The health community has recently been abuzz with excited chatter about magnesium, but few people are as well versed in the subject as Dr. Carolyn Dean, MD, ND- author of the brilliant book, The Magnesium Miracle. As a luminary in her field, Dr. Dean innovatively combines her medical knowledge with holistic approaches to bring safe solutions to clients and readers all over the world. We are both honored and excited to share a selection of her valuable insights here on our blog. If you are new to magnesium, we highly recommending nestling your nose into her book to discover why you might be magnesium deficient. This first article in a series of guest posts by Dr. Dean details the shocking interplay of fluoride and magnesium, and how this toxic "cavity-fighting" additive is causing far more harm than good.
Fluoride Kills Magnesium
by Carolyn Dean, MD, ND
On April 7th, 1997, the USDA stated that all fluoride toothpastes sold in the U.S. must carry a poison warning on the label. It reads: “WARNING: Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional help or contact a poison control center immediately.”
A tube of commercial toothpaste contains twice the amount of fluoride to kill a child: 143 mg in each tube. The killing dose for a 2-yr old is 60mg. For a 9-yr old it’s 120mg.
I’m bringing this to your attention because today I found a Children’s Chewable Multi-Vitamin with Fluoride that a child can chew and swallow. With 1mg fluoride per tablet and 100 in a bottle, the accumulated dose is 100mg. And fluoride does accumulate in the body.
Make no mistake about it, fluoride is poisonous. Yet, most water supplies are treated with fluoride based on a faulty study that claimed children had fewer dental cavities in areas where fluoride was naturally high in the water.
You can read 10 Fluoride Facts on the Fluoride Action Network website.
When I wrote Magnesium Heals Cipro Damage I was warning people that fluoride is in about 50% of prescribed drugs making them extra toxic in that they disrupt magnesium's biological processes. But I didn’t put enough emphasis on the Fluoride-Magnesium Interaction. In the aforementioned research article are the following facts:
1. “Fluoride ion clearly interferes with the biological activity of magnesium ion.” And since magnesium does so much in the body, the side effects are often too widespread to recognize or even quantify.
2. One of the prime locations of possible fluoride (F) and magnesium (Mg) interactions is the intestines. The increased F supply reduces intestinal Mg resorption, owing to high chemical affinity of both elements and production of MgF+ and MgF2.” When I read this, I realized that’s another reason why magnesium oil works so well- because it’s absorbed directly into the cells and doesn’t reach the intestines and therefore is not inhibitied in its activity by fluoride. Fluoride levels are rising because it’s in our drinking water and in everything made or mixed with water.
3. “The toxic effect of fluoride ion plays a key role in acute Mg deficiency.” This means if someone is already magnesium deficient, fluoride toxicity is more pronounced. That’s why some people are damaged by antibiotics and others aren’t.
4. “Mg deficiency in plants may limit synthesis of chlorophyll, on which photosynthesis depends. Therefore, supplementation of Mg protects plants against toxic effects of fluoride compounds.” I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my outdoor plants since I’ve been applying magnesium to counteract the effect of fluoride in the water.
5. “Mg deficiency in animals reduces production of energy, relevant to the Mg-ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) system. Reduction of ATP levels affects in an unfavorable way many metabolic processes connected with the action of ATP (eg, metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and active transport).” That statement speaks for itself.
6. “In summary, it can be stated that in intoxication with fluorine compounds, magnesium plays a protective role by countering and reducing the toxic effects of F.” Someone once asked me why she should spend money to take magnesium when it was just counteracted by fluoride! That’s like saying we shouldn’t bother eating because we just get hungry again. Magnesium will protect us against the toxic effects of fluoride and many other toxins.
Avoiding sugar and brushing your teeth after carbs do much more for your teeth than fluoride. Even if fluoride gave some minor reduction in cavities it’s not worth it once you realize fluoride, in any form, kills magnesium.
Dr. Dean is not only a medical doctor, but also a naturopath, herbalist, acupuncturist, nutritionist, lecturer, consultant, and author. Dr. Dean has been in the forefront of health issues for over 30 years, and has authored or coauthored over thirty books, including How To Change Your Life With Magnesium, Future Health Now! Encyclopaedia, IBS for DUMMIES, The Magnesium Miracle and Hormone Balance. View more of her work at drcarolyndean.com.