Psychotropic Drug in Drinking Water May Damage Your Thyroid
Lithium, widely used in the treatment of bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia, is showing up in drinking water supplies at levels similar to those used for treatment.
The drug is well known to impact thyroid function, and thyroid abnormalities ranging from goiter to hypothyroidism have been noted in lithium patients.
There are currently no set drinking water standards for lithium, which means your drinking water supplies are not routinely tested for this drug. However, a new study in Environmental Health Perspectives, which found exposure to lithium via drinking water and other environmental sources may affect thyroid function, suggests it should be.
After testing over 200 women living in Argentina, where high levels of lithium were found in drinking water, it was found that women with higher lithium levels in their urine were more likely to have lower levels of thyroxine (T4) and higher levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which are markers of underactive thyroid function.
As reported by Environmental Health News:
“Several studies conducted in South America and one world-wide study of bottled water showed that it is possible to have several milligrams of lithium in a liter of water, leading to a daily exposure that is similar to what is given to treat depression.”
The study adds to a growing list of evidence proving your thyroid function is easily disrupted by outside influences, including the chemicals that are ubiquitous in our environment.
It’s unclear what levels of lithium exist in U.S. drinking water supplies, but if you’re concerned an independent laboratory can test your water for you.
Environmental Health Perspectives January 20, 2011
Environmental Health News April 12, 2011
————————————————————————————————————
The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Japanese Radiation: A Risk to Your Thyroid?
The release of radiation from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was damaged by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit earlier this month, has triggered mounting concerns around the world.
Just how dangerous is the radiation release and are those in the United States at risk?
The damaged nuclear plant has released radioactive iodine, including iodine-131, into surrounding areas. Those in the immediate vicinity could face serious health repercussions, as exposure to radioactive iodine can lead to the development of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer, among other health problems.
As for the radiation traveling to the United States, so far this risk appears to be minimal. The radiation will be diluted by 5,000 miles of ocean, rain and sea spray when it reaches U.S. shores, hopefully making it of little consequence to human health. To date, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has been monitoring radiation levels across the country, has noted radiation levels slightly higher than normal but “still far below levels of public health concern.”
The radiation scare has also sent many scrambling for potassium iodide (KI) pills, which help protect your thyroid from radioactive material. Your thyroid is particularly vulnerable to radiation poisoning as it actively uptakes iodine from your blood to make thyroid hormones. If you’re exposed to radioactive iodine, your thyroid will not know the difference and will take in the radioactive substance.
By taking potassium iodide (a stable form of iodine), you can essentially flood your system with so much iodine that your body will have no need to uptake the radioactive form, thereby protecting your thyroid from the damaging effects.
The U.S. State Department has given KI pills to U.S. personnel residing in the Japanese danger zones, but so far there appears to be no need for U.S. citizens in the United States to take the pills as a precautionary measure. In fact, taking potassium iodide unnecessarily is not a good idea, as it can lead to serious side effects including even hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American Thyroid Association, The Endocrine Society and the Society of Nuclear Medicine also released a joint statement advising against the use of prophylactic KI at this time:
“KI should not be taken in the absence of a clear risk of exposure to a potentially dangerous level of radioactive iodine because potassium iodide can cause allergic reactions, skin rashes, salivary gland inflammation, hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism in a small percentage of people.
Since radioactive iodine decays rapidly, current estimates indicate there will not be a hazardous level of radiation reaching the United States from this accident. When an exposure does warrant KI to be taken, it should be taken as directed by physicians or public health authorities until the risk for significant exposure to radioactive iodine dissipates, but probably for no more than 1-2 weeks.
With radiation accidents, the greatest risk is to populations close to the radiation source. While some radiation may be detected in the United States and its territories in the Pacific as a result of this accident, current estimates indicate that radiation amounts will be little above baseline atmospheric levels and will not be harmful to the thyroid gland or general health.
We discourage individuals needlessly purchasing or hoarding of KI in the United States. Moreover, since there is not a radiation emergency in the United States or its territories, we do not support the ingestion of KI prophylaxis at this time.”
We’ll be keeping an eye on this issue as time goes on, so stay tuned to the blog for further updates.
American Thyroid Association March 18, 2011
————————————————————————————————————
The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Does Even BPA-Free Plastic Cause Health Risks?
Chemicals in plastics are widely known to cause disruptions to your endocrine system, potentially altering your normal thyroid and other hormone levels and leading to a range of serious health conditions including cancer, decreased fertility, reduced sperm count, nervous system damage and reproductive and developmental problems.
Given these risks, many consumers have started looking for “safer” plastics, like those that are free of bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting chemical linked to thyroid disruption that’s commonly used in plastic products.
