ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's could be due to toxin from bacterial blooms in lakes and rivers

[mooncliff]

1. Cyanobacteria (previously called bluegreen algae) produce BMAA
beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)


2. Cyanobacteria are everywhere in rivers, lakes, and in the soil.


3. They seem to produce a huge amount of BMAA when there are blooms in lakes and rivers with excessive fertilizer runoff. The water can turn obviously bluish-green.


4. The BMAA can be in drinking water, seafood [and freshwater fish], milk from cows eating from pastures irrigated with pond-scum-laden water, spirulina in protein shakes


5. BMAA has been found in brains of ALS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s victims, but not in brains of people who died from Huntington’s (which is genetic)


6. BMAA can be misincorporated into proteins, causing the proteins to be malformed and to stick to other proteins, causing plaques in neurons.


7. DO NOT TAKE SPIRULINA. large quantities of BMAA found in commercially sold supplements containing spirulina and Aphanizomenon flos–aquae


8. clusters of ALS cases in the same zip code, or even the same street or building, tied to exposure to cyanobacteria-contaminated lakes in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine


9. sand filtration, powdered activated carbon (like Brita filter), and chlorination remove BMAA


10. Texas’s Lake Houston, which supplies drinking water to residents of this country’s fourth largest city, regularly has cyanobacterial blooms. It tested positive for BMAA.

11. In New England, the rate of ALS doubles around lakes with cyanobacterial blooms. People living around Lake Mascoma in New Hampshire have 10 to 25 times normal ALS rate.


So, if the water smells and tastes like an aquarium in the summer, especially if it is from a surface source, it might be better to drinks bottled or at least use a Brita filter.


http://www.psmag.com/health-and-beha...ap-water-38804


http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-etm012116.php

[Southernguy]

Re: ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's could be due to toxin from bacterial blooms in lakes and rivers

Thanks very much Moon. Here in Uruguay cianobacteria have become a huge economic-environmental problem. Most (if not all) rivers and fresh water courses are contaminated. Including those providing water for public consumption.
I had never heard of the neurological risk arising from cyanobacteria.
At home we use a reverse osmosis filtration system, hope it is effective. Seems there is nowhere to hide form these problems nowadays.

[lektrode]

Re: ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's could be due to toxin from bacterial blooms in lakes and rivers

well there goes another 'high/bio-tech' tax credit green shoot

[Lasher]

Re: ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's could be due to toxin from bacterial blooms in lakes and rivers

9. sand filtration, powdered activated carbon (like Brita filter), and chlorination remove BMAA
.....
So, if the water smells and tastes like an aquarium in the summer, especially if it is from a surface source, it might be better to drinks bottled or at least use a Brita filter.

I can't really talk about the toxic issue, but the standard Brita pitcher filter is unlikely to remove this from water. The pitcher isn't designed to remove small organisms - for example, Cryptosporidium will go right through it. A Brita faucet-mounted filter may do the job though.

[Jam]

Re: ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's could be due to toxin from bacterial blooms in lakes and rivers

I presume this would work--if only it were available to buy. (Target manufacturing cost between $1000 and $2000.)
https://youtu.be/Uk_T9MiZKRs

[shiny!]

Re: ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's could be due to toxin from bacterial blooms in lakes and rivers

I can't really talk about the toxic issue, but the standard Brita pitcher filter is unlikely to remove this from water. The pitcher isn't designed to remove small organisms - for example, Cryptosporidium will go right through it. A Brita faucet-mounted filter may do the job though.

You're right about the Brita. It takes out chlorine but not much else.

One of the best home water purification systems is the British Berkfeld "Berkey" with the white Doulton Super Sterasyl Ceramic filters. Not the black filters- they're junk. I've been using a 2.5 gallon Berkey for years. it looks like this inside:
http://pleasanthillgrain.com/media/c...rs_4_200_6.jpg

[lakedaemonian]

Re: ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's could be due to toxin from bacterial blooms in lakes and rivers

Katadyn brand filters are also excellent(although expensive) depending on your needs. I have a few for austere outdoor use as well as another portable one in case we ever need to hook it up to our tap water(very high quality tap water, but we've had earthquakes disrupt water supply).

UV Steri-pens are another highly portable me inexpensive option, but be sure to use high output batteries.

For daily and extended long term use, the Berkey is hard to beat.

[Milton Kuo]

Re: ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's could be due to toxin from bacterial blooms in lakes and rivers

One of the best home water purification systems is the British Berkfeld "Berkey" with the white Doulton Super Sterasyl Ceramic filters. Not the black filters- they're junk.

What's wrong with the black filters? Do they not do a good job or do they fall apart?