This paper reports metabolic data of 24 women and two men, 44-66 years
old, ex-residents in an area of endemic fluorosis close to Bahia Blan
ca city. Fasting fluoremias of these subjects (0,5 to 9,2 mu M) and da
ily urinary fluoride excretion (> 60 mu moles/day) are characteristics
of zones with endemic fluorosis. Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lu
mbar spine (L2-4 1330 +/- 41 mg/cm(2)) and femoral neck (1045 +/- 10 m
g/cm(2)) were significantly above average of normal subjects of the sa
me age and sex. A significant correlation was observed between the dai
ly excretion of fluoride and BMD L2-4 (r = 0.43, P < 0.05). The Area U
nder the Curve of insulin during a standard glucose tolerance test sho
wed an inverse relationship with fluoremia. This observation coincides
with experiments published elsewhere indicating that fluoride intake
at concentrations 5 CIM or greater, inhibits the secretion of insulin.