5 Olive Oil Myths Debunked
This article was written with Tish Campbell, PhD (bio at end).
Since my time in a laboratory at the start of my career in 2006, where I was a contributing author to Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine (including principal author on the Nutrient & Toxic Elements chapter), I have had lead on the brain, as it were. Given the fact that the research is pretty clear that ANY lead exposure is a problem (especially in kids and in pregnancy), I pay attention to lead – in all of my patients, in myself and my daughter. In my wider family. I am a firm believer that we need to make, at a minimum, an annual sweep of general toxin status in the body. And when we identify something, move forward with appropriate steps for removal and treatment.
It is with this background that I discovered that I had higher-than-OK levels of lead this year. You perhaps saw me chat about it a few times on social media.
It’s worth corralling here what we know about this element, the current state of research, my thinking on treatment and testing, and perhaps a few cases, including my own and my daughter’s. Lead should be something we’re all looking out for.
A bit about its history
Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal known for its malleability, resistance to corrosion, durability, longevity, and relatively low cost, making it a popular choice in various industries. Historically, lead was widely used in gasoline, paint, plumbing, and even cosmetics. Today, we find lead in many more places, including water, herbs (including some contaminated supplements), toys, and ceramic dishes, where the beautiful surface paint can be a potential source of lead. The list goes on. Even tampons have been recently found to be a potential source of lead exposure, as well as other toxic elements.
Documented toxic effects of even low levels of lead exposure have been increasing, raising significant health concerns, especially for children. In 1991, the Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC) established a reference blood lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) for children. This level remained in effect for many years until it was revised to 5 µg/dL in 2012. Recognizing the ongoing health risks, the CDC further updated the reference level in October 2021 to 3.5 µg/dL. So, what does this number mean – well, 3.5 ug/dL is only 35 ppb (meaning 35 parts of lead within a solution of 1 billion parts other stuff). That’s not a lot of lead at all!
These changes reflect a growing understanding of the harmful effects of lead exposure, even at lower levels. In all actuality however, and as the CDC notes: “there is no safe amount of lead exposure. Any traces of lead found in a child’s body can be extremely dangerous.”
Recent research
A 2021 study on pediatric lead exposure in the United States revealed that over 50% of children tested had detectable levels of lead in their blood, with striking disparities based on race, ethnicity, income, and ZIP code. Children in high-poverty areas are nearly 2.5 times more likely to have elevated blood lead levels (2.9% vs. 1.2%) compared to those in low-poverty areas. The age of housing also seems to play a key role, as homes built before the 1950s often contain more lead-based materials. Children living in areas with the highest concentration of pre-1950s housing face almost four times the risk of elevated BLL (3.5% vs. 0.9%) compared to those in areas with minimal pre-1950s housing. The study highlights that despite progress, lead exposure remains a significant issue nationwide, especially in disadvantaged communities.
What does lead do in the body?
Lead toxicity affects multiple organ systems, including the nervous, urinary, circulatory (both cardiovascular and hematologic), gastrointestinal, skeletal, endocrine, and reproductive systems. The central nervous system (CNS) is particularly vulnerable to lead exposure, as lead readily crosses the blood-brain barrier. Cognitive dysfunction, neurobehavioral disorders, and neurological damage have been associated with lead exposure at blood lead levels that were previously considered normal.
In the hematologic system (blood and circulation), lead interferes with how the body makes hemoglobin, leading to both microcytic and hypochromic anemia. The gastrointestinal system may be affected as well, leading to symptoms like loss of appetite and abdominal discomfort. Lead exposure also disrupts the functionality of various proteins leading to oxidative stress and affecting cellular function, and its interference with calcium-dependent ion channels and enzymes exacerbates its neurotoxic effects, particularly in the CNS. When not deposited in tissues, lead is primarily excreted through bile and urine; however, the kidneys can be susceptible to damage from high lead concentrations, particularly during chelation treatments intended to reduce the body burden of lead.