However, a new study from University of Texas researchers has raised concern over the safety of virtually any type of plastic, even those labeled BPA-free. After testing 455 commonly used plastic products, they found 70 percent tested positive for estrogenic activity, and when they were used as they would be in real life, such as put in the microwave or dishwasher, that rose to 95 percent.
What’s more, even the plastics products labeled “BPA-free” were problematic, and in some cases even more so than the BPA-containing products. The researchers stated in Environmental Health Perspectives:
“Almost all commercially available plastic products we sampled, independent of the type of resin, product, or retail source, leached chemicals having reliably-detectable EA [estrogenic activity], including those advertised as BPA-free. In some cases, BPA-free products released chemicals having more EA than BPA-containing products.”
If you’re interested in protecting not only your thyroid health but also your endocrine system health as a whole, it may be wise to limit your use of plastics as much as possible, including those labeled BPA-free. At the very least, avoid putting plastic food containers in the microwave and get rid of those that are worn or scratched, all of which can increase the amount of chemicals that leach into your food or beverages.
Also, look for non-plastic baby bottles and toys, as infants are among those most vulnerable to the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Environmental Health Perspectives March 2, 2011
————————————————————————————————————
The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
EPA to Set Standard for Thyroid-Damaging Perchlorate
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided that it will regulate perchlorate under the Safe Drinking Water Act, reversing its 2008 preliminary determination that left the chemical completely unregulated in U.S. water supplies.
Perchlorate, a chemical used to produce rocket fuel, fireworks, flares and explosives, and also sometimes used in bleach and fertilizers, has raised concerns because it is a well-known danger to the thyroid gland; specifically it’s known to interfere with the uptake of iodide, leading to decreased production of thyroid hormones.
Fortunately, a thorough review of the emerging science on the chemical has prompted the EPA to take action to help protect Americans’ health. The EPA’s new decision to set a standard for perchlorate in drinking water is based on the following three revelations:
1. Perchlorate is dangerous: Scientific research indicates that perchlorate can disrupt the thyroid’s ability to produce hormones needed for normal growth and development.
2. Perchlorate is pervasive in U.S. water supplies: It’s likely that perchlorate occurs with frequency at levels of health concern in public water systems because monitoring data show the chemical has been found in over 4 percent of U.S. public water supplies.
3. Perchlorate is putting lots of people at risk: There is a meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction as it’s estimated that 5 million to nearly 17 million people may be drinking perchlorate-contaminated water.
The risk of this contamination could be steep, especially for future generations. One study recently found that babies born in areas where water was contaminated with perchlorate in excess of 5 parts per billion had a 50 percent chance of having poorly performing thyroid glands. This can be especially damaging in newborns, who depend on thyroid hormones for normal brain and nervous system development while in utero.
Given that perchlorate is a chemical that can harm your thyroid even at low levels, and presents especially serious risks for newborns, infants and pregnant women, it’s a very positive step that the EPA is finally taking action against it.
However, the new regulation will take some time to be developed. The proposed regulation and analyses will be posted for public review and comment within 24 months, and a final regulation should be determined within 18 months of that. So it could still be years before the chemical is maintained at safe levels.
If you want to take your own action in the meantime, call your drinking water utility or state drinking water program to find out if the chemical is monitored in your state, and what levels are like in your area. If the chemical is not monitored where you live, an independent laboratory, certified to analyze water for perchlorate, can test your water for you.
If levels are high, visit NSF International or the Water Quality Association for home treatment units that are certified to remove perchlorate from your water.
U.S. EPA News Release February 2, 2011
Federal Register February 11, 2011
————————————————————————————————————
The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Is Your Cookware Damaging Your Thyroid?
If you’ve been following the FECC blog you’re probably already aware of the potential for chemicals in your environment to disrupt your fragile endocrine system.
Phthalates found in plastics and personal care products and flame-retardant chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) can both cause thyroid problems, as can perchlorate in drinking water — even at low levels.
Because you’re exposed to these types of chemicals on a daily basis, and the exposure can be cumulative, meaning the more you’re exposed the greater your risk becomes, it’s important to eliminate chemical sources from your home (and office) as much as possible.
With that in mind, there’s one very common source of thyroid-disrupting chemicals you may not be aware of, even though you may use it three times a day or more — your cookware.
The chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is widely used in non-stick cookware. But the convenience of having your eggs slide out of your skillet with ease comes with a price, as PFOA is linked to thyroid disease.
In fact, one study in Environmental Health Perspectives found that people with the highest blood levels of PFOA were twice as likely to have thyroid disease as those with the lowest levels. Considering there are endless alternatives to non-stick cookware available — glass, ceramic, and stainless steel, just to name a few — it makes sense to NOT risk your thyroid health just to save a few minutes on kitchen cleanup by using a non-stick pan.
