Lead Exposure: the ugly truths and how to combat it
Before you panic, I want you to do me a favor: take a deep breath. If you are reading this post, you are taking the first step toward securing your health AND maintaining hydration.
Let's talk about lead. Lead is a shiny, malleable element found naturally. It has been heavily mined by humans to use in batteries, block harmful x-rays, and ammunition (pew pew).
While a very useful element, as we often find with human use of naturally occurring chemicals, we learned the hard way that it is not the best for everything. In the past, we used it for paint, pipes, household items, and even in cosmetics. Over the years, we learned that while it has its place, it is toxic to humans at certain levels.
Poison and Toxicity
We are exposed to less-than-ideal chemicals, fragrances, and other elements on a regular basis due to mass-produced items in our consumerist society.
Poison is a word used to describe anything that can harm, injure, or kill a living organism.
Toxicity is a word used to describe the measurement and potency of a poison.
For example, alcohol is a psychoactive poison to the human body. As we well know and see in Wisconsin, consuming different amounts of alcohol effects people differently based on weight, genetics, other medication/drugs, etc.
Short term exposure and small amounts can be tolerated for most and cleansed from the system. Over-use and long-term exposure causes serious health complications and even death.
Lead, like alcohol, is a poison and is toxic, affecting us physically and our CNS (central nervous system). However, unlike alcohol, lead stores and builds up in our cells (mainly bones and teeth).
Lead Exposure in Adults
Let's take another breath - even if you think you have been exposed to lead, you can still mitigate those effects.
For adults, lead exposure has short-term and long-term effects, depending on amount, duration of exposure, and other environmental factors.
Short Term Effects of Exposure in Adults
*High Blood Pressure
*Pain in the joints, muscles, and other tissue
*Nerve pain or tingling in the extremities
*Extremem fatigue
*Brain function changes (memory loss, headaches)
*Mood instability
Long Term Effects of Exposure in Adults
*Reproductive issues (infertility, decreased sperm count)
*Higher risk of miscarriage/stillbirth
*Anemia
*Kidney Damage
Lead Exposure in Children
Our children should not be exposed to any level of lead. Making sure they are in lead-free environments is key to their development both physically and mentally.
Physical Effects of Lead Exposure in Children
*Slowed growth
*Anemia
*Organ Damage (kidney)
*Intestinal issues
*Brain Damage
CNS Effects of Lead Exposure in Children
*Lowered IQ
*Behavioral changes/mood instability
*Learning issues
*Attention issues
*Structural changes to the brain
*Disrupted nerve signaling
There is no safe level of lead for adults or children, BUT exposure doesn't mean you are at a total loss.
How to Mitigate Lead Exposure
First and foremost, contact a medical professional if you think you have lead exposure. This is a blog post, written by someone who cares enough to research and lay it out for you. Reading this does not replace proper medical care.
Let's talk about what you can do at home.
Have a home inspection to check for lead pipes, lead paint, and other older construction items in the home (especially with homes pre-dating 1980). Make sure you specify that you are concerned about lead exposure and that the inspector is confident in identifying problem issues.
Replace lead pipes. I had this done at my rental home a few years ago in Oconomowoc. Yes, it was not cheap, but it was well worth it. If you are curious about your city or private water lines, contact your local water utility provider. Some areas can offer assistance and payment plans to replace lead pipes.
Fix peeling paint. If your house is older, you could have lead paint. Peeling paint releases toxic dust (lead or not), so keep it in good condition.
Flush your pipes. Run your water for a short time (3 minutes should do) to clear out water that sat in your pipes.
Purchase an approved lead-filtration device for drinking water or have a professional install one in your home. Here is one you can get on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4qSIVJq
If you or anyone in your home works in the trades or construction, take extra care to remove shoes and clothing that may have been exposed to lead and shower after work.
Have your water tested and pay attention to your water utility reports.
If it makes you feel better, drink bottled water until you can assuage your concerns.
Be Smart, Not Scared
Education is the key to living a healthy, happy life - this blog post was intended to give you a quick overview of lead exposure, not scare you. We want you to be proactive and safe. Lead exposure is something to take seriously. If you have more questions, please see the links below to dive deeper (we used many of these to confirm our knowledge while writing this) - and as always, make sure your sources are credible and science-based!
xoxo
Marie
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