Heavy Metals in Your Foods

 Heavy Metals in Your Foods

 

       According to a study looking at popular chocolate companies, they found that 1/3 of our chocolate is high in heavy


 metals, specifically Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Loria, 2023). What are the effects of elevated levels of consumptions of


 these heavy metals? Cadmium and Lead are considered toxins and have no physiological function in our bodies


 (Genchi, 2020). NIH study reports that low levels of cadmium leads to an increase in cancer and organ system toxicity


 such as skeletal, urinary, reproductive, cardiovascular, central and peripheral nervous, and respiratory systems. Even


 low levels of cadmium are considered teratogenic and can be a cause of irregularities in reproductive health. This


 could create alterations in menstruation, pregnancy loss, hormonal imbalances, low birth weight, and more. Cd is


 considered an endocrine disruptor because of its binding to the estrogen receptors leading to changes in the signaling


 pathways. It has also been seen to have an negative affect in postmenopausal women leading to lower mineral


 density. Cd is linked to development of osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis.  Toxic levels could result


 in kidney and liver problems, pulmonary edema (Genchi, 2020). 


 

      Lead is an extremely poisonous metal that has a negative impact on almost every organ in the body. Its use has


 decreased in several countries, but it still has a place in many industries. Long term exposure to lead can be a major


 contributing factor to cognitive concerns, behaviors problems, and learning difficulties. Exposure to lead is reported to


 be more concerning in children and children are screen at their wellness visits in the early ages of life. Long time


 exposure is impacting the brain, kidneys, and more. It can be a cause of elevated blood pressure, anemia, fertility


 concerns in males and females, immune suppression, and the nervous system (Wani, 2015). 

 

The leading cause for Lead poisoning through ingestion of contaminated food and water. Most companies do have


 regulations form the FDA on the amount of heavy metals that are allowed in the product. There are foods also


 commonly have toxins in them like spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, fish, ect. The maximum allowable dose levels


 (MADL) in California for lead is 0.5 mcg per day and cadmium is 4.1 mcg per day. In the recent article on heavy


 metals in chocolate they found a wide rage of products that exceeded the lead and cadmium limits (Loria, 2023). 


 

      On the positive side there are ways to test for increased levels of heavy metals and detoxification protocols, in


 conjunction with, avoidance or significant reduction of the toxins will decrease the heavy metals and improve


 outcomes. It is especially important for children and pregnant women be aware of these potential foods, including


 chocolate, and only have them sparingly. Another way that you can decrease heavy metals in your body is to consume


 foods that are high in polyphenols and antioxidants, these are found in fruits and vegetables, and green tea. These


 strong antioxidant properties help to chelate cadmium ions and provide protective effects in the body (Genchi, 2020). 

 

 

 


 

References 


Genchi, G., Sinicropi, M. S., Lauria, G., Carocci, A., & Catalano, A. (2020). The Effects of Cadmium Toxicity. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(11), 3782. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113782

 

Loria, K. (2023). A Third of Chocolate Products Are High in Heavy Metals, CR's Tests Find. Consumer Reports. Retrieved from https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/a-third-of-chocolate-products-are-high-in-heavy-metals-a4844566398/ 


Wani, A. L., Ara, A., & Usmani, J. A. (2015). Lead toxicity: a review. Interdisciplinary toxicology, 8(2), 55–64. https://doi.org/10.1515/intox-2015-0009

 

 

 

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