Sunday Nov 17, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- Fluoride is added to your toothpaste and drinking water.  Advocates claim fluoride can help prevent dental caries.  But fluoride is toxic and research has revealed that fluoride can induce oxidative stress which may be involved in all sorts of chronic disease including Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, diabetes mellitus and cancer.

Humans exposed to fluoride have the anti-oxidant defense mechanism changed due to th eelevated levels of oxidative stress induced by fluoride, according to a new study in Phamarceutical Biology.  The study was intended to examine the effect of lycopene on fluoride intoxification in different organs in rats, which may give food consumers some idea as to how fluoride cause harm.

For the study, twenty-four adult rats were randomized into four groups of six animals each. The first  group received placebo very day, the second group received 10 mg of lycopene per kg body weight per day, the third group were supplemented with sodium fluoride in a dose of 10.3 mg per kg body weight per day, and the fourth group were given lycopene first and then one hour later sodium fluoride.  All treatments lasted five weeks.

Soidum fluoride was found to induce oxidative stress and increase levels of lipid peroxidation in red blood cells, heart and brain tissues.   Sodium fluoride also decreased glutathione level, total anti-oxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity in all examined tissues.

Supplementation of lycopene, which is a phytochemical found in tomatoes and available as a dietary supplement, was found able to normalize elevated oxidative stress levels and changed anti-oxidant system.

The researchers concluded "Lycopene administration could minimize the toxic effects of fluoride indicating its free-radical scavenging and powerful anti-oxidant activities."

Lycopene is available as a dietary supplement and interested food consumers may find it on the Internet and local health stores.

In addition to lycopene, early research suggests that taking vitamin C supplements can redcue the toxicity of fluoride.   Fluoride in water can only be removed using reverse osmosis water filters  which are available on the Internet and local stores.

Fluoride can pose a series of health risks.  Studies show it can cause bone cancer in boys, lower children's IQ, and cause dental and skeletal fluorosis.  Opponents say there is no evidence indicating that fluoridation prevents even dental caries as claimed by dental organizations.  In the United States, water for 75% of the general population in the country is fluoridated.  (David Liu, PHD)

Mansour HH, Tawfik SS. Efficacy of lycopene against fluoride toxicity in rats. Pharm Biol. 2012 Jun;50(6):707-11. doi: 10.3109/13880209.2011.618994. Epub 2011 Dec 1.