Consumption of drinking water with high nitrate levels causes hypertrophy of the thyroid

Maanen, J.M.S. van; Dijk, Anouk van; Mulder, Kathleen M.; Baets, Marc H. De; Menheere, P. C. A.; Heide, D. van der; Mertens, P. L. J. M.; Kleinjans, J. C. S.

doi:10.1016/0378-4274(94)90050-7

Cited by 131 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…20 The same Danish research group has shown that nitrate can interfere with iodine uptake by the thyroid, resulting in hypertrophy of the thyroid, the gland responsible for many of the body's endocrine and hormonal functions. 21 More recently, another research group has shown a positive relationship between the incidence of childhood-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and levels of nitrate in drinking water. 22 Their findings suggest that the threshold for the effect is 15 mg L −1 of NO 3 (less than one-third of the EC limit for nitrate in drinking water), which is considered both worrying 23 and puzzling.…”

Section: Nitrate Toxicitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrate in vegetables: toxicity, content, intake and EC regulation

2005

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Nitrate content is an important quality characteristic of vegetables. Vegetable nitrate content is of interest to governments and regulators owing to the possible implications for health and to check that controls on the content are effective. Nitrate itself is relatively non-toxic but its metabolites may produce a number of health effects. Until recently nitrate was perceived as a purely harmful dietary component which causes infantile methaemoglobinaemia, carcinogenesis and possibly even teratogenesis. Recent research studies suggest that nitrate is actually a key part of our bodies' defences against gastroenteritis. In this review are reported: (1) vegetable classification as a function of nitrate accumulation; (2) vegetable contribution to the total dietary exposure of nitrate; (3) European Commission Regulation No. 563/2002 which sets limits for nitrate in lettuce and spinach; (4) the maximum levels set in some countries for beetroot, cabbage, carrot, celery, endive, Lamb's lettuce, potato, radish and rocket; (5) the results of surveys on the nitrate content of vegetables in Italy and other European countries.

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Section: Nitrate Toxicitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrate in vegetables: toxicity, content, intake and EC regulation

2005

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“…6.4441.19 mg/L nitrate); the other wa based on cut-off values of 10 and 25 mg/L nitrate. We determined standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for type 1 diabetes in subgroups of the 2,829,020 children with respect to both nitrate exposure categories, sex, and age and as compared in univariate analysis wing the chi-square test for trend.…”

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confidence: 99%

Does the Risk of Childhood Diabetes Mellitus Require Revision of the Guideline Values for Nitrate in Drinking Water?

Maanen¹,

Albering²,

Kok³

et al. 2000

Environmental Health Perspectives

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In recent years, several studies have addressed a possible relationship benteen nitrate exposure and childhood type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes meilitus. The present ecologic study describes a possible relation between the incidence of type 1 diabetes and nitrate levels in drinking water in The Netherlands, and evaluates whether the World Health Organization and the European Commission stndard for nitrate in drinking water (50 mg/L) is adequate to prevent risk of this disease. During 1993During -1995 Even though experimental data raise serious concern about the formation of Nnitroso compounds and carcinogenic risk, the epidemiologic evidence for an association between the intake of nitrate and cancer is regarded to be insufficient. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline value for nitrate in drinking water (50 mg/L nitrate units as nitrate ion) was established solely to prevent methemoglobinemia (6). In the European Union, the maximum admissible nitrate level in drinking water was also set at 50 mg/L (A). In a recent review on the role of drinking water nitrate as a cause of infantile methemoglobinemia (7), it was concluded that the standard of 50 mg/L might be unnecessarily strict and that gastrointestinal infection and inflammation and the ensuing overproduction of nitric oxide may be the cause of infantile methemoglobinemia attributed to drinking water nitrate (8). In our view, however, rather than raising the standard of nitrate to levels > 50 mg/L, other adverse health effects of nitrate exposure should be taken into consideration. We suggest that the present drinking water guideline value for nitrate of 50 mg/L needs to be reconsidered for multiple reasons. Even though the guideline value is aimed at the protection of infants as the highest risk group against methemoglobinemia, cases of methemoglobinemia as a result of exposure to nitrate in drinking water < 50 mg/L have been reported (59. In a previous study (1), we observed increased hprt variant frequencies in lymphocyte DNA of subjects who used private well water with nitrate levels below the guideline value of 50 mg/L as drinking water. Also, formation of the carcinogenic N-nitrosodimethylamine was observed during uptake of nitrate at the acceptable daily intake level-corresponding with the standard of nitrate in drinking water-in combination with nitrosatable

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“…Epidemiological studies showed that the water used for drinking and cooking in the goitrous areas is low in iodine content, but high in nitrate [8]. Furthermore, investigations proved higher relative risk of goitre in people exposed to pollution by nitrate [9][10][11]. Because other substances could also contaminate the well water with high nitrate levels, the effect of other compounds on the thyroid cannot be excluded.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of taking chronic nitrate by drinking water on thyroid functions and morphology

et al. 2005

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Nitrate incorporation in humans takes place via drinking water and food. The water used for drinking and cooking in the goitrous areas is high in nitrate content. The aim of the present study was to evaluate both chronic effects and the dose-response relationship of nitrate on thyroid functions. A total of rats were divided into 5 work groups and sodium nitrate was added to their drinking water in different concentrations (0, 50, 100, 250 and 500 mg/l) over a 30-week period. The radioiodine uptake of thyroid was decreased in the 50 mg/l nitrate group, whereas it was increased in the 250 and 500 mg/l nitrate groups as compared to control. All hormones of thyroid gland except total thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone were decreased in the 50, 250 and 500 mg/l nitrate groups. However, the level of total thyroxin was increased in the 100 mg/l nitrate group. Thyroid gland weights were increased in all experimental groups. Histomorphological changes were observed in the 250 and 500 mg/l nitrate groups. These findings suggest that nitrate impairs thyroid function involving the hypothalamo-hypophysio-thyroid axis. This observation could contribute to the current discussion about the acceptable daily intake of nitrate, as well as drinking water nitrate standard safety margins.

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Consumption of drinking water with high nitrate levels causes hypertrophy of the thyroid

Cited by 131 publications

References 9 publications

Nitrate in vegetables: toxicity, content, intake and EC regulation

Nitrate in vegetables: toxicity, content, intake and EC regulation

Does the Risk of Childhood Diabetes Mellitus Require Revision of the Guideline Values for Nitrate in Drinking Water?

The effects of taking chronic nitrate by drinking water on thyroid functions and morphology

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