Drinking atrazine in water is a dangerous health risk. A new study indicates that women who consume water contaminated with low levels of atrazine, a weed destroyer, may be more prone to have reduced estrogen levels and irregular menstrual cycles.
Atrazine in water comes from atrazine currently being probably the most widely used herbicide in the U.S. It is routinely found in surface water and ground water, especially in agricultural areas, like the Midwest. More than 70 percent of all cornfields in the United States are sprayed with atrazine on a yearly basis, leading to atrazine in drinking water used by 1000s of households.
This most recent study, comparing Illinois women to Vermont women, adds more evidence to the connection between atrazine and changed hormones.
Illinois farm community women were much more prone to experience menstrual cycle irregular bleeding than Vermont women. Nearly five times more likely, in fact. And, the Illinois farm women were more than 6 times more prone to go long stretches of time between periods. The time between periods was up to six weeks. There was also a measurably lower amount of estrogen in the Illinois women during parts of their cycle. This is not necessarily associated with an irregular menstrual cycle after birth among these women, nevertheless the menstrual cycle irregular bleeding is quite worrisome.
Although U. S. EPA enforces the federal drinking water standard in both states, the Illinois communities' regular city water had twice the concentration of atrazine in water when compared to the Vermont tap water. In addition to the atrazine in drinking water being increased, the Illinois women who drank more drinking water experienced an even greater occurrence of irregular periods. This supports the link that it's the atrazine in water that's resulting in the problems. Read more...