Fluoride Intake Increasing Bone
Fractures
November 11, 2014
Story at-a-glance
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Fluoride interferes with bone remodeling, allowing your
bones to become excessively mineralized and denser but not
any stronger
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Although fluoride increases bone mass, it creates weaker
bones that are more prone to fracture
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Patients treated with fluoride had an increase in fracture
rates, including spontaneous hip fracture
By Dr. Mercola
Fluoride has been used experimentally to treat osteoporosis,
although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved
it for this purpose. The fact is that fluoride does increase bone
mineral density.
But this “benefit” is misleading because as it increases density,
it simultaneously makes them more brittle and prone to fracture.
Fluoride actually interferes with bone remodeling, or the process in
which the mineral portion of your bone is broken down and rebuilt.
By interfering, your bones become excessively mineralized and
enlarged, “a disruption of the precise architecture needed to
maintain resistance to fracture,” as the
Fluoride Action Network (FAN) put it.
Fluoride Blamed for Increasing Bone Fractures in India
Fluoride is described as “one of the oldest drugs available for
managing osteoporosis,” but the gains in bone mass are being offset
by increases in fracture rates.1
Vivek Logani, chief of joint replacement surgery at Gurgaon's Paras
Hospital in India, said:2
"It is widely recognized that fluoride therapy for
osteoporosis adds mass to bones but produces inferior bones. In
short, the bio-mechanical competence of the skeleton may be
compromised because the tensile (elasticity) strength of bone is
sacrificed…
Numerous studies show that fluoride may cause not only
increased skeletal fragility (more non-vertebral fractures such
as hips) but also osteomalacia (deficiency of bone
mineralization).”
For instance, research has shown that patients treated with
fluoride at doses of greater than 20 milligrams/day had an increase
in fracture rates, including spontaneous hip fracture.3
Even at levels found in drinking water (4 mg/L), fluoride has been
found to reduce the density of cortical bone and increase bone
fracture rates among populations with fluoridated drinking water.
The data actually spurred the US National Research Council to
call on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce
fluoride levels in drinking water, although they’ve yet to do so.4
Animal studies have also shown that as fluoride exposure increases,
bone strength decreases.5
So don’t be fooled by its ability to increase bone mass…
Fluoride Kills Your Bones in a Way Similar to Bisphosphonate Drugs
As FAN said, “Remember, thicker bone does NOT equate to stronger
bone,” and this is a lesson learned well from bisphosphonate
osteoporosis drugs (Fosamax, Boniva, and Actonel). Like fluoride,
these drugs poison your osteoclasts (cells that break down your
bone), permanently killing them and interfering with your normal
bone remodeling processes.
So, your bones will indeed get denser but at the same time they
will become weaker and more prone to fracture. Bone is a
dynamic structure that requires the removal of unhealthy bone and
REPLACEMENT with new bone to stay strong.
Fosamax does NOT build any new bone… and neither does fluoride.
It only kills the cells that break bone down, so your bone is not
benefitting from its natural dynamic regenerative process.
Government Fails to Disclose Fluoride’s Disproportionate Harms to
Black Community
Fluoride toxicity is exacerbated by conditions that occur much
more frequently in low-income areas. This includes:
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Infant formula consumption
- Kidney disease
- Diabetes
Black and Mexican American children have significantly higher
rates of dental fluorosis, and many low-income urban communities
also have severe oral health crises, despite decades of water
fluoridation. In the US, 40% of adolescents have dental fluorosis.
According to documents obtained by FAN, government health
authorities knew more than 50 years ago that black Americans
suffered greater harm from fluoridation, including being more
susceptible to dental fluorosis than whites. Yet, they failed to
disclose those harms to the black community or make changes to water
fluoridation guidelines. FAN reported:6
“In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control [and
Prevention] (CDC) acknowledged for the first time that the black
community has higher rates of dental fluorosis. It took a
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, however, to learn the
full extent of this disparity.
According to recently released FOIA documents, 58% of
black children were diagnosed with dental fluorosis in CDC's
1999-2004 national survey, versus 36% of white children.
‘The epidemic of fluorosis now seen in the black
community,’ says [attorney Michael] Connett, ‘is the visible
legacy of the government's failure to act on what it knew.’"
Dental fluorosis is a condition that refers to changes in the
appearance of tooth enamel that are caused by long-term ingestion of
fluoride during the time teeth are forming. In some areas, fluorosis
rates are as high as 70-80 percent, with some children suffering
from advanced forms.
It’s likely this is a sign that children are receiving large
amounts of fluoride from multiple sources, including not only
drinking water but also fluoride toothpaste, processed
beverages/foods, fluoride pesticides, tea, non-stick pans, and some
fluorinated drugs.
It's important to realize that dental fluorosis is NOT "just
cosmetic." It can also be an indication that the rest of your body,
such as your bones and internal organs, including your brain, has
been overexposed to fluoride as well. In other words, if fluoride is
having a visually detrimental effect on the surface of your teeth,
you can be virtually guaranteed that it's also damaging other parts
of your body, such as your bones.
How to Create Truly Stronger Bones Via Your Diet
One of the important strategies for healthy bones is to
eat the
right kind of foods. A diet full of processed foods will produce
biochemical and metabolic conditions in your body that will decrease
your bone density, so avoiding processed foods is definitely the
first step in the right direction. This goes far beyond calcium,
which is the first nutrient many people think of concerning their
bones.
