms) in order to request such testing. The ignorance in all medical fields about hypothyroidism, and the many diseases which can result from an underfunctioning thyroid gland, is quite remarkable. Most physicians can name us perhaps six to ten symptoms of hypothyroidism, often mis-conceived: weight gain, dry skin and hair, hoarse voice, fatigue, cold intolerance and puffy facial feature are most frequently named. These symptoms clearly pale when compared to the many other effects thyroid deficiency can have on the body and mind, especially for our children. The knowledge in this field has progressed much further in the field of veterinary medicine. Hypothyroidism is the #1 health concern among dog breeders (due to the incredible high fluoride content in petfood. See link below) We had no trouble getting complete thyroid panels for our pets... In case you are wondering if you are suffering from hypo- or hyperthyroidism, here are some tests you might want to try: BARNES BASAL TEMPERATURE TEST It is estimated that 70% of patients with hypothyroidism have a temperature less than 37 degrees C (98.6 degrees F) and that 15% have a temperature less than 29.5 degrees C (85 degrees F). The Barnes Basal Temperature test is sensitive to small deficiencies and by all accounts a quite reliable test as to thyroid efficiency. It has been shown to be a more sensitive indicator of hypothyroidism than blood testing. Described by Dr. Broda Barnes early in his medical career, it always provides a strong indication, for it gives a better indication of what is occurring at the actual cellular level by measuring the body's metabolic response. (In Dr. Barnes' research, he found the following connections to be very significant in his studies: Fatigue, migraine and other headaches, emotional and behavioral problems, infectious diseases, skin problems, menstrual disorders, fertility problems, hypertension, cancer, heart attacks, arthritis, diabetes and hypoglycemia, lung cancer and emphysema and obesity.) In thyroid failure resting temperature is abnormally low. If you take your temperature when really at rest, i.e. first thing in the morning, it should be above 97.8º F or 36.6 º C. If it is below it is considered a positive indication. (Some physicians think that anything below 98 should be considered as an indicator.) METHOD: Place the thermometer for ten minutes in the armpit immediately on waking, or in the mouth for 3 minutes; read it carefully and make a note of the reading. (Glass thermometers are better than the electronic ones for this. Some electronic thermometers tend to give incorrect readings in the armpit.) The test is done for a five day period. For menstruating women, this should be done 3-4 days after the menstrual period has begun, for these temperatures are reliable only during menses. (This test should be conducted under optimal conditions in order to be a effective indicator of the thyroid state.) For non-menstruating women and children, as well as men, standard rules apply. Kripps Pharmacy, one of the oldest pharmacies here in Canada, suggests a slightly different temperature test, believing that its more important to test the actual thyroid function during the day for best results. 3 hours after waking 6 hours after waking 9 hours after waking Otherwise, all other rules as above apply. IODINE STATUS TEST (This was forwarded to us by Anne-Lise Gotzsche, and is from information provided by Robert Erdmann, Ph.D.) To check on iodine status: Paint a small patch of iodine, available from any chemist, on the inside of the thigh before going to bed. Make the patch about 5cm round or square (two inches). Allow to dry. This should look yellowish-orange. Next morning check to see the results: 1) Colour is completely gone (Usually describes a significant shortage of iodine) 2) Barely detectable (Again, a need for iodine) 3)Slightly faded but easy to see the colour (Adequate iodine) 4)Colour almost as strong as when it was applied (Again, adequate iodine) 6)Colour turns red (This usually indicates chemical sensitivities which are normally helped by selenium supplementation.) 6)Colour turns black (Usually associated with food sensitivities) 7) Colour stays several days (Usually indicates an iodine excess) OTHER INFO LINKS: International Thyroid Group http://www.my4tune.u-net.com/ Thyroid Function Testing: Dealing with Interpretation Difficulties http://www.healthy.net/hwlibraryjournals/naturopathic/vol1no1/thyroid.htm Barnes, Broda O., M D., and L. Galton - "Hypothyroidism -- The Unsuspected Illness" (New York: Harper and Row, 1976). The Barnes Foundation, P.O. Box 98, Trumbull, CT 06611 http://www.brodabarnes.org/ Tel:(203) 261-2101 (You may telephone and request their free packet of explanatory materials) FLUORIDE:THE #1 CAUSE OF HYPOTHYROIDISM IN DOGS (LETTER) http://www.bruha.com/fluoride/html/dogs.