FLUORIDATION AND IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME            home ¦contact us ¦

Prof. A.K. Susheela, a histocytochemist and director of Fluorosis Research and Rural Development Foundation in India has over 70 studies on the adverse health effects of fluoride. In 1998, Prof. Susheela presented her evidence to the U.K. Health Minister in Westminister. In her presentation, she highlighted the gastro-intestinal changes from excess fluoride. This “non-ulcer dyspeptic” complaints include nausea, vomiting, cramps, gas, constipation followed by diarrhoea. She concluded that, “such symptoms were related to fluoride ingested via water, food or even dental products”.

Upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy using fibre-optic endoscope and punch biopsy material examined under an electron microscope revealed, (1) loss of microvilli on the cell surfaces, (2) loss of mucus in the mucosa and (3) “cracked clay” appearance of the cell surfaces at 1ppm fluoride in drinking water.

Susheela AK, Das TK, 2 Gupta IP,2 Tandon RK,2 Kacker SK,2 Ghosh P,3 and Deka,3 Fluoride ingestion and its correlation with gastrointestinal discomfort, Fluoride, 1992, 25:l, pp 5-22

SUMMARY: This study was carried out to assess the effect on the human gastroduodenal mucosa of drinking naturally fluoridated water and treating patients with 30 mg sodium fluoride for otosclerosis. Ten cases each of skeletal fluorosis and otosclerosis and twenty cases of non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) were investigated through routine clinical investigations, chemical investigations of body fluids and drinking water for fluoride, radiographs, stool examination for ova, cysts and worms, abdominal sonography, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, jejunal aspirates for Giardia lamblia, histopathology of biopsies of intestinal and gastric mucosa and scanning electron microscopy of the mucosa. Patients of all three groups, compared with a control group of normal healthy volunteers, presented gastrointestinal problems and discomfort. Four patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia also presented radiological evidence of skeletal fluorosis. Analysis of ingested drinking water revealed fluoride concentrations of 0.49 - 11.36 ppm. Histopathological studies revealed non-specific lesions. Stool examination revealed ova of Ascaris lumbricoides in two NUD patients, while the rest had normal stool on examination. Jejunal aspirates were negative for Giardia lamblia in all the subjects. Scanning electron microscopic studies revealed widespread damage to the mucosa, viz. (a) mucus droplets were not visible, (b) loss of microvilli, (c) cracked-clay appearance of the duodenal mucosa and (d) desquamated epithelium of gastric mucosa. It is concluded: 1) Ingested fluoride damages gastroduodenal mucosa. 2) Gastrointestinal discomfort can be an early warning sign of fluorosis. 3) Fluoride toxicity should be considered a possible reason for non-ulcer dyspepsia, especially in fluorosis endemic areas. 4) Gastrointestinal discomfort during sodium fluoride therapy calls for extreme caution and close monitoring. 5) Gastrointestinal discomfort in the form of dyspeptic symptoms should be an important diagnostic feature when identifying fluorosis patients and should not be dismissed as non-specific.

 

1Department of Anatomy, 2Department of Gastroenterology, 3Department of Otolaryngology, All India Insitute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
 MORE INFORMATION:
 

SODIUM FLUORIDE/GASTRO MUCOSAL LESIONS
http://www.cadvision.com/fluoride/adverse.htm#Muller P, et al., Sodium
fluoride-induced gastric mucosal lesions: comparison with sodium
monofluorophosphate


SODIUM FLUORIDE-INDUCED GASTRIC MUCOSAL LESIONS:COMPARISON WITH MONOFLUOROPHOPHATE
http://www.trufax.org/abstract/fl69.html

 EFFECTS OF FLUORIDE ON STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF CANINE GASTRIC MUCOSA
http://www.cadvision.com/fluoride/adverse.htm#Whitford GM, et al., Effects of fluoride on structure and function of canine gastric mucosa