The Health Dangers of Arsenic Toxicity

Arsenic is an element that is extremely toxic to human health. Arsenic poisoning or arsenicosis occurs when someone is exposed to high levels of arsenic, typically by unknowingly ingesting it. Although uncommon, poisoning can occur by inhalation or through dermal absorption. ^[1] Despite this, or maybe because of it, humans have used arsenic in many capacities- as an insecticide, as a toxic agent of war, and even as a wood preservation. However, its use in countless industrial applications has contributed to pollution at all levels. Additionally, arsenic exists naturally in the environment. The combination of these factors means that the most common method of exposure occurs by drinking contaminated water.

Arsenic in Water

Pollution has made groundwater contamination of arsenic a worldwide problem that affects people, crops, and livestock. ^[2] In 2012, the University of Washington School of Law published information that brought light to the fact that many water systems in the United States are affected by unacceptably high arsenic levels and money is not available to address the problem.  Poor communities were identified to be the highest at risk. ^[3]

Arsenic in Food

Arsenic laced water becomes a compound problem when crops and livestock are given that water. “You are what you eat” or, “you are what you consume” applies to animals and plants just as much as it does humans.  When the University of Washington analyzed over 30 types of apple juice, they found arsenic in all samples and over 30% contained arsenic levels at or above drinking water exposure limits. ^[4]

Rice is eaten by the vast majority of the world’s population and, like many crops, can become contaminated with arsenic. ^[5] This problem is not limited to China or India as “organic brown rice syrup” (OBRS) is a popular “organic” alternative to high-fructose corn syrup. The Dartmouth College Department of Earth Sciences tested products that contained OBRS and the results were as disappointing as arsenic is toxic.

Researchers discovered that an “organic” toddler milk formula (with OBRS as the primary ingredient) had arsenic levels over five times higher than the levels the EPA deems acceptable for water. Additionally, cereal and energy bars containing OBRS had higher arsenic levels than products without. Beware and watch out for this stuff yourself! The United States currently has no regulations governing arsenic in food, the need for change is both urgent and dire. ^[6]

Arsenic in Nutritional Supplements

If you take nutritional or herbal supplements, it is vitally important that you only do business with reputable manufacturers whose production process is completely transparent, ethical, and bio-friendly. In China, water is recognized as a main source of arsenic.  What do you think happens when therapeutic herbs are given contaminated water? According to China’s Hebei Agricultural University, Chinese Herbal Medicines can be a serious arsenic exposure hazard. ^[7]

Effects of Arsenic Exposure

Arsenic is a carcinogens and recognized as an environmental and occupational pollutant. Regular exposure leads to cancer and other toxic health effects, including cardiovascular disease, skin hyperpigmentation, keratoses, neurological problems, and developmental disorders. A 581-participant study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health confirmed the association between arsenic exposure and DNA methylation, a biological process that causes many debilitating and fatal diseases. ^[8] [9] Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has linked arsenic exposure to high blood pressure and the New York University School of Medicine cites it as a contributor to cardiovascular disease. ^[10] [11] Also, most toxic chemicals adversely effect the male reproductive system and arsenic is one of them; Chinese research has confirmed it reduces semen quality. ^[12] Arsenic poisoning symptoms begin with:^[13]

• Nausea


• Vomiting


• Abdominal pain


• Severe diarrhea

Arsenic Inhibits Healthy Development

The University of South Carolina Department of Environmental Health Sciences warns that arsenic, along with lead and mercury, are known to produce horrible neurological effects on developing fetuses and young children. ^[14] Arsenic exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy is known to cause intellectual disabilities and the University of Massachusetts School of Public Health and Health Sciences reports that prenatal arsenic exposure may lead to diseases later in life; bladder cancer has been known to develop up to 20 years after exposure. ^{[15] [16] [17]}

Minimizing Arsenic Exposure

Only consume purified water. Get yourself a small water purification device and, if budget allows, consider a water purification system for your entire house. This is mandatory.

Research shows that sweating is helpful for detoxification of toxins, including arsenic. ^[18] Many people enjoy using a sauna to enhance the detoxification process of sweating.

Because arsenic is very prevalent, total avoidance can be difficult but there are lifestyle adjustments you can take to minimize your exposure risks. To help achieve complete wellness, I recommend regular body cleansing in addition to following a healthy diet.

References (18)

1. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Arsenic Toxicity, What are the Physiologic Effects of Arsenic Exposure?


