Hydration and Fluoridated Water (alcohol, cause, fluoride, better)

[verybadgnome]

Got into a discussion today with a friend regarding health affects of most tap and bottled water. They said not to drink tap water, even if it is home-filtered, and many bottled waters because of the presence of fluoride. This was not an argument from the "fluoride is a toxic industrial product," that has taken place in some parts of the country, e.g. Portland, but rather from the assertion that the fluoride found in some water inhibits it being absorbed by the body and actually works to dehydrate the body.
I looked but could not find anything like this particular claim. I would think this is something that could be easily tested, but could not find any studies. Anyone hear of this or is this marketing from bottled water companies?

[suzy_q2010]

Fluoride in water will not cause dehydration. there is not enough of it to have an effect on electrolyte balance.

[reneeh63]

For consideration, even the old bugaboo of the diuretic effect of caffeine in coffee and tea has been largely discounted because even though it is considered a diuretic, the amount of water you're drinking far overrides the diuretic effect. Sure, water itself would be slightly better than coffee but if it is a choice between coffee and nothing (or fluoridated water and nothing), then the alternative of "something" wins every time.

That probably does not hold with alcohol, another diuretic, even in beer form but if you were dying in the desert I suppose you'd chance it!

[verybadgnome]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I'm thinking this comes from the marketing of bottled water companies or just some "knowledge" floating around different sports communities.