A few months ago we stumbled upon an article by Ken Perrott, posted on the ResearchGate website. We found it because the author, in his document, had provided a hyperlink to a study that is hosted on our website (Lin et al., 1991).
- Perrott K - "Analysis of FAN's 65 brain-fluoride studies" (2020) Unpublished, Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... de_studies [accessed Feb 17 2021].
https://poisonfluoride.com/dir/wp-conte ... tudies.pdf
Apparently, the author is the "Science Advisor for Making Sense of Fluoride, Inc., an Australasian group of academics, scientists health specialists and students which works to counter misrepresentation about community water fluoridation." (Health Central NZ, 2018).
Perrott's comments are frequently found on forums dealing with Calgary's fluoridation issue.
In the article, the author made an attempt to discredit the many papers that had appeared in the last few decades documenting the adverse effects of fluoride on IQ. While there are certainly problems with many of the IQ studies, it was evident that the author had a limited understanding of fluoride toxicology and misrepresented key studies.
For the purpose of this post, we will look at the paper that Perrott had hyperlinked to our PFPC website, a study published in 1991 and conducted by researchers at the Xinjiang Center for Disease Control in China.
- NAME OF STUDY:
Lin Fa-Fu, Aihaiti, Zhao Hong-Xin, Lin Jin, Jiang Ji-Yong, Maimaiti, Aiken - "High-fluoride and Low-iodine Environment and Subclinical Cretinism in Xinjiang" Endem Dis Bul 6(2):62-67 (1991)
https://poisonfluoride.com/dir/wp-conte ... F-1991.pdf
English Translation in: ICCIDD Newsletter, Volume 7 Number 3 (August 1991)
https://poisonfluoride.com/pfpc/lin-1991.pdf
Perrott wrote the following about this study:
This was basically a study of Iodine deficient children and very few details are reported (the article is a one-and a half page [sic] note in the Chinese Iodine Deficiency Disorder Newsletter). It is basically an iodine deficiency study and the fluoride levels are irrelevant.
This statement is simply false in all aspects as anyone familiar with the work can easily verify.
PUBLICATION FACTS:
1) The study was published in the Chinese journal "Endemic Diseases Bulletin", the official journal of the Xinjiang Center for Disease Control. It is a highly-rated journal in China, publishing research on endemic diseases such as fluorosis, iodine deficiency disorders, malaria, Keshan disease, and is considered a core journal in the field of parasitology. The journal was renamed the "Bulletin of Disease Control and Prevention" in 2005 (Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, 2021).
2) The paper is 6 pages long (not that it matters any) and - although written in Chinese - features tables depicting details of the study results in English.
3) Subsequently, an English translation of this study - minus the tables - was published in the Newsletter of the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), the global organization dedicated to the elimination of iodine deficiency. [The ICCIDD was renamed "Iodine Global Network" (IGN) in 2014].
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Lin and colleagues worked at the Xinjiang Institute for Endemic Disease Control and Research, conducting research on fluoride and iodine deficiency disorders for well over 10 years. Their work led to the evaluation of reverse T3 (rT3) as a biomarker in fluoride poisoning (Lin et al. 1991, 1992, 1986).
WHAT DID THE STUDY REPORT?
This particular study was a 3-year examination of 130 children aged 7-14 years, conducted between 1987 and 1989, with funding provided by UNICEF. The study was conducted to evaluate the incidence of sub-clinical cretinism in areas with low iodine and "high" fluoride intake.
The study compared two iodine-deficient (IDD) areas with "normal" fluoride (0.34 ppm) to a third one that was considered to have "high" fluoride (0.88 ppm), and a fourth one where iodine supplementation had taken place.
The study found that fluoride at the "high" water concentration of 0.88 ppm could significantly exacerbate the effects of iodine deficiency. Fluoride greatly increased TSH and rT3 levels while reducing T4 and T3 levels, increased the uptake of radioactive iodine, retarded bone age, and further reduced IQ.
It is patently absurd to claim that fluoride levels were "irrelevant" in this study by Lin et al., as proclaimed by Perrott.
The fact that rT3 levels increased was a clear indicator that fluoride affected the activity of the deiodinases - (D1, D2, D3 --> enzymes that convert T4 to T3) and that effects were caused by events OUTSIDE of the actual thyroid gland, in peripheral tissue, as the thyroid itself only secretes minimal amounts of rT3.
rT3 is of crucial importance in fetal thyroid hormone homeostasis.
Since the work done by Lin et al., other researchers have also found rT3 levels as an appropriate biomarker in fluoride poisoning in humans (i.e. Shashi & Singla, 2013 a,b).
That fluoride affects deiodination was first shown in 1956 (Minder & Gordonoff, 1956). It has been observed many times since - in animals, humans, in vitro studies, and established endocrine disruptor models (i.e. Stolc & Podoba, 1960; Zenker et al.,1984; Liu et al., 2003; Zhao et al., 2013; Sarkar et al., 2014; Zhang et al., 2018).
