Does the evidence about health risks associated with nitrate ingestion warrant an increase of the nitrate standard for drinking water?
2006
Health Risks of Nitrate in Drinking Water
Commentary
Evidence: low
Author Information
Author(s): van Grinsven Hans JM, Ward Mary H, Benjamin Nigel, de Kok Theo M
Hypothesis
Does the evidence about health risks associated with nitrate ingestion warrant an increase of the nitrate standard for drinking water?
Conclusion
It is not possible to weigh the costs and benefits of changing the nitrate standard for drinking water due to uncertainties about health risks.
Supporting Evidence
- Only a few well-designed studies have evaluated the health effects of nitrate in drinking water.
- Some studies show no link between dietary nitrate and cancer risk.
- 2-3% of the population in Western Europe and the US may be exposed to high nitrate levels in drinking water.
Takeaway
Some people think it's okay to raise the limit for nitrate in drinking water, but we don't really know if it's safe, so we should be careful.
Limitations
Most epidemiologic studies have limitations and more studies are needed to understand the complexities of nitrate exposure.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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