I recently received the following letter from Andreas Schuld, head of Parents of Fluoride Poisoned Children, which takes issue with Dr. Lorscheider's comment that only mercury can cause the damage consistent with Alzheimer's disease.

It would be safe to conclude that it is reasonable to avoid as much as possible mercury, aluminum and fluoride.

Also, for those of you interested in the water fluoridation issue, there is a scheduled debate on the issue, which will take place at an upcoming conference sponsored by The Association for Science in the Public Interest, June 1-3, 2001, in Richmond, Virginia.

Paul Connett, PhD (Fluoride Action Network), and William Hirzy, PhD, are scheduled to represent the anti-fluoride camp in the debate, although it seems as though the conference sponsor is having trouble finding anyone willing to debate them. Pretty amazing considering that the American Dental Association is one of fluoridation's biggest champions. You would think they could at least send someone to defend their position.

Dr. Mercola,

You once again point to the recent study done on mercury and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) by the researchers from the University of Calgary which claims that

"no other material or metal tested, including aluminum, has produced even remotely similar reactions."

This is incorrect and misleading information. While aluminum by itself may not produce such reactions, the aluminumfluoride complexes which are most easily formed in the body (and in any aqueous solution) most certainly do.

As a matter of fact, such complexes may induce ALL hallmarks of AD:

• disturbances of neurotransmission,
• protein t phosphorylation,
• organization of cytoskeletal proteins,
• and alteration of calcium homeostasis.
  

Mere trace amounts of aluminum potentiate the effects of fluoride manyfold.

Alzheimer's Disease, as well as Autism are directly related to thyroid hormone dysfunction and intracellular T3 deficiency. It is certainly no secret that mercury is the antagonist of selenium and a most potent inhibitor of selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidase and 5'- or 5-iodothyronine deiodinases (5'-DI, 5-DI) which are essential for thyroid hormone conversion.

All of the of biochemical findings observed in the literature on Autism and AD are directly associated with factors under direct thyroid hormone control. Depending when this thyroid hormone disturbance occurs (i.e., during gestation, neonatal period, etc.) the distinct subgroups of Autism can be witnessed.

Andreas Schuld

Parents of Fluoride Poisoned Children

Related Articles:

Aluminum and Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease

Aluminum in Water May Increase Alzheimer's Risk

Fluoride Links Page