The deiodinases are under the control of TSH, the thyroid-stimulating hormone - levels of which are increased even at small elevations of fluoride in water supplies - and at concentrations below those used for community water fluoridation (Kheradpisheh et al., 2018).
It is unfortunate that both anti- and pro-fluoridation groups remain largely ignorant on the actual toxicological properties of fluoride, particularly as it relates to its effects on thyroid hormone metabolism.
It is disturbing to see that landmark studies such as the one by Lin et al. continue to be misrepresented by advocates of fluoridation programs, and especially those who claim to "counter-act misrepresentation about community water fluoridation", such as Ken Perrott and Juliet Guichon [see: viewtopic.php?f=91&t=3697 ].
Andreas Schuld, Bob Johannsen, Wendy Small
PFPC Canada
REFERENCES:
Chinese Preventive Medicine Association
http://www.cpma.org.cn/zhyfyxh/dfbtb/20 ... 3820.shtml
Health Central New Zealand: https://healthcentral.nz/opinion-ken-pe ... oridation/ (2018)
Jin Xiang, Cui Yushan, Cao Lichun - "The relationship between thyroid hormone abnormality and DIO1 gene polymorphism in children with dental fluorosis" Tianjin Medical Journal 12:1196-1200 (2020)
Kheradpisheh Z, Mirzaei M, Mahvi AH, Mokhtari M, Azizi R, Fallahzadeh H, Ehrampoush MH - "Impact of Drinking Water Fluoride on Human Thyroid Hormones: A Case-Control Study" Scientific Reports Volume 8:2674 (2018)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-20696-4
Lin Jin, Lin Fafu, Zhao Hongxin, Jiang Jiyong, Xu Xunfeng - "A study on the relationship between serum rT3 and environmental iodine or fluoride levels" Endemic Disease Bulletin (3):68-70 (1992)
http://www.nmglib.com:8901/article/deta ... ?id=720441
Lin Fa-Fu, Aihaiti, Zhao Hong-Xin, Lin Jin, Jiang Ji-Yong, Maimaiti, Aiken - "High-fluoride and Low-iodine Environment and Subclinical Cretinism in Xinjiang" Endem Dis Bul 6(2):62-67 (1991)
English Translation in: ICCIDD Newsletter, Volume 7 Number 3 (August 1991)
https://poisonfluoride.com/dir/wp-conte ... F-1991.pdf
https://poisonfluoride.com/pfpc/lin-1991.pdf
Lin FF et al. - "Subclinical cretinism in Xinjiang" China Public Health 14(1):18-20 (1998)
Lin FF et al. - "Preliminary Study of endemic goiter and endemic fluorosis in the Manas River Basin and environmental geochemistry relations" Chinese Journal of Medicine (01) (1986)
Liu GY, Chai CY, Kang SL - "Effects of fluoride on the activity of deiodinase in the liver of chickens" Chin J Vet Med 39:14-5 (2003)
Minder W, Gordonoff T - "An antagonism between iodine and fluorine" Archives Internationales de Pharmacodynamie et de Therapie 107:374-381 (1956)
Sarkar C, Pal S - "Ameliorative Effect of Resveratrol Against Fluoride-Induced Alteration of Thyroid Function in Male Wistar Rats" Biol Trace Elem Res 162(1-3):278-287 (2014)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25164033/
Shashi A, Singla S - "Syndrome of Low Triiodothyroinine in Chronic Fluorosis" International Journal of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences 3(1):152-160 (2013a)
FULL PAPER:
http://cibtech.org/J-MEDICAL-SCIENCES/P ... 52-160.pdf
Shashi A, Singla S - "Clinical and Biochemical Profile of Deiodinase Enzymes and Thyroid Function Hormones in Patients of Fluorosis" Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 7(4): 100-107 (2013b)
http://poisonfluoride.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=552
Stolc V, Podoba J – “Effect of fluoride on the biogenesis of thyroid hormones” Nature 188:855-856 (1960)
Zenker N, Chacon MA, Tyson Tildon J - "Mode of death effect on rat liver iodothyronine 5′ deiodinase activity: Role of adenosine 3′,5′ monophosphate" Life Sciences 35(22):2213–2217 (1984)
Zhang Y, Xie L, Li X, Chai L, Chen M, Kong X, Wang Q, Liu J, Zhi L, Yang C, Wang H - "Effects of fluoride on morphology, growth, development, and thyroid hormone of Chinese toad (Bufo gargarizans) embryos" Environ Mol Mutagen 59(2):123-133 (2018)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29024016/
Zhao H, Chai L, Wang H - "Effects of fluoride on metamorphosis, thyroid and skeletal development in Bufo gargarizans tadpoles" Ecotoxicology. 22(7):1123-32 (2013)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.10 ... 013-1099-0