Chemical Found in Drinking Water Causes Thyroid Problems

By: Water To Go | 4 Shares 187 Reads

October 26, 2006 // Franchising.com // MERCHANTVILLE, NJ - Researchers have linked exposure of a chemical found in public drinking water in 26 states, to decreased thyroid functions.

Perchlorate, a chemical mainly used in making solid rocket propellant, has been studied by scientists and concluded that exposure in small amounts causes suppressed thyroid function.

According to a 2005 study conducted by the National Academies of Science, more than 11 million people have perchlorate in their drinking water supply. Perchlorate interferes with the production of thyroid hormones because it competes with the uptake of iodine into the thyroid gland, which is necessary in the production of thyroid hormones. Effects of suppressed thyroid function include weight gain, fatigue, and depression.

Perchlorate contamination was first discovered in 1985 in California in six counties including Los Angeles and Sacramento. More than 450 wells and other water sources were contaminated when the chemical seeped into the ground from operations at nearby defense contractors and military bases.

All groups are at risk for thyroid problems from perchlorate consumption, however, women and girls 12 years of age and older, infants, and fetuses, have the highest risk. Research from the Center For Disease Control states that "even small increases in perchlorate exposure may inhibit the thyroid's ability to absorb iodine from the bloodstream."

Lou Ventresca, vice-president of Water To Go, a franchise of retail water stores offering purified water by the gallon, states "Contaminations such as perchlorate reinforces the importance of drinking pure, clean water from a trusted, bottled source because in the end, your health depends on it."

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