Boys' thyroids tend to get bigger than girls' when they're exposed to fluoride in water or food, which suggests boys might be more sensitive to fluoride's effects on their thyroid gland.

47

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

47

Community contributions welcome

47

Iodine Modifies the Susceptibility of Thyroid to Fluoride Exposure in School-age Children: a Cross-sectional Study in Yellow River Basin, Henan, China

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2021 Oct

This study found that when kids are exposed to more fluoride, their thyroids get bigger—and boys’ thyroids get bigger more than girls’ ones, which means boys are more sensitive to fluoride’s effects.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Iodine Modifies the Susceptibility of Thyroid to Fluoride Exposure in School-age Children: a Cross-sectional Study in Yellow River Basin, Henan, China

Score: 47

DOI: 10.1007/s12011-020-02519-8

Similar Assertions

In kids aged 7 to 12, the more fluoride they have in their urine, the bigger their thyroid gland tends to be — by a tiny amount, about the size of a small grape.

47

0

83%

In kids, more fluoride in their urine seems to be linked to bigger thyroids, but iodine in their urine doesn’t seem to make a clear difference—so fluoride might be the main thing affecting their thyroid size.

47

0

81%

When kids have more iodine in their urine, fluoride doesn’t seem to make their thyroid gland grow as much—so iodine might help protect their thyroid from fluoride’s effects.

47

0

78%

When kids have just enough iodine in their urine but are exposed to more fluoride, their bodies might make less of an important thyroid hormone called TT3 — like their thyroid is struggling a bit under those conditions.

47

0

74%