Clinical Presentation of Lead Toxicity: Acute vs. Chronic
The clinical presentation of lead toxicity differs significantly between acute and chronic exposure.
Acute Lead Poisoning: Symptoms of acute lead poisoning can emerge rapidly and may include severe abdominal pain, vomiting, lethargy, and, in extreme cases, seizures or coma. Children may also present with hyperactivity, decreased play activity, and significant cognitive deficits. High-dose exposures, often seen in industrial accidents or acute ingestion of lead-based substances, can result in life-threatening complications if not addressed quickly.
Chronic Lead Poisoning: Chronic lead poisoning develops over time, usually due to prolonged exposure to low levels of lead. Symptoms may be subtle and include fatigue, irritability, insomnia, and cognitive difficulties such as impaired concentration and short-term memory deficits. Importantly, lead exposure in children has been correlated with lower IQ scores, learning disabilities, and poorer academic performance. Adults on the other hand, may experience peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and increased risks of cardiovascular diseases due to chronic lead exposure.
I wrote about an interesting case of a woman who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at just 39 years old and has a daughter with autism, with no family history of neurological conditions. A detailed medical history revealed that the patient and her husband had renovated a lead-saturated, 100-year-old Chicago home over a decade during the 1990s. When her urine toxic metal levels were assessed, her lead levels were alarmingly high—22 µg/24 hours, eleven times above the 2 µg/24 hours cut-off limit. This elevated result pointed to a substantial, long-term body burden of lead, indicating chronic exposure likely accumulated over years. (Read more about this case here.)
Another important concept to address is the “second half-life” of lead, which refers to how lead stored in bones can re-enter circulation during times of increased bone turnover, such as menopause. A relevant study from Frontiers examines how more than 90% of the body’s lead is stored in bone tissue. During periods of bone resorption—such as menopause, when hormonal changes increase turnover—this stored lead can be released back into the bloodstream, raising blood lead levels. This phenomenon is particularly concerning for older women, as the re-circulated lead can enter the central nervous system and contribute to cognitive or neurological issues if not managed effectively.
Clinical Presentation in Pediatrics
To expand on the above, chronic lead toxicity poses significant risks for children, as their developing brains and bodies are particularly susceptible to the neurotoxic effects of lead exposure. In children, even low levels of lead can lead to developmental delays, cognitive impairment, behavioral issues, and academic struggles. Symptoms may include hyperactivity, decreased appetite, low IQ, and poor school performance. A landmark meta-analysis indicated that lead concentrations in children are significantly associated with teacher-rated learning disabilities, reinforcing the potential long-term impacts of lead exposure on cognitive development. Fatigue, irritability, and anxiety, are also potential effects.
When my daughter Iz had her first heel stick test for lead at just a few years old, the result came back positive. I was devastated. A follow-up blood lead test revealed the levels were very low—but still present. Why? As the above study highlights, lead exposure is still a significant issue, especially in children. Our home, built in 1905, raised concerns for me about potential lead contamination.
Although the lead levels identified in the initial test were not within the pediatrician’s alarm range, I knew that any amount of lead poses a problem for children. Given the age of our home, I immediately started Isabella on the best-tasting glutathione supplement I could find (I used an orange liquid glutathione, ½ tsp per dose). I also hired a lead encapsulation team to identify and address any potential sources in the house. Interestingly, the most common lead exposure for children occurs in older homes—particularly through the repetitive opening and closing of windows, which releases paint flakes and dust into the air. Thankfully, we had replaced all the windows, and the encapsulation process went smoothly. After these interventions, every subsequent test for Isabella came back negative.
Lead Body Burden Assessment Methods
Treatment
If you have a suspected or confirmed lead exposure, don’t worry—there’s plenty you can do to address the situation. For example, if your house is the main culprit (as ours was), it’s important to focus on proper lead paint encapsulation. Our house was built in 1905, so ensuring all lead paint is safely sealed has been a key priority.
