RFK Jr labeled 'hypocrite' for selling bottled water with high fluoride after promoting healthy lifestyle

RFK Jr faced backlash after it was revealed he sold bottled water with high fluoride levels, a chemical he’s criticized for harming Americans
PUBLISHED DEC 5, 2024
Robert F Kennedy Jr is known for his outspoken anti-fluoride stance (Getty Images)
Robert F Kennedy Jr is known for his outspoken anti-fluoride stance (Getty Images)

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Robert F Kennedy Jr, who’s built a reputation as a staunch anti-fluoride crusader, is now drowning in a sea of backlash.

Critics didn’t hold back after it came to light that the environmental advocate and former presidential candidate once sold bottled water with shockingly high levels of fluoride — the very chemical he’s called harmful to Americans.

RFK Jr once sold water with excessive fluoride

Back in 1999, Robert F Kennedy co-founded Keeper Springs, a bottled water brand aimed at supporting clean waterways through his nonprofit, the Waterkeeper Alliance, OK! Magazine reported.

The company’s product reportedly contained fluoride levels nearly double the EPA’s recommended limit — and way more than the average tap water.

Internet slams RFK Jr

Critics on social media wasted no time calling out the irony.

"He's all about money. They all are. It's disgusting really," one posted on X.

"This is really radical, but how about HEALTHCARE EXPERTS deciding HEALTHCARE POLICY, not a brain-dead roadkill enthusiast," another fumed.

"This is the same insane clown show who brags he had 'brain worms' and plants dead bear cubs in Central Park," someone else added.

"He is such an utter waste of space," read a comment.

"This MAGA party is nothing but criminals & hypocrites," another chimed in.



 



 



 



 



 

Vanity Fair unearthed a 2009 chemical analysis of Keeper Springs water, revealing that it contained up to 1.3 milligrams of fluoride per liter. That’s higher than most municipal tap water.

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) even reported that fluoride levels in the water could climb above 1.5 milligrams per liter, more than double the EPA’s current recommendation of 0.7 milligrams per liter for drinking water.

Too much fluoride over time has been linked to health problems like fluorosis, which can leave teeth discolored with brown splotches. In severe cases, it can even mess with bones, causing increased density and joint pain. The EPA’s upper limit for fluoride in water is 4 parts per million — way above what’s typically added to drinking water — to avoid these risks.

RFK Jr’s anti-fluoride crusade

In recent years, Robert F Kennedy has been leading the charge against fluoride, calling it an "industrial waste" tied to everything from arthritis to neurodevelopmental disorders and thyroid issues.

In a recent interview with MSNBC, he said, "I think fluoride is on its way out. I think the faster that it goes out, the better."

Kennedy has even pointed to studies suggesting high levels of fluoride could harm children’s IQ. “I’m not going to compel anybody to take it out. I’m going to give them good information about the science, and I think that fluoride will disappear," he said.



 

While Kennedy is rallying against fluoride, health authorities like the CDC and major U.S. dental associations maintain that fluoridation at recommended levels is safe and effective, particularly for dental health. But the debate isn’t entirely black and white.

Tewodros Godebo, an assistant professor at Tulane University, conducted research in Ethiopia, where fluoride naturally occurs at levels up to 20 times higher than in the US. His findings showed significant harm to children’s cognitive abilities at these extreme concentrations, the Minnesota Star-Tribune reported.

He explained, "We are not in a position to make a policy decision right now because the science is all over the place."

The NTP’s federal review found that fluoride levels starting at 1.5 parts per million — just above the limit in Keeper Springs water — could negatively impact child IQ. But the science is murkier than that threshold.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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