Environment & Economy By Divina Ramirez 1660 Views

A closer look at the dangers lead poses to the body

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The body is equipped to process toxins. After all, it has an entire organ dedicated to the process of filtering out impurities on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the body cannot eliminate certain toxins like lead, a natural element used to create ammunition, car batteries and cable sheathing. Lead is toxic at any dose and serves no purpose inside the human body.

Despite the toxicity of lead, it was once widely used to make mass-produced goods like household paints, toys and cosmetics. But due to the high number of lead poisoning cases reported, lead-based paint was eventually banned in 1978. Unfortunately, some cases of lead poisoning today are linked to the inhalation of flakes from lead-based paint used in old houses. Old lead pipes are also said to contaminate water and cause poisoning.

The clinical effects of lead poisoning

Exposure to lead can cause a variety of symptoms since it affects different parts of the body. Lead poisoning also builds up slowly over time. As a result, the early stages of lead poisoning often go undetected due to a lack of observable symptoms.

Early detection of lead poisoning is also complicated by the fact that lead toxicity does not manifest after a single instance of lead ingestion or inhalation. A person must have repeated exposure to lead before the following symptoms can occur:

Nausea

When lead is ingested, it can remain in the stomach for long periods. Repeated ingestion can cause a spike in blood lead levels and eventually cause nausea and frequent bouts of vomiting. Lead can also cause constipation, abdominal pain and loss of appetite due to its disruptive effects on gut function.

Cognitive impairment

At any detectable level, lead exposure can cause severe neurological damage that results in memory loss and cognitive dysfunction.

In particular, infants and children have the highest risk of lead poisoning since they can absorb lead more quickly than adults. Several pediatric studies have shown that elevated blood lead levels in children can cause brain injury and cognitive impairment, resulting in a lower intelligence quotient (IQ) and growth delays, among other things.

Lead can also impair learning and behavioral development, as well as alter brain structure. In healthy adults, high levels of lead can cause cognitive dysfunction by interfering with neural connections and signals.

Muscle pain

Once lead enters the body, it interrupts the activity of enzymes, which help cells carry out important functions. In muscles, certain enzymes regulate inflammation and prevent damage. Lead, however, disrupts these functions and damages cells over time, causing symptoms like muscle pain, joint pain and weakness throughout the body.



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