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Study: Increased levels of fluoride exposure in pregnancy causes low IQ levels in children

It is the first study to evaluate the effect of the optimal level of fluoride.

ATLANTA — A new study claims increased levels of fluoride exposure in pregnancy causes a low IQ level in children.

Although previous studies found the same thing, The Journal of JAMA Pediatrics study is the first one to evaluate the effect of the optimal level of fluoride, which is .7 milligrams in a liter of water, according to health officials. 

Here's what researchers did 

  • Tracked more than 500 Canadian mothers and their children.
  • Tested the fluoride concentration in the mother's urine over the course of their pregnancy.
  • Tested the children's IQ between the ages of three and four-years-old.

What researchers found   

  • For one milligram of fluoride found in a liter of the mother's urine, there was a four to five point drop in the IQ of male children. 
  • They found no significant association in female children.

The researchers say that further investigation into whether boys are more vulnerable to fluoride neurotoxicity is needed. Especially considering that boys have a higher prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and attention-deficit disorder.

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