Posted on 05/28/2006 7:10:39 PM PDT by Coleus
Pooled data from six case-control studies suggest that higher consumption of tap water-based drinks may slightly increase the risk of bladder cancer among men. The increased risk of bladder cancer with tap water consumption was "consistently found in all six studies, making chance an unlikely explanation," write investigators in the International Journal of Cancer.
They caution, however, that for now, the study finding that tap water "is associated with a slight increased risk of bladder cancer" does not readily translate into public health recommendations. The results are based on 2,749 bladder cancer cases and 5,150 cancer-free controls. Most of the subjects resided in the US, Canada or Finland, with data from subjects in France and Italy also included.
The investigators observed that the risk of bladder cancer was 50 percent higher in men who drank more than 2.0 liters of tap water per day compared with those who drank 0.5 liters or less of tap water per day. Results among women were less consistent. Coffee made up, on average, about one third of the tap water intake and heavy coffee consumption, defined as more than 5 cups per day, increased bladder cancer risk, especially among men who smoked.
However, consumption of tap water excluding coffee was also associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer.
Drinking fluids other than tap water was not associated with bladder cancer risk, reports the study team led by Dr. Christina M. Villanueva from Institut Municipal d'Investigacio Medica in Barcelona, Spain. The association between bladder cancer and tap water consumption, but not with non-tap water fluids, suggest to investigators that the increased risk may be related to the cancer-causing contaminants in tap water, such as disinfection by-products. Disinfection by-products are chemicals generated through reactions of disinfectants (such as chlorine) with organic matter naturally occurring in water. Trihalomethanes are usually the most prevalent by-products of chlorination.
However, in the current study, the increased risk of bladder cancer among those who drink large amounts of tap water was independent of trihalomethane exposure. SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, April 15, 2006.
TAP water? Don't touch the stuff---unless it's for cooking. ;-)
Is any distinction made between municipal water and private wells in this study?
Studies paid for by bottled water companies.
yitbos
Swallowing saliva will cause cancer, but only if swallowed in small amounts over a long period of years.
My guess is that it has something to do with the treatment, Chlorine, ammonia, chloramines, trihalomethanes.. I'd assume well water would be safer, but then again you can have alot of other stuff in well water, depending on the source.
What makes me think this study was, somehow, promoted by the bottled water industry?
Somehow they forgot to blame Bush and the GOP congress for this. I guess in a later edit they will.
Maybe, but not clarifying what made up the "tap" water is misinformation at the worst. Maybe big cities have worse water, and since being big cities they have more people drinking it they would form a disproportional sample.
Stick to beer, Gatorade, and Snapple.
"Disinfection by-products are chemicals generated through reactions of disinfectants (such as chlorine) with organic matter naturally occurring in water. Trihalomethanes are usually the most prevalent by-products of chlorination."
That is it in a nutshell. The last line in the article is vauge and does not make any sense. The "Safe Water act" mandated by the federal government actually makes the water unsafe in this regard. They mandate that all wells with more that 2 familys on it be Chlorinated. Many of these wells are deep underground wells with pretty much a zero chance of serious biological contamination. Your chance of getting seriously sick from a biological in one of those wells is far far less than the chance of having serious health effects from drinking Chlorine. Just another way in which the federal government serves you.
Maybe if they used moonshine instead of Chorine to disinfect drinking water than we would all be safer.
I have only imbibed of well water for the past 30 or so years.
It is my belief that water treated with chlorine and fluoride causes liberalism. Don't believe me? Look at the major cities around the USA and in what used to be Europe.
"moonshine instead of Chorine"
Another commie plot.
yitbos
Maybe, but not clarifying what made up the "tap" water is misinformation at the worst. >>>
generally speaking they are talking about municipal water sources treated with Chlorine found in larger cities.
Thank God I only drink Coca-Cola
Here it is:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112141507/ABSTRACT
But not much help since you have to pay to get the whole article. This is only an abstract.
The problem is:
"However, in the current study, the increased risk of bladder cancer among those who drink large amounts of tap water was independent of trihalomethane exposure."
That is impossible since municple water supplies are Chlorinated and most definately have trihalomethane's.
So I think the last line is phoney.
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