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DRINK YOUR PROZAC AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING! than normal. Bisphenol A forms a weak bond with the body's estro- DRINK YOUR PROZAC AND CALL ME IN THE gen receptors. It can scramble a cell's natural communication system MORNING! and cause it to replicate too quickly. That, in turn, raises concerns An estimated 157 million prescriptions for antidepressants were dis- about breast cancer in women. What happens if this compound, pensed in the US in 2002." That's a lot of happy pills. The most pop- which is active at low levels of exposure, combines with estrogen ular kind is the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which from a birth control pill in the water? At this point, it's still unclear." include Prozac, Zoloft, Luvox and Seroxat/Paxil. Colborn fears it "could have long-term health effects"? In August 2004, major headlines in Britain announced that Prozac Evidence is already mounting on the impact of hormone mimicson had been found in UK drinking water. Environmentalists described humans. Studies have found that the average Englishman produces the situation as "hidden mass medication of the unsuspecting public". only a third as much sperm as a hamster. Average sperm counts in Since the UK, like the US, has no monitoring for levels of Prozac or men have dropped by more than half over the past 50 years—from other PPCPs, a serious public health crisis is brewing. In the UK, about 160 million millilitres of semen to 66 million.'° Could there has been a 166 per cent increase in antidepressant prescriptions oestrogen-laced water contribute to sharply falling human sperm since 1991—up to 24 million prescriptions a year. In fact, many counts? In Europe, researchers have tied a decline in sperm counts to —_— countries around the world have had an exponential increase in the use levels of estrogenic hormones in the environment. of Prozac and other similar antidepressants.” What about the effects on women and children? Unfortunately, the What might the drinking of Prozac-laced water portend? Animal rising numbers of breast and uterine cancers, early puberty and studies offer some insights. Limited research shows that SSRIs elicit hypospadias (a birth defect of the urethra certain behaviours in shellfish. For exam- and penis) reveal a most disturbing pic- ple, bivalves' reproductive functions, ture. It is not difficult to imagine how including spawning, oocyte maturation unnatural exposure to potent oestrogen and parturition, are regulated by sero- hormones as well as oestrogen mimics In August 2004, tonin. Researchers have found traces of could be seriously and i cably alter- A A A ital Prozac and other antidepressants in th ing critical hormonal signalling foraduts | MA@JOr headlines in Britain Bh iver muscle and brain of bluesill ish in as well as even more vulnerable infants announced that Prozac Texas, as well as traces in people who and children. . don't take Prozac but do eat fish” had been found In UK Low-level exposure to fluoxetine, the ANTIBIOTICS: TOO MUCH OF A drinking water. active ingredient of Prozac, delays both GOOD THING development in fish and metamorphosis The release of antibiotics into water- in frogs. The researchers strongly suspect ways is particularly worrisome. that results implicate a disruption of thy- Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control found eight antibiotics in the aquat- roid function. "We know that the thyroid levels peak with metamorphic climax, ic environment: trimethoprim, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, sul- when the legs and arms form and the tail resorbs. We believe that flu- fadimethoxine, erythromycin, roximthromycin, lincomycin and oxetine inhibits the thyroid, so we're measuring the thyroid hormone enrofloxacin.” levels next.""" No one really knows what might be the effect when In addition, US farmers use 70 per cent of all the antibiotics pro- whole populations, including pregnant women and children, are get- duced as a prophylactic treatment as well as a growth promoter for _ ting traces of antidepressant drugs through their water supplies. It is their cows, pigs and chickens. A huge amount of antibiotics-infused | known, however, that serious side effects of SSRIs include depression, manure eventually finds its way into waterways and ground water." insomnia, hallucinations, self-mutilating behaviour and violence. In Detection of antibiotics in drinking water is of particular concern. fact, there are more questions about the possible side effects of PPCPs The presence of these chemicals in the environment can lead to the on humans and aquatic life than there are answers. It is a truly daunt- development of resistant bacterial strains, contributing to antibiotic ing task to assess the possible harmful effects of just one PPCP, much resistance. Some of the antibiotics detected were Class 1 drugs (the —_ less the thousands that are in our water systems. And what might be type used when other antibiotics don't work)."* the consequence of all those incalculable permutations of drug mix- Why is it that other antibiotics are less effective? No controversy __ tures? It's all a big question mark. there: general overprescribing and overdispensing of antibiotics by physicians and farmers. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? A bacteria-phobic public now uses millions of pounds annually of The problem of this ubiquitous category of pharmaceutical and per- triclosan, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent.” Triclosan is a deriv- sonal care pollutants has been clearly identified; the tricky part is what ative of the herbicide 2,4-D. It is the active ingredient found in thou- _ to do about it. sands of products such as antibacterial soaps, deodorants, mouthwash- One most obvious action would be to choose non-toxic personal es, sponges and household cleaners. Triclosan's popularity has con- care products. They're better for your body and the environment. tributed to the antibiotic resistance problem. Reducing dependence on pharmaceutical drugs by using natural thera- If triclosan-initiated antibiotic resistance weren't bad enough, pies is also another obvious step to take. Also, use the political researchers at the University of Minnesota found that when triclosan _ process and make your feelings known at local, state and national lev- in water was exposed to sunlight, it converted into a dioxin. els. Support environmental organisations. When first exposed to sunlight, triclosan becomes a mildly toxic One practical solution to the flush problem would be a pharmaceuti- chemical. The problem occurs when it becomes treated with chlorine —_ cal take-back program, like those implemented in several European at water treatment plants; it then breaks down to something even more _ countries and in Australia and Canada. Maine, USA, recently legislat- potent.'* What is particularly ironic is that the use of triclosan-treated __ ed the creation of a drug mail-back program in which people are given products has never been proven to be superior to regular soap and envelopes they can use to send their unused drugs to the Drug water."” Enforcement Administration. However, for the rest of the US, the In August 2004, major headlines i in Britain wee ab a ML WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? The problem of this ubiquitous category of pharmaceutical and per- sonal care pollutants has been clearly identified; the tricky part is what to do about it. One most obvious action would be to choose non-toxic personal care products. They're better for your body and the environment. Reducing dependence on pharmaceutical drugs by using natural thera- pies is also another obvious step to take. Also, use the political process and make your feelings known at local, state and national lev- els. Support environmental organisations. One practical solution to the flush problem would be a pharmaceuti- cal take-back program, like those implemented in several European countries and in Australia and Canada. Maine, USA, recently legislat- ed the creation of a drug mail-back program in which people are given envelopes they can use to send their unused drugs to the Drug Enforcement Administration. However, for the rest of the US, the APRIL — MAY 2005 NEXUS = 37 announced that Prozac had been found in UK drinking water. www.nexusmagazine.com