Robert F. Kennedy recently proposed removing fluoride from the United States' drinking water. This would be a big win for everyone's health. After I suffered from fluoride-induced mitochondrial damage, a.k.a. getting "floxed" by a fluoride-based antibiotic, I avoid fluoride like the plague. Here is my story:
In September of 2022, I was in the hospital with a burst appendix. They didn't operate because it had already walled off and they needed the inflammation to go down before "going in" to avoid taking part of my colon and cecum. So I stayed at Mt. Sinai for three days on intervenous piperacillin/tazobactam antibiotic.
By the time I left, my pain was gone and I felt pretty good, all things considered. On the way home, we swung by Walgreens and picked up a prescription for Ciprofloxin (Cipro) and Metronodazole (Flagyl). I popped one of each while still in the car with a handful of Boom Chicka Pop(corn), then picked up some take out on the way home. I was excited for real, non-hospital food!
The next morning, I woke up and felt something was off, but ignored it. I got up and went to the kitchen and started putting dishes away when I noticed something very strange. My muscles were so weak that it was difficult to raise up my arms to reach the cabinet.
After a quick search, I learned that ciprofloxin, and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics like it, can cause muscle weakness, tendon damage, fatigue, anxiety, and neuropathy. These antibiotics are bound to fluoride, which penetrates the mitochondira and leads to toxic aldehyde formation. Some victims have described this as a "bomb going off" in their body.
Fortunately, I figured this out before taking any more medication. I immediately called my doctor to ask for a different antibiotic. There was some miscommunication and by the end of the day, I still didn't have the new script. So, I had to return to the ER for a dose of IV piperacillin. I was on a strict schedule of antibiotics and there was no way I was going to take more Cipro.
At this juncture, you may be thinking, "Hey, I've taken loads of Cipro with no problems!" Well, just know that mitochondrial damage is cumulative. It just depends on when you reach that tipping point.
If your mitochondria aren't in great shape, you may be particularly susceptible to damage from these drugs. But most people have never had their mitochondria tested. This is a cutting-edge, out-of-pocket test that currently only functional doctors use.
As luck would have it, fatigue from long covid had led me to one such doctor earlier in the year, so I actually had taken a Mito-Swab mitochondrial test. (mescreen is also a good test) The test revealed that while my mitochondrial complexes II, III, and IV were doing great, I only had 37% of my complex I function. This is the complex that initiates the respiratory chain, responsible for kicking off energy production.
I knew that most anesthesia harms mitochondria, so I informed the nice doctor about my lowered function. Unfortunatly, he didn't know what to do with this information and had never heard of such a test. So, it's not surprising that he didn't know not to prescribe me a mitochondrially toxic drug.
Sure, there is a black box warning on the drug about severe adverse events— but doctors don't know the CAUSE of them, although they should (as James Carville might say: it's the mitochondira, stupid!)
The effects of fluoroquinolones are even worse when paired with other medications that also affect mitochondria such as steroids, NSAIDs, fluconazole, and the one I took, metronidazole.
Although most good functional medicine doctors should be able to help you with this problem, I wanted to speak with a doctor who specialized in helping "Floxies" - the nickname for people who have been damaged or "floxed" by fluoroquinolones. I found three in the United States.
The first doctor I found was Dr. Mark Ghalili, an LA-based regenerative medicine specialist who was floxxed when he was in his medical residency after two days on Cipro. The bright and promising young doctor wound up in a wheelchair, unable to work or walk with brain fog, blurry vision, neuropathy, and tendon tears. Following a long road back to health without much help from conventional doctors, he decided to devote his professional career to helping other Floxies.
The others were Dr. Paulvin in New York City and Dr. Hugh Wegwerth, a kind Minnesotan who helped me understand this problem and get through the initial fear of living with new chronic fatigue and anxiety. All while I was still home, managing a painful burst appendix. It was the grand finale of a crazy year full of health challenges and medication overreactions that earned me the nickname "Goldilocks."
I was relieved to learn that Dr. Hugh had helped A LOT of people return to normal after being Floxed. But.. it would take months (not days.) I just had to rebuild my mitochondria. So, I followed Dr. Hugh's advice to the letter, sipping magnesium glycinate throughout the day, and most importantly, avoiding anything toxic to mitochondria, including sugary and fried foods - the same junk food that RFK is hoping pry from American's ailing hands.
Removing all sources of fluoride in my body was key to recovery. So I changed my toothpaste to a fluoride-free remineralizing Japanese version with hydroxyapatite, threw away my ACT rinse, and lived on Evian while I awaited my new Clearly Filtered water filter.
I also checked every medication in my cabinet for fluoride. It's not too hard. Just look up the drug's chemical structure and scan for a big, fat capital "F" in the chemical formula. Try to avoid or limit your time on those, if possible. I had two offenders: Flonase and Ubrelvy.
After a diligent few months, I recovered and started dreaming of living in a place where I didn't have to defend my body from added fluoride at every turn. In case you're wondering, that's almost every other country than the USA. (See full list here)
I case you are wondering how my story ended, I returned early to the hosptial to get my appendix out. The surgeon did an excellent job and said didn't have to take out anything else (phew!) becasue I had controlled the inflammation much better than most.
Two years later, I am still working on my mitochondria. I regularly go to Centner Wellness, where they have cutting edge technology like red light beds and oxidative therapies that mitochondria absolutely love. It's going to be a lifelong journey, but one that will leave me ahead of the game when it's all said and done.
Think one of your medications has fluoride? Here's a list of medications with Fluoride from the Fluoride Action Network:
Advair Diskus
Atorvastatin
Baycol
Celebrex
Dexamethasone
Diflucan
Flonase
Flovent
Haldol
Lipitor
Luvox
Fluconazole
Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics such as Cipro, Levaquin, Penetrex, Tequin, Factive, Raxar, Maxaquin, Avelox, Noroxin, Floxin, Zagam, Omniflox and Trovan.
Fluvastatin
Ubrelvy
Paroxetine
Paxil
Prozac
Redux
Zetia
Have a scientific mind? Or just want a more technical explanation of this interplay?
Here you go:
Fluoroquinolones like ciprofloxacin (Cipro) can cause mitochondrial damage because they interfere with enzymes that are essential for mitochondrial DNA replication and repair. These enzymes, particularly topoisomerase, are crucial for maintaining the structure and function of mitochondrial DNA.
Fluoride, often found in water supplies and certain products, can exacerbate mitochondrial dysfunction because it's known to inhibit certain cellular enzymes and increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). For individuals already dealing with mitochondrial damage from fluoroquinolones, exposure to fluoride might further disrupt mitochondrial function, leading to enhanced oxidative stress and impairing cellular energy metabolism.
The increased ROS and the additional inhibition of mitochondrial enzymes can contribute to a worsening of the symptoms associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, such as fatigue, muscle weakness, and neurological impairments. Thus, avoiding additional fluoride exposure can be a part of a strategy to minimize further mitochondrial damage and facilitate recovery. Because now we know fluoride can harm.
Still want fluoride in your drinking water?
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