2. Bundschuh J, Nath B, Bhattacharya P, Liu CW, Armienta MA, Moreno López MV, Lopez DL, Jean JS, Cornejo L, Lauer Macedo LF, Filho AT. Arsenic in the human food chain: the Latin American perspective. Sci Total Environ. 2012 Jul 1;429:92-106. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.09.069. Epub 2011 Nov 23. Review.


3. Levine RL. The need for congressional action to finance arsenic reductions in drinking water. J Environ Health. 2012 Nov;75(4):20-5.


4. Wilson D, Hooper C, Shi X. Arsenic and lead in juice: apple, citrus, and apple-base. J Environ Health. 2012 Dec;75(5):14-20; quiz 44.


5. Sun GX, Van de Wiele T, Alava P, Tack F, Du Laing G. Arsenic in cooked rice: effect of chemical, enzymatic and microbial processes on bioaccessibility and speciation in the human gastrointestinal tract. Environ Pollut. 2012 Mar;162:241-6. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2011.11.021. Epub 2011 Dec 13.


6. Jackson BP, Taylor VF, Karagas MR, Punshon T, Cottingham KL. Arsenic, organic foods, and brown rice syrup. Environ Health Perspect. 2012 May;120(5):623-6. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1104619. Epub 2012 Feb 13.


7. Liu XJ, Zhao QL, Sun GX, Williams P, Lu XJ, Cai JZ, Liu WJ. Arsenic speciation in Chinese Herbal Medicines and human health implication for inorganic arsenic. Environ Pollut. 2013 Jan;172:149-54. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2012.09.009. Epub 2012 Oct 9.


8. Lambrou A, Baccarelli A, Wright RO, Weisskopf M, Bollati V, Amarasiriwardena C, Vokonas P, Schwartz J. Arsenic exposure and DNA methylation among elderly men. Epidemiology. 2012 Sep;23(5):668-76.


9. Sabath E, Robles-Osorio ML. Renal health and the environment: heavy metal nephrotoxicity. Nefrologia. 2012 May 14;32(3):279-86. doi: 10.3265/Nefrologia.pre2012.Jan.10928. Epub 2012 Feb 28. Review. English, Spanish.


10. Abhyankar LN, Jones MR, Guallar E, Navas-Acien A. Arsenic exposure and hypertension: a systematic review. Environ Health Perspect. 2012 Apr;120(4):494-500. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1103988. Epub 2011 Dec 2. Review.


11. Wu F, Jasmine F, Kibriya MG, Liu M, Wójcik O, Parvez F, Rahaman R, Roy S, Paul-Brutus R, Segers S, Slavkovich V, Islam T, Levy D, Mey JL, van Geen A, Graziano JH, Ahsan H, Chen Y. Association between arsenic exposure from drinking water and plasma levels of cardiovascular markers. Am J Epidemiol. 2012 Jun 15;175(12):1252-61. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwr464. Epub 2012 Apr 24.


12. Xu W, Bao H, Liu F, Liu L, Zhu YG, She J, Dong S, Cai M, Li L, Li C, Shen H. Environmental exposure to arsenic may reduce human semen quality: associations derived from a Chinese cross-sectional study. Environ Health. 2012 Jul 9;11:46. doi: 10.1186/1476-069X-11-46.


13. Ratnaike RN1. Acute and chronic arsenic toxicity.Postgrad Med J. 2003 Jul;79(933):391-6.


14. Aelion CM, Davis HT, McDermott S, Lawson AB. Metal concentrations in rural topsoil in South Carolina: potential for human health impact. Sci Total Environ. 2008 Sep 1;402(2-3):149-56. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.04.043. Epub 2008 Jun 6.


15. McDermott S, Bao W, Marjorie Aelion C, Cai B, Lawson A. When are fetuses and young children most susceptible to soil metal concentrations of arsenic, lead and mercury? Spat Spatiotemporal Epidemiol. 2012 Sep;3(3):265-72. doi: 10.1016/j.sste.2012.05.001. Epub 2012 Jun 13.


16. Pilsner JR, Hall MN, Liu X, Ilievski V, Slavkovich V, Levy D, Factor-Litvak P, Yunus M, Rahman M, Graziano JH, Gamble MV. Influence of prenatal arsenic exposure and newborn sex on global methylation of cord blood DNA. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e37147. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037147. Epub 2012 May 25.


17. Fernández MI, López JF, Vivaldi B, Coz F. Long-term impact of arsenic in drinking water on bladder cancer health care and mortality rates 20 years after end of exposure. J Urol. 2012 Mar;187(3):856-61. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2011.10.157. Epub 2012 Jan 15.


18. Sears ME, Kerr KJ, Bray RI. Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat: a systematic review. J Environ Public Health. 2012;2012:184745. doi: 10.1155/2012/184745. Epub 2012 Feb 22. Review.

