Low Blood Lead Levels Do Not Appear to Be Further Reduced by Dietary Supplements

Abstract

ObjectiveOur objective was to evaluate the association of dietary intakes of selected micronutrients and blood lead (PbB) concentrations in female adults and in children.DesignWith longitudinal monitoring, we measured daily intakes of the micronutrients calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, barium, strontium, phosphorus, zinc, iron (limited data), and copper from 6-day duplicate diets (2–13 collections per individual) and PbB concentrations. Participants were three groups of females of child-bearing age (one cohort consisting of 21 pregnant subjects and 15 nonpregnant controls, a second cohort of nine pregnant migrants), and one group of 10 children 6–11 years of age.ResultsMean PbB concentrations were < 5 μg/dL. A mixed linear model that included only group and time accounted for 5.9% of the variance of the PbB measurements; neither the effect of time nor the effect of group was significant. The model containing all of the micronutrients (except iron, for which there was a great deal of missing data), along with time and group, accounted for approximately 9.2% of the variance of PbB; this increase was not statistically significant. There was, however, a significant association of PbB with phosphorus, magnesium, and copper when all micronutrients were included in the statistical analysis, perhaps reflecting a synergistic effect.ConclusionsIn contrast to most previous studies, we found no statistically significant relationships between the PbB concentrations and micronutrient intake. In adults and older children with low PbB concentrations and minimal exposure to Pb, micronutrient supplementation is probably unnecessary.

Blood lead levels and bone turnover with weight reduction in women

“…It may be that Ca intake cannot suppress the high rate of bone turnover associated with severe caloric restriction. Other high bone turnover conditions, such as pregnancy and lactation, show either a beneficial effect of Ca supplementation to reduce mobilization of skeletal mineral stores (Reid et al, 1993;Prince et al, 1995;Cepollaro et al, 1996;Ricci et al, 1998;Shapses et al, 2001) and BPb levels (Hernandez-Avila et al, 2003;Ettinger et al, 2006) or no effect on BPb levels (Hertz-Picciotto et al, 2000;Gulson et al, 2004Gulson et al, , 2006. We found a weak association amongst all women between higher Ca intakes and lower bone resorption (PYD cross-links) and BPb levels during caloric restriction.…”

Synergistic effects of iron deficiency and lead exposure on blood lead levels in children

“…Several studies have been conducted to see the effects of iron fortifi cation on blood lead level whereby some have shown favorable results [11] while others have negated any benefit of such measures. [30] By far not a single study has been conducted in Pakistan to see the effect of iron fortification on BLL, thus the present study has opened venues for researchers to make iron fortifi cation a measure of secondary prevention of lead poisoning in the high-risk children in the developing countries.…”

Metal Concentrations in Newcomer Women and Environmental Exposures: A Scoping Review

“…Eight studies examined Pb concentrations in immigrant women (Table 1) [41,42,43,44,45,46,47]. Mean Pb levels, where reported, ranged from geometric means (GM) of 0.78 μg/dL (95% CI: 0.57, 1.10) in immigrants to Canada [37] to 29.5 μg/dL (95% CI: 25.9, 33.1) in immigrant Pb-poisoned women exhibiting pica behaviour in New York City, USA [41].…”