Other practical steps include:
Avoidance: As one might imagine, prevention is paramount, and the most effective strategy for reducing the toxic effects of lead exposure is to prevent exposure in the first place. This is by far and away my first port of call.
- Home testing to identify lead sources: This includes testing for lead in paint, household items, and tap water. 3M lead test sticks provide a simple way to detect lead on surfaces, such as ceramic dishes.
- Home remediation: This involves measures like lead abatement and installing water filtration systems to reduce exposure risks.
- Limiting exposure through food and gardening practices: Lead contamination can come from canned, dried, or conventionally produced foods and crops grown in contaminated soil. To reduce risk, I opted for raised garden beds with fresh soil since the perimeter soil around our home tested positive for lead, likely from old paint. Testing soil for safety is easy in the U.S. through universities, local government agencies, USDA agricultural stations, or cooperative extension programs.
Take care of bone: Preserving bone health with the suite of bone nutrients, dietary patterns, and lifestyle interventions to take care of bone can help prevent the release of lead into circulation too quickly. This would be my second priority.
Nutritional Support: Supporting gastrointestinal health and addressing nutrient deficiencies is essential in the management of lead toxicity. Supplementation with calcium and magnesium can be helpful as these divalent cations compete for the same transporters and can therefore reduce absorption. Iron also has this effect, but supplement only if there is a medically confirmed deficiency.
Adjunctive nutrients: Several nutrients have shown promise in enhancing the effectiveness of treatment, either alone or in conjunction with chelation agents (see note about chelation below). These include:
- Glutathione: Powerful antioxidant that can bind to lead and offer immune support.
- Alpha Lipoic Acid: An antioxidant that may help mitigate oxidative stress.
- Zinc: Essential for various biochemical processes, including antioxidant defense.
- Taurine: May assist in detoxification pathways.
- Selenium: Known to bind lead directly and can aid in its elimination.
- N-Acetylcysteine: Another antioxidant that supports detoxification.
Antinutrients: Beans, legumes, tea, and other foods contain so-called antinutrients, which are known for binding nutrient minerals to prevent absorption, but these can also bind lead to similarly reduce uptake. See how we made antinutrients work therapeutically in a different situation here.
Chelation therapy: This isn’t widely used these days, but considered for acute toxicity. When blood lead levels are high (45 ug/dL or above) it is considered essential. Chelation wouldn’t be appropriate if there is increased bone turnover.
*I strongly recommend working with appropriately trained clinicians and pediatricians, such as our team at the New Frontiers in Functional Medicine and Nutrition Clinic to implement these functional medicine strategies.
More on lead:
- How to Test for Lead at Home (short video)
- Lead and Homocysteine Levels in a Series of Individuals Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease
- Lead toxicity. Still a big problem, and there is NO safe exposure level. Get tested!
Contributing Author
Tish Campbell, PhD, CNS, is a functional nutritionist, health educator, and researcher. Based in Hawaii, Tish conducts virtual consultations through her functional nutrition clinical practice, with a focus on women’s health, longevity, and health optimization. For more information, visit her website at www.tishcampbell.com.
1 Comment
We had an incident with a maraca filled with lead pellets that our 1 year old was playing with. He had over 6ug/dl levels of lead. I had just purchased Pectasol-C for trying to help my other son to reduce inflammation. There is a study on children in China using this to reduce lead levels without negative effects and one with adults. We were able to get his lead levels down to less than 1 ug/dl in 3 months. The most dramatic drop was in the first month. I am amazed that we have this relatively cheap and safe way to pull lead out of the body. Beyond the two studies on heavy metals/lead there haven’t been any more and I rarely see it mentioned as an option. Why more people aren’t interested or aware of this is a mystery. I couldn’t believe the doctors I went too had no other advice except to clean up the area and let the lead “work it’s way out”. I wasn’t going to let that stand. Maybe somewhere there is evidence of harm from Pectasol but I haven’t found it yet in the multiple studies I’ve read.