A two-decade study in Bangladesh found that people who reduced arsenic exposure by switching to cleaner drinking water saw significantly lower rates of chronic disease, cancer, and cardiovascular-related deaths.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A long-running public health study tracking nearly 12,000 adults in Bangladesh has found that reducing exposure to arsenic-contaminated drinking water was associated with major declines in chronic disease mortality, including deaths tied to cancer and cardiovascular illness.
The findings, published in JAMA, followed residents in the Araihazar region over a 20-year period beginning in 2000. Researchers repeatedly measured arsenic concentrations in participants’ urine, using up to five assessments per person to monitor how exposure changed over time as some households transitioned away from contaminated wells to cleaner water sources.
Investigators reported that participants who experienced the largest reductions in arsenic exposure showed a 22% decrease in chronic disease mortality, a 20% reduction in cancer-related deaths, and a 23% decline in cardiovascular mortality compared to those who remained exposed to elevated contamination levels.
The most substantial health improvements were observed among individuals whose arsenic levels dropped below the study’s median exposure threshold. Those participants recorded 46% lower chronic disease mortality, 49% lower cardiovascular mortality, and mortality reductions reaching as high as 50% overall when compared to people who continued using highly contaminated water sources.
Researchers also found that individuals who began the study with elevated arsenic exposure but later switched to safer water supplies eventually demonstrated mortality risks similar to participants who had low exposure from the outset. The study concluded that the body may recover significantly once long-term arsenic exposure is reduced or eliminated.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in groundwater in many parts of the world. According to Mercola.com, inorganic arsenic — the form most strongly associated with cancer risk — enters groundwater naturally through geological processes and cannot be detected by taste, smell, or color. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency limits arsenic in public drinking water systems to 10 parts per billion.
The Bangladesh study focused on communities relying heavily on shallow groundwater wells, where contamination levels ranged from minimal to extremely elevated. Researchers said the project offered a rare opportunity to observe real-world exposure changes because community testing programs labeled wells as either safe or unsafe, leading many residents to voluntarily switch water sources during the study period.
Scientists emphasized that rather than relying exclusively on testing water from wells, they measured arsenic directly inside the body through urine samples, providing a clearer picture of cumulative exposure and changes over time.
The findings carry implications beyond Bangladesh, particularly for Americans who rely on groundwater systems and private wells. More than 100 million people in the United States depend on groundwater for drinking water, while private wells remain exempt from federal regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, roughly 2.1 million Americans may be consuming water containing arsenic concentrations above EPA standards.
The issue extends beyond naturally occurring contamination. Industrial pollution and agricultural runoff can also contribute to toxic metals entering drinking water systems. The book Your Menopause Your Menotype by Angela Stengler and Mark Stengler noted that tap water may contain heavy metals including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
Additional concerns surrounding arsenic exposure were highlighted in reporting by Children’s Health Defense, which cited research involving children near Syracuse, New York, who showed elevated urinary arsenic levels alongside indicators of early-stage asymptomatic heart disease.
Researchers involved in the Bangladesh study stated that the biological effects of arsenic toxicity are not unique to one region and that similar health improvements could likely occur in other populations when exposure is reduced.
Public health specialists continue to recommend periodic testing of private wells because groundwater composition can change over time. Experts say systems specifically certified for arsenic removal, including reverse osmosis filtration systems, are among the most effective methods for lowering exposure. Standard carbon filters generally do not adequately remove arsenic contamination.
Officials also advise homeowners to re-test wells every one to two years for contaminants.
The broader issue of water contamination has increasingly drawn attention in the United States amid concerns over heavy metals and PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals.” According to NaturalNews.com, one recent analysis reported detectable PFAS compounds in 98.8% of more than 10,000 blood samples collected in the United States.
Researchers said the Bangladesh study reinforces the role clean drinking water can play in reducing long-term disease risk. Inorganic arsenic has long been recognized internationally as a human carcinogen based on epidemiological evidence, and the study’s findings suggest that reducing exposure can substantially improve health outcomes even after years of contamination.
Source: Natural News
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