Dear Dr. Donohue: Enclosed is a clipping on the danger of putting fluoride in water. My community has had fluoridated water for some time, and it seems that everybody I talk to has stomach problems, including my whole family and me. Please print your opinion of fluoridated water. -- E.S.
Dear E.S.: Fluoride was first added to water supplies in a few Canadian and United States towns around 1945 to see if it would prevent tooth decay. The trial showed that fluoridated water had a significant impact on reducing tooth decay. Since then, most of the populations of the two countries live in communities with fluoridated water.
Opponents of fluoridation fear that fluoride added to water is implicated in cancer, heart disease and bone weakening. Those accusations are unproven. I don't believe your family's stomach problems are related to your water supply.
Supporting evidence for the deleterious effects of fluoride are difficult to come by, and most evidence shows no relationship between illness and fluoridated water.
In May of 1992, something went wrong with the equipment that supplies fluoride to water in a small Alaskan town. Two hundred and ninety-six people came down with fluoride poisoning. Their symptoms were nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and numbness. One person died. Such an accident has occurred only once in more than 50 years of use.
You asked my opinion. I am for fluoride in water. Look on the labels of bottled water. Much of it has fluoride.
Dear Dr. Donohue: I had a recent bone test for osteoporosis. The doctor's office sent me a copy of it. It says I have osteopenia. What is it? Is it a form of osteoporosis? -- M.C.
Dear M.C.: Osteopenia is not osteoporosis, but it is the first step on the road to osteoporosis. If osteopenia is not reversed, odds are that osteoporosis will develop.
You should get on the same kind of program that people with osteoporosis follow. Make certain that you get enough calcium and vitamin D.
Exercise. Walking works. When exercising muscles tug on bones, calcium deposits in the bones.
Whether you need specific medicines to incorporate more calcium into your bones is a matter best decided by your own doctor. Many factors are involved in deciding the need for medicines -- body size, age at menopause and physical activity, as well as the bone test.
Write to Paul Donohue, M.D., P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.