Lead, you could be eating it!

 I think it’s safe to say when I mention the word lead we all think of paint, and how some country songs brag about us “surviving in cribs painted with lead based paint” Well, we may have survived but our mental capacity may have suffered a couple of IQ points. 

What is lead? 

Lead is a soft blue-gray metal it’s durable, malleable and corrosion-resistant. Environmental lead levels have drastically increased due to anthropogenic uses and in the past we have added lead to paint and even gasoline. Lead was added to gasoline to reduce the knocking heard in the combustion engine. Lead can be found in drinking water by leaching from lead contaminated pipes, brass faucets and solder. Unfortunately boiling does not get rid of lead, it’s advised to run cold water before using the tap to reduce lead exposure in homes with lead pipes. Lead is still currently used in some industrial paints, computers, solder, pewter, ceramic glazer for pottery, jewelry and automotive batteries. Imported products pose a significant risk for lead exposure as lead regulations are not standard beyond the United States.

Children and pregnant women are most at risk for lead exposure; both absorb more lead than others. Children living in older homes are at increased risk of exposure as well. Elevated soil lead levels are often found near roadways since leaded gasoline was the standard pre-1976.  

What are the health effects of lead exposure?

Neurocognitive deficits are the most common adverse health effect of lead exposure. At high levels lead can cause brain damage, coma and even death. There is NO SAFE threshold for lead exposure. None, zip, there should be zero amounts of lead detectable in blood samples.

Lead causes an increased risk of pre-term delivery in pregnant mothers and currently the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends all pregnant mothers have a lead test. A simple blood test can determine if a mother has been exposed to lead. The problem is most gynecologist today do not perform the test, and most mothers don’t understand the importance of having a lead test. It’s important for individuals to know as early as possible if they are being exposed to lead, because there are no symptoms to low level lead exposure most people do not know they are being exposed. Reducing an infants exposure is key to promoting healthy development once the baby arrives home, this is why lead test in pregnant women is so important. Most infants do not receive a blood lead test until they are around 6-9 months of age, if by testing moms we could reduce exposure in infants those irreversible adverse health effects could be avoided. Sadly according to the CDC only 12 percent of American children under the age of 6 have been screened for lead exposure. Your doctor can perform the lead test in the office with a simple toe prick, your child’s blood will but tested and if your child has an elevated blood lead level the health department will be notified so a team of professionals can come to your home and help find the route of exposure. It’s very important to have your children tested for lead, again there are no symptoms except in high levels of exposure and the only way to know your family is safe is to consent to a lead test when visiting your pediatrician.

A source of lead you may not have considered is imported candy, a recent study suggest imported candies can contain lead levels higher than the FDA recommendation of 0.1 ppm (parts per million). Possible sources of candy contamination; the wrappers and ink on the candy, chili, tamarnind, candy packaging like spoons, straws and pots used to make the candy. In some cases these sources can contain up to 150,000 ppm! The moral of this story is, do not let your child eat imported candy.

That pretty vase you brought back from Mexico or purchased at Pier One might also be a lead source in your home. Ceramic pottery is often coated with a leaded glaze, which is not heated to high enough temperatures to heat-fix lead. Cooking in traditional bean pots poses a threat as well, the lead can leach into the food during the cooking process.  Some uncommon but very real sources of lead are, candle wicks, leaded ink paper products, bathtubs, mini-blinds and garden hoses to name a few. An important note about these unknown sources is this; there are no lead standards for atypical sources like those listed above!

What can we do to curb the problem?

Make sure your children are screened for lead exposure at their next pediatric visit, ask your pediatrician about the test. Identify if your home was built prior to 1978 and contact your health department for guidance on testing within your home. Reduce your families potential exposure by limiting imported ceramic products in your home, don’t eat imported candy, hire professionals to remove or cover lead paint, find out if your pipes are made out of lead and avoid atypical sources of lead.