Nanocolloidal amorphous silica in drinking water as an autoimmunity trigger in Finland
Introduction
The prevalence and the incidence of autoimmune diseases have increased dramatically in developed countries over the last few decades [1]. The prevalence of some autoimmune diseases (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis) in Finland is almost the highest in the world [2].
For an autoimmune disease to occur, there must be a genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger(s). The human genotype cannot change dramatically in a few decades, indicating that new environmental triggers must play a decisive role in the observed increase in the prevalence and incidence of autoimmune diseases [1]. Researchers have listed a number of factors that are known to function as environmental triggers of autoimmune diseases, including mercury, iodine, vinyl chloride, l-tryptophan, particulates, canavanine, organic solvents, silica, ultraviolet radiation, ozone and various pathogens [3]. None of these environmental triggers are thought to be prevalent in Finland. I approach this problem by examining one common, clear-cut autoimmune disease.
Section snippets
Autoimmune thyroiditis as a clue
Getting acquainted with overt hypothyreosis in Finland (its epidemiology and regional distribution at the municipal level) and the landscapes in Finland is the basis of the proposed hypothesis. Autoimmune thyroiditis is the cause of hypothyreosis in over 80% of cases [4]. There are no statistical figures concerning the prevalence of overt hypothyreosis in Finland, but the figures of the rights to free medicine (levothyroxine) granted to overt hypothyreotic patients are available. The rights are
Hypothesis
My hypothesis is that the tap water in the Finnish municipalities with a high prevalence of hypothyreosis contains nanosized colloids, which consist of three components. The core of these colloids contain ASi, which is coated by humic substances to which the iode is bound. I call this kind of colloidal particle a ternary system amorphous silica/humus/iodine particle (ASi/Hu/I). The thyrocyte concentrates iodine via the sodium iodide symporter (NIS). According to my hypothesis, the ternary
Observations that support the hypothesis
1. The typical aquifer in the municipalities with high prevalence of hypothyreosis is located near a lake or bond in which spring flooding is common. In this type of lake, diatom production is high [8], and diatomaceous earth accumulates in the bottom sediment. The water of this kind of small lake is rich in humic substances and humic-bound iodine. Thus, these lakes are suitable environments for the formation of ASi/Hu/I colloids. These aquifers are at times synclinal (water flows from the
Discussion
There are unexplained trends in human health in Finland and in Western countries in general, such as the increase in the prevalence of autoimmune diseases, mammary carcinoma and lymphoma malignum.
Endocytosis is a common cell function. Many particles, both naturally occurring and synthetic, that are efficiently internalised into cells are polymeric in structure, including ASi. Particle uptake into cells is determined by the molar mass and the size of the polymeric particle. Various substances,
Funding
No grants.
Conflict of interest
None declared.
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2015, Medical HypothesesCitation Excerpt :Many autoimmune diseases are also typical for the northern hemisphere e.g. T1D, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. I have now pointed out two autoimmune diseases that in Finland are associated with colloidal ASi, namely autoimmune thyroiditis and T1D [9]. Earlier no one has done a comprehensive synthesis of the etiology of T1D comprising all the aspects of the good epidemiological study, namely biological sciences of man, numerous sciences of physical environment and sciences concerning with human society.
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