New Study - Fluoride Reduces IQ Scores

A new study to be published in the peer-reviewed journal, Environmental Health Perspectives, shows an 8 point drop in IQ scores among children with higher fluoride levels in their drinking water. The study took place in China, the 24th such study with similar results. China has been interested in this subject not because they fluoridate their water -- they do not, along with the vast majority of the nations of the world. Their interest in fluoride concentrations in the water is due to the fact that certain areas in China have high naturally occurring fluoride levels in the water.

This study compared two very similar towns, one with an average fluoride level of 2.47 mg per liter of water, versus the lower fluoride town with an average of 0.36 mg per liter. The average IQ score in the low fluoride town was 92.02 versus 100.41 in the low fluoride town. IQ was not related to family income.

The study's conclusion: "fluoride in drinking water was highly correlated with serum fluoride, and higher fluoride exposure may affect intelligence among children.

To put this into perspective, 70% of American water supplies are fluoridated with between 0.7 - 1.2 mg per liter of fluoride. While these levels are lower than the level in the high fluoride Chinese village in this study, it is critical to understand that in America, we are subject to fluoride from many other sources that can easily double or triple our daily intake of fluoride. Such sources include various foods, particularly processed foods, toothpaste, tea, baby formula, and many prescription medications, including those commonly used by children, such as asthma and medications prescribed for ADD/ADHD.