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Drugs In Our Water Supply

Did you know that when you ingest or are injected with prescription drugs, your body doesn’t necessarily use everything? Excess drugs are excreted as waste material.

That’s good news for your body since pharmaceuticals can be very hard on your system, it’s not good news for the ecosystem since these residues work their way into our waterways and water processing plants.

Things you need to know about municipal water

Tap water has been unsafe for a very long time. Tap water may contain toxic chemicals, some known carcinogens, added to make it “safe” for drinking. Three of the poisons that can be found in faucet water are chlorine, fluoride, and arsenic, a Category 1 carcinogen (cancer causing agent).

The newest acknowledgment of prescription drugs in waterways is one more toxin added to an already contaminated water supply and prescription medications are not easily filtered.

The drugs are not present in large quantities but they are a contaminant. This means you may be ingesting them continuously over a period of years and we don’t yet know what the long-term effects of such intake will be.

Studies are showing that the effects are already manifesting in fish (male fish producing female egg yolk proteins) and even earthworms and zooplankton. Antibiotics, for example, are less and less effective as treatments for ailments in humans, due to excessive prescribing practices. Bacteria have the ability to adapt to the antibiotics. Antibiotics in open water give bacteria more time to mutate.

How pervasive is the problem?

In America, traces of drugs are found in nearly every source of drinking water, including:

• Bottled drinking water – many bottlers do not test water for drugs right now and many just repackage tap water.


• Well-water – people dig these under the mistaken belief that this is a safe way to collect the most healthful drinking water.


• Home filtration systems – most don’t filter everything and they can get contaminated with drug residue.


• Aquifers which are deep underground water systems – they supply us with 40% of our drinking water in the United States and are also becoming effected in rural areas.

The business of prescription & over-the-counter medications

Prescription drugs are a major business in this country. Medical professionals have a history of pushing chemicals before natural, alternative treatments. These chemicals are designed to inhibit one function or another in the body and supposedly treat the symptoms of disease instead of the ROOT CAUSE.

One medication often leads to the necessity of taking another one. Don’t take my word for it; read the possible side effects that come with your medications. Side effects, like diarrhea, constipation, bloating, itchiness, and more, may cause you to return to the doctor for another prescription drug or suggestion for over-the-counter relief. This cycle is almost self-perpetuating.

What’s being done to fix the problem?

Not everyone is in denial about the true safety of municipal water. There are those who persist in trying to help the environment. For example, Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has stated that his group takes the threat seriously.

Water suppliers are searching for ways to filter the impurities from the water. New screening methods must be developed to find the different chemicals. As states become more aware of the problem; they are implementing rules and guidelines to affect change. Several states are now requiring that testing be done and the appropriate filtration practices be implemented. Testing is being done to determine which method is the most effective.

Reverse osmosis is being studied, along with carbon filtration and other means of cleaning water. It may be that a combination of techniques and pre and post filtering may get the most done.

What can you do?

First, drink purified bottled water or distilled water. If you’re not drinking purified water, start. It’s the safest and healthiest thing that you can do for your body, since water sustains your body’s life force. Your body has enough work to do and doesn’t need to be hindered.

Our bodies already have a first line of defense, our immune systems. Take care of your body and search for natural methods to replace the need for prescription medication. Remember, there are alternatives. If you do drink distilled water be sure to add a small amount of organic raw apple cider vinegar to replace the minerals lost during the distillation process.

Next, consider the water that comes into your home. I personally use and recommend a high tech, carafe purifier which filters even the smallest toxins from the water.

The post Drugs In Our Water Supply appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Environmental Nightmare! Dozens Of Highly Toxic Substances Have Been Found In Tap Water All Over America

Authored by Michael Snyder via The Economic Collapse blog,

After reading this article, you will never look at tap water the same way again. 

Most Americans have generally assumed that the water coming out of our taps is perfectly safe, but the Flint water crisis and other similar incidents are starting to help people to understand that there are some very dangerous substances in our water.  In particular, I am talking about things like arsenic, lead, atrazine, perchlorate and a whole host of pharmaceutical drugs.  According to an absolutely stunning NRDC report, close to 77 million Americans received their water from systems “that violated federal protections” in 2015.  And even if you get your water from a system that meets federal standards, that still does not mean that it is safe.

Let’s start by talking about arsenic.  Earlier today I came across an article that talked about how levels of arsenic in the water at some schools in the San Joaquin Valley “exceed the maximum federal safety levels by as much as three times”…

Reef-Sunset Unified School District Superintendent David East is worried about water. Not because of the drought—record rains this past winter ended five years of dry times. Rather, East, whose district encompasses the small towns of Avenal and Kettleman City on the San Joaquin Valley’s west side, is worried about the safety of the water that the 2,700 students in his school district are being given to drink.

