Florida's popular 'Fountain of Youth' has a secret ingredient - it could kill you

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By Noa Halff For Dailymail.Com

Published: 10:50 EDT, 20 July 2024 | Updated: 10:50 EDT, 20 July 2024

A section h2o fountain dubbed 'Fountain of Youth' in Florida is hiding a perchance deadly secret: radium levels that are double what is safe to drink.

Nestled successful nan bosom of Punta Gorda, a sleepy formation municipality 2 hours southbound of Tampa, sits an unassuming drinking fountain that's go a section legend.

Residents were speedy to crown it nan 'Fountain of Youth' - nan mythical font sought by Conquistador Ponce de Leon that was rumored to de-age its drinkers.

Today nan fountain is swarmed by visitors hoping to clasp their youthfulness - but beware, this 'magical' good h2o is radioactive.

Alarming tests conducted successful nan 1980s revealed it contains a whopping 9 picocuries of radium - double nan national information limit, arsenic reported by Click Orlando.

The 'Fountain of Youth' is simply a hidden gem that's kept Florida locals emotion young and vibrant for years - but it whitethorn beryllium hiding a perchance deadly secret

But beware earlier you return a sip - this h2o is radioactive

But that hasn't stopped thrill-seeking visitors and die-hard locals from lining up for a sensation of this supposedly age-defying fountain.

Health officials person reportedly tried to unopen down nan fountain successful nan past but faced fierce backlash from nan community.

Now, a stark informing motion stands arsenic nan only obstruction betwixt visitors and imaginable danger: 'Use h2o astatine your ain risk.' 

'The h2o from this good exceeds nan maximum contaminate levels of radioactivity arsenic wished by nan United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) nether nan Safe Drinking Water Act.' 

Nestled successful nan bosom of Punta Gorda, a sleepy formation municipality 2 hours southbound of Tampa, sits an unassuming drinking fountain that's go a section legend

It's been dubbed nan 'Fountain of Youth' by locals pinch reports passim history of those who declare that nan fountain has retained their youthfulness. Today, lines shape astir it of those hopeless to get a driblet of nan magical water.

Alarming tests conducted successful nan 1980s revealed nan good h2o contains a whopping 9 picocuries of radium - double nan national information limit

Today, lines shape astir it of those hopeless to get a driblet of nan magical water

But US Geological Survey interrogator Zoltan Szabo told NPR: ''Well, that motion whitethorn beryllium scary, but it seems a small spot of radioactivity mightiness not beryllium each bad.'

'If that was your drinking water, and that was nan only root of h2o you had, and you drank it for 70 years — moreover then, you'd only person nan 1 successful 20,000 risk,' he said successful 2013. 

Surprisingly, however, nan h2o mightiness moreover person immoderate wellness benefits.

NPR reports it could incorporate magnesium sulfate, known to little cardiovascular risks and amended respiratory health.

However, taking a sip comes pinch different drawback - nan putrid smell.

The thought of a 'Fountain of Youth,' sough by Ponce de Leon, has been nan taxable of countless tales passim history, making love backmost to nan 5th period BC

The mythical outpouring allegedly reverses nan aging of anyone who drinks aliases bathes successful its waters

News 6 described nan stench arsenic 'sulfur and mildew' - hardly nan fragrance of eternal youth.

But contempt nan risks, this radioactive relic remains unfastened to nan public.

The thought of a 'Fountain of Youth' has been nan taxable of countless tales passim history, making love backmost to nan 5th period BC.

The mythical outpouring is said to reverse nan aging of anyone who drinks aliases bathes successful its waters. 

It has appeared successful nan writings of Herodotus 5th period BC, successful nan Alexander romance of nan 3rd period AD and successful nan stories of Prester John of nan early Crusades, 11th/12th hundreds of years AD.

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