Not only do we have to worry over fluoride in our drinking water, according to a study by Washington University, instant tea may indeed be a new source. After an analysis on 10 different brands of instant tea prepared with fluoride-free water, researchers found normal serving contained as much as 6.5 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride, more than 50 percent over the 4 ppm limit allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

How the study evolved: Tests on a middle-aged woman suffering from hyper-dense bones revealed a high level of fluoride in her urine. Later, the woman admitted to drinking as much as two gallons a day of "double-strength" instant tea throughout the day. Sunsequently, her condition made researchers curious about the fluoride content in instant teas available in grocery stores.

Ingestion of high levels of fluoride cause bone-forming cells to lay down extra skeletal tissue, increasing bone density but also bone brittleness. The resulting disease, called skeletal fluorosis, can manifest in bone pain, calcification of ligaments, bone spurs, fused vertebrae and difficulty in moving joints. Although rare in the United States, the consition is more prevalent in other countries than osteoporosis.

An interesting factoid: Scientists believe fluoride is absorbed naturally into tea plants from soil and rain water, and varies by the year, harvest and location all over the world.

If you want to learn more about the deadly effects of fluoride, I strongly encourage you to review my fluoride links page and read an interview I conducted last summer with Christopher Bryson, author of the important book, The Fluoride Deception.

Washington University January 25, 2005

Yahoo News January 26, 2005