PFOA and a related chemical perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are found not only in non-stick cookware but also in a wide variety of other household goods, including:
- Microwave popcorn bags
- Stain-resistant clothing
- Carpet and fabric protectors
- Food packaging (especially those used for greasy foods)
When it comes to your thyroid health every little bit counts, so the more you can eliminate these toxins from your environment the better off you’ll be. For more information, be sure to also read 9 Top Thyroid-Disrupting Toxins to Avoid.
Environmental Health Perspectives May 2010; 118(5):686-92.
————————————————————————————————————
The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
A Diabetes Cause You Probably Haven’t Heard Of …
You know that your diet, weight, exercise habits, and other lifestyle factors all play a role in your type 2 diabetes risk, but new research is showing there’s another pervasive, hard-to-avoid factor that could be increasing your risk as well — and some people are exposed to it virtually everyday.
What is it?
Chemicals … specifically those found in your everyday environment like pesticides, cigarette smoke and chemicals in plastic. The evidence was presented at a workshop hosted by the U.S. National Toxicology Program and looked into the following six chemical classes:
1) Arsenic and other metals
2) Bisphenol A (BPA) – found in plastic water bottles, milk jugs, canned foods, baby bottles/toys, plastic food containers
3) Organotins and phthalates – found in a wide range of consumer products ranging from plastics and personal care products to toys, wood finishers and lubricants
4) Nicotine
5) Pesticides
6) Persistent organic pollutants – includes DDT, dioxin, PCBs and more
One of the strongest links was noted for cigarette smoke, particularly smoking while pregnant, which increased the child’s risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life. The chemical dioxin, which was part of the Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War, has also been strongly linked to diabetes. Reuters reported that in 2010, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs compensated 270,000 Vietnam veterans for diabetes related to dioxin exposure.
Researchers noted strong associations between diabetes and many of the chemical classes listed above — and still others, like the fine particles in air pollution, have been previously uncovered.
There isn’t enough exposure data just yet to determine how many diabetes cases are linked to environmental chemicals — and poor diet and lack of exercise are still the prime culprits for the majority — but chemicals are emerging as undeniable contributing factors that need to be addressed.
You should strive to keep your exposure to environmental chemicals as low as possible, but, unfortunately, this is a risk factor you can’t always control. So it’s even more important to take charge of the diabetes risk factors you can … like your eating habits and activity level.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes, what we have found to be most important in reversing the condition is to determine the causes of the disease for YOU — and this could very well include a wide range of factors. Only once that is done can you embark on a customized treatment program that will get you on the fast track to recovery.
National Toxicology Program Workshop: Role of Environmental Chemicals in the Development of Diabetes and Obesity, Raleigh, N. C., January 11-13, 2011
————————————————————————————————————
The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Another Drinking Water Chemical to Watch Out For — Especially if You’re Pregnant
A new study revealed that low levels of perchlorate in drinking water could be putting your newborn’s thyroid health at risk. Perchlorate is a propellant for rockets, missiles, and fireworks and is also used in the production of matches, explosives and other products.
Most U.S. perchlorate contamination comes from defense and aerospace activities that took place over the last few decades, and the chemical has now been found in over 4 percent of U.S. public water supplies, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Perchlorate is a well-known danger to the thyroid gland; specifically it’s known to interfere with the uptake of iodide, leading to decreased production of thyroid hormones. This can be especially damaging in newborns, who depend on thyroid hormones for normal brain and nervous system development while in utero.
According to the latest research, babies born in areas where water was contaminated with perchlorate in excess of 5 parts per billion (ppb) had a 50 percent chance of having poorly performing thyroid glands. This was true even in areas where the chemical was below existing state standards of 6 ppb.
Such exposures could potentially have a negative impact on children’s future intelligence.
Data for the study came from nearly 500,000 newborns living in California, one of only a handful of states that have developed drinking water standards for the chemical. As of January 2011, California is also working to decrease the perchlorate in drinking water Public Health Goal from 6 ppb to 1 ppb.
On a federal level, however, the chemical remains unregulated while the EPA mulls over its final decision on whether or not to even establish a nationwide standard.
Because this chemical can harm your thyroid even at low levels, and presents especially serious risks for newborns, infants and pregnant women, it’s a good idea to find out if your drinking water is safe.
Perchlorate has been found in water at varying levels in 45 states, as well as in the food supply (such as in tomatoes, spinach and other produce grown with contaminated water), so call your drinking water utility or state drinking water program to find out if the chemical is monitored in your state, and what levels are like in your area.
If the chemical is not monitored where you live, an independent laboratory, certified to analyze water for perchlorate, can test your water for you. If levels are high, you may want to consider reverse osmosis technology to remove the chemical from your home’s drinking water.