That’s because arsenic levels in the drinking water at some schools in the San Joaquin Valley exceed the maximum federal safety levels by as much as three times. And arsenic is not the only threat to schoolchildren. High levels of pesticides, nitrate, bacteria, and naturally occurring uranium also contaminate groundwater in many rural parts of the state.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer says that arsenic is a “group 1 carcinogen”, and if you get too much of it in your system it can kill you.  Sadly, the EPA has estimated that 36 million Americans are drinking tap water that contains dangerous levels of arsenic.

In addition to arsenic, a very nasty pesticide known as “atrazine” is often found in tap water supplies.  The following information about atrazine comes from the NRDC…

This endocrine-disrupting chemical is one of the most commonly detected pesticides in U.S. waters. NRDC studies have found its contamination is most common in drinking water across the Midwest and the southern United States.

Perchlorate is another very dangerous substance that is commonly found in our drinking water.  According to the NRDC, perchlorate has been discovered in water supplies “in at least 26 states”…

This widespread toxic chemical, used in rocket fuel, explosives, and road flares, can interfere with thyroid hormone production. Perchlorate has been detected in the water in at least 26 states, yet there is no federal standard for its presence in drinking water.

Of course lead in the water has been getting a tremendous amount of attention because of what happened in Flint, Michigan.  The lawsuits that will come out of this case could take decades to resolve…

Flint’s water problems began in April 2014, when the city, in an attempt to save money, switched the town’s water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. In the switch, officials failed to add a $200-per-day anti-corrosion agent that would coat the city’s antiquated pipes. The omission would prove disastrous as lead from the pipes began to leach into the water that flowed out of the tap, endangering thousands of children. Officials asserted it was “safe to drink,” above the outcry of residents who suspected the brown, odorous water was contaminated.

The first outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease — a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria — hit by summer. According to the water crisis interim investigation report released last week, Lyon and others knew about outbreaks for nearly a year before the public was notified and an emergency was declared. In all, a dozen people died from Legionnaires’ disease, though residents suspect there may be other victims who were never tested for the bacteria.

But Flint is far from alone.  In fact, this week there have been headlines about serious problems with lead in the water in Chicago.

Wherever there are old pipes, lead in the water is potentially a massive problem.

On top of everything else, our water systems are becoming increasingly polluted by pharmaceutical drugs.  An EPA study actually found traces of more than two dozen pharmaceutical drugs in more than half of the water systems that were tested around the country…

Conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency, it is the largest study of water coming out of wastewater treatment plants.

It looked at samples from 50 large-size wastewater treatment plants nationwide and tested for 56 drugs including oxycodone, high-blood pressure medications, and over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol and ibuprofen. More than half the samples tested positive for at least 25 of the drugs monitored, the study said. High blood pressure medications appeared in the highest concentrations and most frequently.

“We were surprised to find that many drugs occurring across all the wastewater plants,” said Mitchell Kostich, the EPA research biologist who led the study. “We were also surprised to see so many drugs of a particular class—the high blood pressure medications—appear at those levels across the board.”

So those that drink tap water coming from these polluted systems are actually ingesting small amounts of dozens of different pharmaceutical drugs every single day.

No wonder so many of us are walking around like zombies.

So how did all of these drugs get into the water?  The following comes from WebMD…

According to the investigation, the drugs get into the drinking water supply through several routes: some people flush unneeded medication down toilets; other medicine gets into the water supply after people take medication, absorb some, and pass the rest out in urine or feces. Some pharmaceuticals remain even after wastewater treatments and cleansing by water treatment plants, the investigation showed.

Are you starting to understand what an environmental nightmare we are facing?

But in addition to everything that you just read, many water systems around the country actually add toxic substances to the water purposely.

Of course the most prominent example of this is fluoride.  We are told that fluoride “reduces cavities” even though this has never been scientifically proven.  But what we do know is that fluoride is a highly dangerous neurotoxin that can have a very serious impact on early childhood development…

Scientific investigations have revealed that fluoride is an endocrine-disrupting chemical, and a developmental neurotoxin that impacts short-term and working memory, and lowers IQ in children. It has been implicated as a contributing factor in the rising rates of both attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)^, and thyroid disease.