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6) TRH TEST, DEPRESSION & HYPOTHYROIDISM Many practitioners consider the TRH test to be the "gold" standard of thyroid tests. The TRH test is reported to be a far more sensitive laboratory measure than routine thyroid tests, and can show conclusively whether a person is suffering from an underactive thyroid by investigating the pituitary/thyroid axis to show what's happening on a functional level. In this blood test, the physician measures the patients level of TSH, then gives an injection of TRH, and then draws blood again (25 minutes later) to re-measure the TSH. Depression, one of the symptoms reported in Moolenburgh's double-blind study on water fluoridated at 1ppm, is also a symptom of sub-clinical hypothyroidism. It is also linked with "normal" results, but abnormal TRH results and an underactive thyroid, as was reported in a study in 1981 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). 20 patients (8%) of 250 consecutive patients referred for psychiatric evaluation had hypothyroidism and, of those 20, 50% had abnormal TSH levels in the TRH test while exhibiting normal thyroid hormone levels. Half of the patients with hypothyroidism would not have been detected without the use of the TRH stimulation test. (Gold et al,1981) RE:DEPRESSION Some interesting statistics: US: 1) Every year an estimated 80,000 teenagers in the United States attempt to kill themselves. That's 219 kids a day...ten adolescents every hour...one teenager every six minutes. Over the last decade, the suicide rate among young people has increased dramatically. By 1996, the last year for which statistics are available, suicide ranked as the fourth leading cause of death among 10-14 year-olds and the third leading cause of death among those aged 15-24. More than 8 percent of teenagers - about one in every 12 - suffer from depression. Depression is the most common mental health problem in the United States. It is becoming more prevalent in adolescents and is occurring at younger and younger ages. CANADA: The 1996 suicide rate of 19 per 100,000 among young men aged 15 to 19 was almost twice as high as the 1970 rate. Suicide rates among young men aged 20 to 24 were even higher (29 per 100,000). The suicide rate for Aboriginal youth is much higher than for their peers in the general population. As in the case of the population at large, young men are the most likely to commit suicide. Young women aged 15 to 19 were the most likely of any age-sex group to show signs of depression (9%). --------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can often be a result of hypothyrodism. Conditions that increase tissue edema such as hypothyroidism are well-known causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. In 1998 Dr. Bob Carton wrote: "Based on Roholm's work and other recent studies, there is every reason to believe that the increasing number of people with carpal-tunnel syndrome and arthritis-like pains are due to the mass fluoridation of drinking water" - EPA Scientists, 1998 "Applying the NAEP code of ethics to the Environmental Protection Agency and the fluoride in drinking water standard". Carton, R.J. and Hirzy, J.W., Proceedings of the 23rd Ann. Conf. of the National Association of Environmental Professionals. 20-24 June, 1998. GEN 51-61 http://rvi.net/~fluoride/naep.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------- #8 YORK REVIEW COMMENT, sent to us by Louis Ronsivalli For those who don't know Louis: Retired food scientist Louis Ronsivalli was Lab Director at MIT for many years. Under his leadership the Lab was considered the best of its kind in the the US. He is the author of two food science textbooks which are in use throughout the world. He is the author of over 60 articles in scientific journals, and has served on several Federal Interagency Committees. He is recipient of four US Government Awards. (quoted with permission) "Because it is ignoring fluoride exposure from all sources, the UK study is absolutely and without question, being conducted as if by unsupervised schoolchildren. The danger imposed on human health by purposely adding fluoride to public water supplies cannot be scientifically assessed by evaluating only the effect of the fluoride in drinking water supplies. The exclusion of the effects of fluoride from other sources represents the exclusion of relevant variables which must be considered under the scientific rules that must be followed in the conduct of scientific experiments, as well as in the conduct of scientific analyses. Anyone who contends that these variables do not have to be considered, should get into a different line of work. Scientific work is far too important to be conducted by incompetent or careless individuals." Amen. Thank you, Louis. BTW, we are still waiting for any York Review answers to the questions posed in our OPEN LETTER #3. Out of 46 studies listed in their tables now posted on the NHS website, 36 are included although ethnic origin of subjects is not stated. 32 studies are included although no gender is specified in the subjects. The Review has been informed in OPEN LETTER #3 that ethnic origin and gender are major variables when evaluating both caries and fluorosis, yet these 46 studies apparently have been deemed to fulfill inclusion criteria. Such is the emphasis on "Evidence Based Medicine" as is supposedly being practiced by the NHS. This whole affair is becoming quite ridiculous and quickly making a laughing stock of this "esteemed" institution. We'll reserve further comments for another forum... