Effects of chlorinated drinking water on human lipid metabolism.

Atherosclerosis with its complications is the most important health problem affecting American adults. The levels of serum cholesterol, of high and low density lipoproteins, and of apolipoproteins A1, A2, and B are major risk factors for the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Animal studies suggest that chlorinated drinking water may elevate the serum cholesterol. Studies are too limited to confirm or refute this effect in humans. Since millions of humans have and have had daily exposure to chlorinated drinking water, it is essential to study the effects of such exposure on human lipid metabolism. We have begun a protocol to discover whether consuming chlorinated drinking water elevates serum cholesterol and the other lipid components of blood known to be associated with atherosclerosis. This protocol has been designed to improve the chance of observing an effect while preserving the ability to generalize the data.