And we also know that fluoride can cause a condition known as “fluorosis”, and the introduction of fluoride into our water systems has coincided with a dramatic rise in fluorosis all over the nation.  In fact, more than half the children in the entire country have now been affected…

According to research presented at the April 2017 National Oral Health Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 57 percent of youth between the ages of 6 and 19 years have dental fluorosis, a condition in which your tooth enamel becomes progressively discolored and mottled, according to data from 2011 to 2012.

In addition, studies have shown that fluoride can also contribute to “cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and neurodegenerative disease.”

Because of such overwhelming scientific evidence, fluoride in the water has already been completely banned in many industrialized countries, and if I end up in Washington I will push for a complete national ban on fluoride in the water in the United States.

All of us should be able to agree that we need to do whatever we can to keep the water that we are drinking clean and safe.

But until we can get this done, I would encourage everyone to either filter their drinking water or to get it from a source that they know is pure.

By drinking such polluted water, we are literally poisoning ourselves and our children, and we have no choice but to get this problem fixed.

4 Sources Of Arsenic You’d Never Expect

If you’re a fan of classic murder mysteries, chances are you know how deadly arsenic can be. There are two forms of this toxic metal that we need to worry about: organic and inorganic. Now, organic arsenic is completely different than the organic label on food. In arsenic, it simply refers to the presence of carbon. It’s also seen as the lesser of two evils. “Inorganic” arsenic, though, is nasty stuff, with lots of health concerns attached to it. ^[1]

Crazy Sources of Arsenic

Whether you know it or not, you could be exposing yourself to arsenic on a daily basis for which an accumulation could cause issues in the long term. Arsenic is dangerous and here are 4 sources you’d never expect.

1. Baby Formula

Arsenic is bad news for all, but babies are especially vulnerable. Did you know that exposure to arsenic early in life could even lead to higher risk of death, lower birth weight, and lower IQ? ^[2] Believe it or not, baby formula can even contain low levels of arsenic. A better solution is breastfeeding since it could offer protection from arsenic exposure even if women have come into contact with high levels.

2. Old Toys

Saving your childhood toys just for your little one seems like a lovely gesture, but it could be doing more harm than good. Plastic toys from the 70s and 80s have been shown to contain toxic levels of heavy metals that exceed concentration limits set by the US and Europe. ^[3] And while some newer toys—mainly imports—could contain heavy metals, remember that older toys, even those made in America, are not subjected to importation regulations.

3. Rice

A recent Consumer Reports study suggests the extremely toxic inorganic arsenic can get into water and soil from lead-arsenate insecticides. From there, rice can absorb that toxin like a sponge. While these insecticides were banned from the US in the 80s, residue still lingers. ^[4] Long-term exposure to any arsenic can cause cancer, and studies even suggest some rice products already exceed the current arsenic limits for children. ^[5]

4. Drinking Water

One of our most precious resources–our water–can even be polluted with arsenic. While the EPA sets a threshold for maximum exposure in public drinking water–not the most comforting thought—private well water isn’t regulated at all. ^[6][7] If you’re formula feeding your baby like I mentioned in my first point, arsenic in the drinking water can be especially problematic. One recent report suggests an infant’s arsenic levels from baby formula mixed with the drinking water could be 7.5 times higher than a breastfed baby.

One Final Thought

While avoiding arsenic altogether might be unrealistic, you can make a difference in your life when it comes to exposure. So, for all the new and expecting mothers out there, remember: while breastfeeding is the best solution for your baby, if you have to formula-feed, make sure you know what’s in your drinking water. Any dose of arsenic is going to be bad: at low doses, it can still be an endocrine disruptor for babies, kids, and adults. Keep in mind that arsenic also occurs naturally in many foods. Apple seeds being a prime example. So, you don’t have to go crazy; just eliminate man-made foods and products as much as possible to ensure a healthier environment for you and those you love.

What would you do to avoid arsenic exposure? Tell us in the comments.

References:

1. Institute of Food Technologists. Should arsenic in food be a concern? ScienceDaily.


2. Karaga M. et al. Estimated Exposure to Arsenic in Breastfed and Formula-Fed Infants in a United States Cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives.


3. Miller, G. Z. & Harris, Z. E. Hazardous Metals in Vintage Plastic Toys Measured by a Handheld X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer. Journal of Environmental Health. 77 (6).


4. Consumer Reports. Arsenic in Your Food. Consumer Reports.


5. Chen, C. J. et al. Cancer potential in liver, lung, bladder and kidney due to ingested inorganic arsenic in drinking water. British Journal of Cancer. 66 (5).


6. Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Many US wells tainted with arsenic. ScienceDaily.


7. Environmental Protection Agency. Arsenic in Drinking Water. Environmental Protection Agency.