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Lead |
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Everyone is exposed to some level of lead, as it is widely present throughout the environment. Because lead serves no useful function in the body, it is best to minimize exposure where possible.
Is lead harmful to my health?
The amount of harm depends on the level of exposure. Health effects can occur at low levels of exposure and can subtly affect blood pressure, kidneys and children's mental abilities. These health effects may not be noticeable to an individual or to their physician.
Consistent high exposures over a number of years can cause anemia, muscle weakness, tremors, reproductive problems, kidney damage and digestive problems. These types of exposures and outcomes are very rare.
In extremely rare cases, people may become sick very quickly or die from exposure to very high amounts of lead. This type of exposure is only from accidentally ingesting large amounts of lead or from breathing in large amounts of lead after activities such as sandblasting or torch cutting of lead-containing surfaces.
Who is most at risk from exposure to lead?
Infants, young children and pregnant women all need to take precautions to reduce exposure to lead from all sources.
Because they are still developing, infants and children under the age of six are most vulnerable to harm from lead. As well, they both absorb lead more easily than adults and are exposed to more lead since they tend to put toys and other objects into their mouths.
Like infants and children, fetuses are very sensitive to lead. Pregnant women can pass lead in their blood to their fetus, and thus should take care to minimize lead exposures. In addition, pregnant women should ensure they get enough calcium in their diet, as lead is more readily taken up in the body if calcium levels are low.
The amount of lead found in breast milk is very small and does not pose a risk to the health of nursing infants.
Infants fed with formula made with tap water from lead serviced homes may be most at risk from lead exposures.
The amount of lead found in children in North America has been steadily dropping in the last 30 years due to measures to reduce lead exposure.
How can I find out if I have been exposed to high amounts of lead?
Ask your doctor. If you think you or a family member has been exposed to high amounts of lead, your doctor can measure the blood lead level of the person.
Where can I get more information?
Links to sites external to the Toronto Public Health Web site are provided as a convenience and their inclusion does not imply that Toronto Public Health endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content or use of these sites.
Learn more about lead and your health:
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