DOES THE WATER OUR CHILDREN DRINK AFFECT THEIR IQ?

As a parent, one would hope that what we provide our children with is always healthy and safe. This includes the food that we give them to the education that they receive and everything in between. However, water is often overlooked as it is generally not regarded as being very important to the success of our children. However, assuming this would be a big mistake, as scientific research has indicated a direct correlation between fluoride exposure and low IQ amongst adolescents. Fluoride is a neurotoxin that was introduced into our drinking water in the early 1940’s, in an effort to stem tooth decay. Since then, the process of fluoridation has seen much controversy, with anti-fluoridation supporters calling it mass-medication and unethical.⁽¹⁾

In 2007, a study wasconducted in china to investigate the effect water fluoridation has on the IQ levels among adolescents. These studies revealed some interesting results. Children from two different villages in the same geographical area were tested, with one group coming from a village that experienced high levels of fluoride in their water source. While the other group was made up of children from a village with significantly lower levels of fluoride in their drinking water. Results from the experiment show that children from the fluoride endemic area had a statistically significant lower IQ the children from the non-fluoride endemic area. These results suggested that the presence of fluoride in our children’s drinking water could cause devastating effects on their cognitive functioning.⁽²⁾

Another study conducted ten years earlier in China showed that children who were exposed to high levels of water-borne fluoride averaged an IQ of 97,69 whereas children who were exposed to lower levels of fluoride in their drinking water averaged an IQ of 105,21. This difference was significant and also suggested that fluoride affected the minds of young people.

Despite these findings little effort has been taken in removing fluoride from our children’s drinking water. In 2006, Harvard University listed fluoride as one of eleven most dangerous industrialized chemicals that can negatively affect brain function. The other neurotoxins include lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, arsenic, and toluene. However, to date all public water supplied throughout the United States of America is fluoridated in the efforts to improve dental health among consumers. ⁽³⁾

As mentioned earlier fluoride was first introduced into drinking water in the 1940’s as a proactive way of combatting tooth decay. While these measures had attained the desired effect of reducing the prevalence rates of tooth decay, they were also unfortunately accompanied with undesirable effects such as lowering IQ in children. With fluoride being a neurotoxin, prolonged exposure has the potential to not only affect cognitive function but can also damage your thyroid gland and even promote calcification of the pineal gland.

Some countries have realized and appreciated the costs involved in consuming fluoride and therefore have banned water fluoridation completely. To ensure your family are not consuming excessive levels of fluoride in your drinking water there are various methods you can undertake in investigating the quality of your water. However some of these methods can be pricey and lengthy therefore it is recommended that you buy a home test kit that you can purchased for $10-$30. These tests are easy to administer and allows you to test your water at any time to ensure your children are only receiving the very best. An alternative solution would be to purchase a water filter for your water pitcher to ensure your drinking water is purified before drinking it. Some affordable and effective water pitchers on the market include the Brita that can be easily purchased online. These filters do not only remove toxins such as copper, mercury and cadmium, which can cause illness over time but are also eco-friendly and easy to use. ⁽⁵⁾

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