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- #9 MAILBAG We have had requests from other parents to start an exchange forum to share experiences of fluoride poisoning. While we are trying to get something organized, here is a letter sent by Jan Pettit, President of 'Concerned Citizens for Pure Water'. If you have any information to share or exchange with Jan, please get in touch with her at jpettit@tds.net ******************************************* "A couple anecdotes to share... After living with a well containing no detectible (>0.01) fluoride compounds here in the western part of NC, my family moved to fluoridated Atlanta for two years. Shortly after returning back to NC in 1980 my 11 year old son developed Osgood-Schlatter's disease (O-S), a painful knee condition. He found it painful to even walk, much less run pain free. Deciding that it might be a nutritional deficiency problem, I researched my health books looking for a suggestion since my doctor offered no viable options (surgery, bedrest or a cast). I read about vitamin A's relationship with osteoclast and osteoblast activity and found that Jeff, my son, had symptoms of a deficiency, even though he was on 25,000units of A. He was susceptible to sties and had small bumps on his upper arm, symptoms of an A deficiency. I put him on 100,000 units of A along with about 1,000 units of vitamin E (to prevent A toxicity) and in only 3 days his knees stopped hurting. The pain never returned. He played on his high school basketball team later and was a nationally ranked college fencer...no knee problems. This surprised me, given that there seemed to be no known orthodox treatment for this disease. Then I later read Dr. Broda Barnes book, "Hypothyroidism, the unsuspected illness" and took my son's morning temperature ala "The Barnes Basal Temperature Test" and found that he had low thyroid (his blood tests were "normal"). With this condition the body is unable to convert beta carotene into vitamin A and one ends up with a severe deficiency if not corrected. Since leading the fight against fluoridation for the last 4 years in my community, I have learned about the fluoride-thyroid connection and realize that Jeff's problem is probably another illness to add to the long list of thyroid conditions connected with the ingestion of fluoride compouonds. I believe that his sore knees (it sometimes also affects wrists) were caused by the same phenomenon that causes osteosarcoma in young boys (NJ studies) and that Jeff was probably lucky not to have developed bone cancer. He was in his growth spurt and grew quickly (he's 6'3" now). Osgood Schlatter's usually affects young boys during this time of bone growth just as osteosarcoma does. 2nd Anecdote, for what it's worth... My husband had been an invalid for about 10 years due to a stroke and I had put him on large doses of vitamins which he washed down with grape juice (very contaminated, as you know with fluorides). He developed macular degeneration (MD) one of the leading causes of blindness in this country and a growing problem among the elderly. My ophthalmologist, Dr. Gary Price Todd, MD, treats nutritionally and he told me that MD is a hypothyroid condition which he had been able to reverse better than 90% of the time with thyroid hormones (cytomel) and relevant vitamins. My husband's eyesight went from 20/100 to 20/40 in 9 months and the macula became pink and healthy...cured! Interestingly, when he cured his MD, my husband's sleep apnea and snoring disappeared too! I believe that fluorides cause food allergies because of fluoride's disruption of hydrogen binding of protein molecules, making them unrecognizable to the body's immune system and resulting in an allergic response. Allergies cause tissue swelling which can in turn block the air passages resulting in apnea and snoring. Another problem my husband developed was chronic lymphatic leukemia, which Dr. Hal Huggins, DDS has found is related to mercury poisoning. I believe that my husband's drinking grape juice and having had a mercury dental filling placed shortly before the diagnosis was a probable cause. The dentist used mercury after my previously telling him that I didn't want any family member to ever have this poison used in a filling...the dentist said that he had forgotten! The combination of fluoride as the transporter and mercury as the instigator of the cancer was a fatal combination. I wonder if any others reading your website have these conditions and would be willing to try what worked for our family?? Both O-S and MD were rare or virtually non-existent before fluoridation and today are increasing alarmingly. I would be happy to discuss in more detail the treatment we used for these two conditions if anyone is interested. Janet Pettit, President, Concerned Citizens for Pure Water jpettit@tds.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10) CORRECTIONS Please note: In article #2 in PFPC Newsletter #1 iodine "molecules" should read "atoms". (T4 carries 4 iodine _atoms_, T3 carries 3.) Thanks to AWB for pointing this error out to us. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe to the PFPC NEWSLETTER, send message to pfpc@istar.ca and put "subscribe" in subject box. 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