Are you experiencing thinning hair and can’t figure out the cause? The answer could be lurking in your water–or your toothpaste.
A 2010 study found that exposure to high levels of sodium fluoride (10 mmol/L) “resulted in a marked increase in terminal dUTP nick end labeling-positive cells in the outer layer of the outer root sheath, the dermal sheath, and the lower bulb matrix surrounding dermal papilla.” In other words, it signaled hair follicles to stop growing. Additionally, the study found fluoride to actually kill hair follicles, due to the oxidative stress that the substance creates in the body. Fluoride is not a nutritive element and the body sees it as a toxin.
10 mmol/L is about 200 ppm–much higher than what you would find in fluoridated drinking water, but lower than what you would find in a fluoride toothpaste (1000 ppm). (source)
The good news: the same study found that selenium was able to counteract some of the effects of the fluoride, protecting cells from the damage the fluoride created. So, if you have fluoridated water and don’t have access to a filter, eating foods high in selenium are a good change at helping to protect your body from its effects.
Related:
What You Need to Know About Selenium
Oh yippee ! Three cheers and thank you Team Grounded Organic. , A tiny spot to add re hair loss, from which I suffered for a few years in puzzled misery .. until last year when I discovered at least one of the reasons.
This seemed to lie in the fact that all the nutrients I was taking, were not going where they were supposed to go and my body could not spare any at all for something as non important to life as hair !
Once I started addressing this state of affairs including being fanatical about my pH balance and water intake ..[ being alkaline WITH alkalinity. yes there is a difference! ] My hair started growing back literally within the first week., so I knew I was on the right track. and that nutrients were once again being properly absorbed.
I avoid flouride like the proverbial plague; even my toothpaste is made from organic fennel and drinking water gassed out for 12-24 hours.. which also gasses out some good. which needs to be out back ! . There’s no end to it !
Mind you, the field of antagonists and agonists is a lifetime study in itself, albeit an essential one. I should live so long ! Is there a chance you might broach this vital subject in the future ? VIP to note that Vitamin C seems to be the antagonist of just about everything and also converts iodine to iodide and does odd things to calcium.. so take it well away from everything unless it’s Collagen ! oh blimey.
Re forthcoming Selenium; that will be very interesting. I take it with nascent iodine, being one of it’s main agonists/synergists but am careful not to overdose and to be aware of other supplements I take which contain even the smallest amount of Selenium.
Many thanks for being there. Kind regards, Judy In Leicestershire UK