Manganese in our water is detrimental to cognitive development

[Celebration]

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-02-magnanese-detrimental-cognitive.html

Bouchard conducted the first study on children while addressing acceptable levels of manganese. Her sample was made up of 362 children, age 6 to 13, from various municipalities that have varying levels of manganese in the water. The highest levels found were 260 micrograms per liter, which is below the 400 micrograms threshold set by the World Health Organization and the 300 set by the US government.

Bouchard then proceeded to test the children’s IQ, motor skills, impulsivity, dexterity and memory skills. The results were clear: the more children are exposed to manganese the more they have problems with motor skills and with their short and long term memory. In addition, those exposed to the higher levels of manganese have a non-verbal IQ that is on average 6.6 points lower.

“That’s enormous!” says Bouchard when you consider that mercury affects IQ by only 0.3 points. The study also took into consideration the income and education of the parents as well as the IQ of the mother, but these variables had no significant impact on the results.

[Chemisse]

1. I wonder how the researchers were able to eliminate all the other factors

that can affect IQ. The article doesn't give any details about the methods, but it seems like that would be nearly impossible to do with such a small sample of children.

[mhatrw]

2. interesting

how does so much manganese get in our water?

[Celebration]

3. it probably varies by region

Most water doesn't have that much I don't think.

[trotsky]

5. Vaccines, I bet. n/t

[semillama]

4. quite interesting, since I know a person

who keeps trying to tell me that manganese is the next miracle supplement and I should take some.

[gkhouston]

6. Maybe that's their only hope of beating you at Trivial Pursuit?? n/t