NewsTarget.com reported on June 6, 2007 that a study co-sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the American Pharmacists Association found that pharmaceuticals are contaminating the public water supply in many places.

While many other studies have examined other water supply systems, this study examined the Lake Michigan water supply that serves the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.

In Lake Michigan itself, researchers found traces of Tylenol, ibuprofen, birth-control pill hormones and beta blockers from heart medication. In treated water at the Grand Rapids water filtration plant,  researchers  found the  anti-seizure medication carbamazepine.

In an interview with Department of Environmental Quality toxicologist Amy Perbeck, she stated that her concerns were the effects the drugs may have on fish. In some parts of the country, male fish have developed female ovarian tissue from constantly being exposed to birth-control hormones.

Professor Rick Rediske, senior program manager at Grand Valley State University's Annis Water Resources Institute, referred to shellfish, which excrete serotonin to signal they are ready to mate.

Rediske says small amounts of serotonin in anti-depressants “can mess up part of their life cycle. It's very complicated when there are very low levels of exposure over a long time.”

While acknowledging that the drugs were measured in parts per trillion – too small to be considered a therapeutic dose in humans, scientists say that no one knows the dangers of lifetime exposure for humans. “Pharmaceuticals are toxic chemicals that pollute the environment, and the pharmaceutical industry has so far refused to take responsibility for the environmental impact of its products,” explained Mike Adams, author of “The Real Safety Guide to Protecting Your Environment.”  "Consumers need to be warned that popping pills is not just harmful to your own health; it's also harmful to the health of water supplies and aquatic systems.”

Addressing what we put into our internal environment is just as important as what we put into our external environment.  Making better choices and using natural healthcare and self-care will keep your body functioning at its optimum level, decreasing the need for dangerous medications. 

As the world’s population continues to grow, and our lifespan continues to increase, the impact on our planet is likely to catch up with us.  Every choice we make affects our internal environment and our external environment.  A healthy external environment starts with a healthy internal environment.

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