Your bones are actually composed of many different minerals, and
if you focus on calcium alone, you will likely weaken your
bones and increase your risk of osteoporosis, as Dr. Robert Thompson
explains in his book,
The Calcium Lie.
Calcium, vitamins D and K2, and magnesium work synergistically
together to promote strong, healthy bones, and your sodium to
potassium ratio also plays an important role in maintaining your
bone mass (larger amounts of potassium in relation to sodium is
optimal for your bone health and your overall health). Ideally,
you'd get all or most of these nutrients, including
vitamin B12, from your diet (with the exception of vitamin D).
This includes:
- Plant-derived calcium: Raw milk from
pasture-raised cows (who eat the plants), leafy green
vegetables, the pith of citrus fruits, carob, and sesame seeds
-
Magnesium: Raw organic cacao and supplemental
magnesium threonate if need be; take regular Epsom salt baths or
foot baths
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Vitamin K2: Grass-fed organic animal products (i.e.
eggs, butter, and dairy), certain fermented foods such as natto,
or vegetables fermented using a starter culture of vitamin
K2-producing bacteria, and certain cheeses such as Brie and
Gouda
- Trace minerals: Himalayan Crystal Salt,
which contains all 84 elements found in your body, or other
natural, unprocessed salt (NOT regular table salt!)
- Vitamin D:
Ideally from appropriate sun exposure (or a high-quality tanning
bed), as it's virtually impossible to get sufficient amounts
from food. As a last resort, you could use a supplement, but if
you do, you may also need to supplement with vitamin K2 and
magnesium to maintain ideal ratios
Lower Your Risk of Fractures with Exercise
The other component you can't ignore if you want strong, healthy
bones is weight-bearing exercises like
strength training. Bone building is a dynamic process, so you
want to make sure you exert enough force on your bones to stimulate
the osteoblasts to build new bone. As mentioned, bone is living
tissue that requires regular physical activity in order to
renew and rebuild itself, so it is important to make exercise a
lifelong commitment. Peak bone mass is achieved in adulthood and
then begins a slow decline, but exercise can help you to maintain
healthy bone mass as you get older, and should be viewed as a
bone-building partner to your healthy diet.
Weight-bearing exercise is actually one of the most effective
remedies against osteoporosis, because as you put more tension on
your muscles it puts more pressure on your bones, which then respond
by continuously creating fresh, new bone. In addition, as you build
more muscle, and make the muscle that you already have stronger, you
also put more constant pressure on your bones. A good weight-bearing
exercise to incorporate into your routine (depending on your current
level of fitness, of course) is a walking lunge, as it helps build
bone density in your hips, even without any additional weights.
In addition, Acceleration Training, a.k.a. Whole Body Vibrational
Training (WBVT) using a
Power Plate, has also been shown to be a safe, natural way to
ward off osteoporosis, and it's gentle enough even for the disabled
and elderly. Research shows vibrational training may help to produce
a significant increase in bone density in postmenopausal women,7
making it another valuable tool for bone health.
Take Action Against Fluoridated Drinking Water
Clearly, children and adults alike are being overexposed to
fluoride, and their health and development put in jeopardy. Why?
At least when it comes to topical application, you have a
choice. You can easily buy fluoride-free toothpaste and mouthwash.
But you're stuck with whatever your community puts in the water, and
it's very difficult to filter out of your water once it's added.
Many do not have the resources or the knowledge to do so.
Stay tuned, as the Fluoride Action Network has a game plan to END
water fluoridation, both in the US and Canada. Clean pure water is a
prerequisite to optimal health. Industrial chemicals, drugs, and
other toxic additives really have no place in our water supplies.
So, please, support the anti-fluoride movement by making a donation
to the
Fluoride Action Network today.
From November 8th - 14th we launch
Vaccine-Awareness Week.
We set aside an entire week dedicated to advocating vaccine safety
and informed consent in the public health system.
Internet Resources Where You Can Learn More
I encourage you to visit the website of the non-profit charity,
the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), at
www.NVIC.org:
-
NVIC Memorial for Vaccine Victims: View
descriptions and photos of children and adults, who have
suffered vaccine reactions, injuries, and deaths. If you or your
child experiences an adverse vaccine event, please consider
posting and sharing your story here.
-
If You Vaccinate, Ask 8 Questions: Learn
how to recognize vaccine reaction symptoms and prevent vaccine
injuries.
-
Vaccine Freedom Wall: View or post
descriptions of harassment and sanctions by doctors, employers,
and school and health officials for making independent vaccine
choices.
Together, Let's Help NVIC Get to the Finish Line
This is the week we can get NVIC the funding it deserves. I have
found few NGOs as effective and efficient, as NVIC. Its small team
has led the charge on vaccines and informed consent and will
continue to do so with our help!
So I am stepping up with the challenge. For the fourth year in a
row, I will match the funds you give. This year, I believe a
$100,000 match is the right thing to do. Please give, and all
dollars received up to $100,000 will be matched by Natural Health
Research Foundation, which I founded.
Also check out the documentary
Bought from now until November 21st, that
exposes the inner workings of the food and healthcare systems,
exploring the truth about the manufacture and sales of vaccines and
drugs. All proceeds from sales of the video (minus $1 for the
distributor) will be donated to the NVIC.
Copyright 1997- 2014 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.
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