Hopefully, however, in the near future the EPA will add perchlorate to the list of chemicals regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, so all of us in the United States can have access to cleaner, safer water.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine December 2010; 52(12):1217-524.
The Press-Enterprise December 10, 2010
————————————————————————————————————
The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
EPA Expands Testing for Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals
Chemicals in the environment — in your air, food, water and more — can disrupt your fragile endocrine system. This intricate system of glands, including your thyroid, adrenals and pituitary, produces nearly two-dozen hormones that help regulate your metabolism, mood, growth, development and more.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals have the potential to alter your normal hormone levels, leading to a range of serious health conditions including cancer, decreased fertility, reduced sperm count, nervous system damage and reproductive and developmental problems.
Just last month we reported on two such chemicals — phthalates found in plastics and personal care products and flame-retardant chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) — which can cause thyroid problems.
Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new list of 134 chemicals that will be screened for their potential to disrupt the endocrine system. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said in a news release:
“Endocrine disruptors represent a serious health concern for the American people, especially children. Americans today are exposed to more chemicals in our products, our environment and our bodies than ever before, and it is essential that EPA takes every step to gather information and prevent risks.”
Chemicals on the new list include those commonly found in:
- Solvents
- Gasoline
- Plastics
- Personal care products
- Pesticides
- Pharmaceuticals
Testing for an initial group of 67 pesticide chemicals is already underway, while testing on the new round of 134 chemicals will begin in 2011. Hopefully the screening will help identify more potentially toxic endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and mark the beginning of efforts to stop their use and get them out of U.S. products and the environment.
For more information, be sure to read 9 Top Thyroid-Disrupting Toxins to Avoid.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency News Release November 16, 2010
————————————————————————————————————
The Functional Endocrinology Center of Colorado is passionate about improving the lives and lifestyles of individuals with Type II Diabetes and Hashimoto’s Disease. Call us at 303-302-0930 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Is Your Drinking Water Disrupting Your Thyroid?
Your body needs plenty of water each day to function, but chemicals lurking in your tap water could be putting your thyroid health at risk.
A new study found that phthalates, chemicals used in plastics and personal care products, can disrupt thyroid function at levels found in drinking water. Researchers found two phthalate chemicals — diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), used to make plastic more flexible, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), widely used in personal care products — to be particularly concerning.
The chemicals inhibited thyroid hormone from attaching to a thyroid receptor, which is a necessary step for processes that affect growth, metabolism and development.
Because phthalates are a persistent environmental pollutant, they are common in private and public water supplies. The federal government regulates levels of phthalates in municipal water supplies, but if you have water from a well you will need to have it tested on your own.
Phthalates can also leach from plastic bottles, making them a common contaminant in bottled water as well — and there are no regulatory limits for phthalates in bottled water.
Whether you get your drinking water from a public source or a private well, it’s a good idea to have it independently tested for contaminants. If phthalates or other chemicals of concern are present, installing an appropriate filter can help cut back on your exposure.
You can also be exposed to phthalates in your personal care products, so look for natural, phthalate-free options as much as possible.
Environmental Science & Technology 2010, 44 (17), pp 6863–6868
Common Chemical Raises Risk of Thyroid Problems
Widely used flame-retardant chemicals can lead to altered thyroid hormone levels in pregnant women, University of California, Berkeley researchers have revealed.
The chemicals, called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), are commonly found in U.S. households in furniture foam, carpets, upholstery, clothing, toys, draperies, electronics and more. Known to leach into the environment continuously over time, as well as accumulate in your fat cells, studies suggest PBDEs may be detected in the blood of 97 percent of Americans.
In the latest study, pregnant women with higher levels of PBDE had lower levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Among the five most pervasive PBDE chemicals tested, a 10-fold increase was associated with a nearly 17 percent decrease in TSH and a 1.9 times greater risk of subclinical hyperthyroidism.
During pregnancy, a woman’s thyroid hormones play an important role in the baby’s brain development, and altered levels, such as those seen in hyperthyroidism, have been linked to miscarriage, premature birth and intrauterine growth retardation.
Although two types of PBDEs were banned several years back, and another variety is supposed to be phased out in the United States by 2013, the chemicals are still pervasive in the environment — as are numerous other thyroid-disrupting chemicals like PCBs and dioxins.
For your thyroid health, as well as your overall health, it’s important to keep your exposure to environmental chemicals to a minimum. In the case of PBDEs you can do this by avoiding exposure to some PBDE “hot zones,” like old carpeting and carpet pads and polyurethane foam products (upholstered furniture, mattresses, pillows) manufactured prior to 2005.
For more tips on how to avoid PBDEs, check out the Environmental Working Group’s excellent guide.
Categories
|
Sign up for your
|
Sign up for your
|
CONTACT US4155 E. Jewell Ave
|