Chemical in drinking water harms female thyroid

The Washington Times ^ | October 9, 2006 | Joyce Howard Price

[neverdem]

Scientists have linked exposure to small levels of a chemical found in public drinking water supplies in 26 states to suppressed thyroid function in more than a third of women and girls 12 and older.

    The exposure to perchlorate, a study showed, was most acute in women with low levels of iodine in their systems, said Dr. James L. Pirkle, director of sciences in the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's Environmental Health laboratory and the study's author.

    "It's already been known that high levels of exposure to perchlorate [reduce] thyroid function, but this large study of more than 1,100 women marks the first time this effect has been shown from exposure to perchlorate at lower levels found in the general population ... the effect is not trivial," Dr. Pirkle said.

    Levels of perchlorate commonly found in the population range from 0.2 micrograms per liter up to 100 micrograms per liter.

    Perchlorate, both a naturally occurring and man-made chemical primarily used in making rocket fuel, may not be a household world across the nation, but it is well-known in California, where it seeped into the ground from operations of defense contractors and military bases. The chemical contaminated more than 450 wells and other water sources in Los Angeles, Sacramento and four other counties.

    Perchlorate also is found in milk, cheese and lettuce, as well as in human breast milk and baby formula.

    A report last year by the National Academy of Sciences found that perchlorate has been detected in the public drinking water supplies of more than 11 million Americans in 26 states.

    In the new research, published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, investigators explained that perchlorate blocks the thyroid gland's uptake of iodine, slowing metabolism and causing medical...

[edcoil]

So men and boys don't have thyroid's?

Pretty focus percolorate buy if you ask me.

[detsaoT]

I'm usually a big fan of the Washington Times, but they probably could have listed the 26 states that are affected by this study... ;)

[good old days]

I was wondering about the states myself.

[luckystarmom]

I live in California, and I have hypo-thyroidism.

I would like to find out more about this because I have daughters.

Thyroid problems are not fun.

[armymarinemom]

I have thyroid problems and it would have been nice to see the states listed.

[knittnmom]

So it's not my fault I'm fat - it could be something in the water? And every weight loss plan I've ever read emphasizes drinking at least 8 glasses of water daily!

[bmwcyle]

ping

[fourmation599]

http://geotracker3.ecointeractive.com/slic_perchlorate/report_confirmed.asp?cmd=detailedsite

This is about the best info I could find, but it lists sites not states.

[fivecatsandadog]

"may not be a household world across the nation, but"

I don't have a household world yet. Did you get one?

[Eagle Eye]

In other words, fat women can now claim that they got that way from drinking treated water.

At least in 26 states, that is.

[Solamente]

I was looking up stuff for my Mom and her hypothyroid stuff, and came across this:

http://www.biopsychiatry.com/hypothyroidism.htm

[Incorrigible]

Auto-immune link?

[neverdem]

Urinary Perchlorate and Thyroid Hormone Levels in Adolescent and Adult Men and Women Living in the United States

The full version of this article is available for free in PDF format at the link.

[mo]

Grain of salt....mash here...http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/medizin_gesundheit/bericht-38750.html

[detsaoT]

LOL! Good ol' Death-by-Spellcheck. :)

[neverdem]

Auto-immune link?

I don't think so. From the pdf:

"Environmental perchlorate exposure is of potential health concern because much larger doses of perchlorate have been shown to competitively inhibit iodide uptake (Greer et al. 2002; Wyngaarden et al. 1953). Populations with low intake of iodine or increased demand for iodine may be more vulnerable to inhibition of iodide uptake. Sustained inhibition of iodide uptake can lead to hypothyroidism, although perchlorate-induced changes to thyroid function have not been previously demonstrated in any human population exposed to perchlorate, even at doses as high as 0.5 milligrams per kilogram body weight per day (NAS 2005)." Page 7

[armymarinemom]

Thanks. Didn't really help much.

[luckystarmom]

I battle depression, so that is interesting.

[Right Wing Assault]

So many articles do this kind of thing. They have articles such as, "Top 10 whatever!" and tell you only number one. Or, as in this case, they tell you nothing.