Health
Impacts of Lead Poisoning
A
preliminary listing of the health effects &
symptoms of lead poisoning
by
Vance Vella, Elizabeth OBrien, Elisa Idris and
others - a work in progress
The following
list of the symptoms and effects of lead
poisoning has been compiled to raise awareness
that more blood lead assessments must be done in
time for further poisoning to be prevented. After
each symptom or effect, the numbers indicate the
publications which refer to that effect. So far,
only 58 publications have been examined of the
thousands published. More will be reviewed and
this list updated as time permits.
However,
remember that most people
who are lead poisoned present with no symptoms at
all.
Children
Nervous system
- Encephalopathy [brain
disease] (1,
2,
3,
4,
20,
35)
- Acute encephalopathy (11)
- Alters function of
developing brain (16)
- Alters electroencephalogram
[EEG] (16)
- Convulsions (1,
2,
3,
4)
- Cerebral Palsy (1)
- Neurotransmitter release
disrupted (11)
Peripheral nervous system
- Peripheral nerve
disturbances [reduced touch sensitivity] (2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
18)
- Slowed nerve conduction
velocity [decreased reaction times] (2,
14,
18,
35,
39,
58)
- Foot/ hand drop (1,
3)
- Proprioreceptive pathways
involved in balance altered (2)
- Dizziness (1,
4,
38)
Growth & development
- Delayed neurodevelopment
[e.g. in sitting up, walking, talking] (2,
58)
- Stature and growth rate
reduction (1,
2,
3,
18,
35,
39)
- Impaired pituitary-thyroid
endocrine system (18,
21)
- Osteoporosis in later years
(43)
- Weight loss (58)
Cognitive development
- I.Q. levels decrease (1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
15,
24,
35,
36,
39,
41,
58)
- Cognitive function deficits
(2,
26,
33)
- Verbal function /
linguistic deficits ( 2,
14,
15)
- Learning difficulties (11,
15,
35)
- Decreased educational
performance (35)
- Decreased reading, maths,
non-verbal reasoning ability & short term
memory, even at blood lead levels less than
10µg/dL (41)
- Autism (7) in genetically predisposed
individuals with metallothionein dysfunction (42)
Behaviour
- Aggression, violence,
hostility, anti-social or delinquent behaviour (8,
26)
- Attention problems;
distractibility, restlessness (8,
12,
15,
21,
38,
58)
- Externalising and
internalising behaviours (8)
- Hyperactive behaviours,
difficult to manage (1,
2,
8)
- Inappropriate /
uncontrolled behaviours similar to ADD
behaviours, increased frequency (2,
11)
- Irritability (1,
38)
- Lethargy (1)
- Increased school
absenteeism (35)
Hearing
- Hearing impairment;
auditory sensitivity decreased (2,
3,
5,
10,
14,
18,
21,
26,
32,
35,
39,
58)
- Auditory evoked response
patterns altered (2)
- Auditory processing altered
(2,
10)
Sight
- Retinal degeneration (6,
10)
- Depressed sensitivity of
rod photoreceptors (10)
- Perceptual function
deficits (2,
21)
- Visuo-spatial skills
deficit [eg jigsaws] (15)
Movement and muscular
- Visual-motor skills
deficits [hand-eye coordination] (2,
3,
15,
26)
- Fine motor dysfunction (1,
2,
3)
- Motor function deficits (2)
- Impaired muscular strength
and endurance (26)
- Paralysis (3)
- Somatic complaints [aches
and pains] (8,
38)
Digestive system
- Impaired Vitamin D
metabolism [affecting bone remodelling, mineral
absorption and calcium uptake] (2,
3,
6,
18,
24,
35,
38,
39,
58)
- Colic (3,
25,
35)
- Loss of appetite (1,
2)
- Vomiting (1,
4)
- Constipation, diarrhoea,
anorexia (38,
58)
- Abdominal cramps (39, 58)
Renal (kidneys), blood and
circulation
- Renal disease acute
nephropathy (14,
21,
35,
38,
58)
- Queensland nephritis (14)
- Anaemia (1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
35,
38,
58)
Death (1,
2,
3,
4,
19,
35,
46,
58)
Perinatal Development and
Reproductive Health Effects
Foetal
- Preimplantation loss (3)
- Miscarriage, still birth,
neonatal death (2,
3,
4,
5,
18,
20,
24,
31,
47)
- Reduced gestational age,
preterm birth (1,
2,
3,
5,
18,
24)
- Reduced birth weight (1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
18,
19)
- Minor congenital /
chromosomal anomalies (2,
3,
4,
18,
31)
- Reproductive abnormalities;
disorders (5,
13,
38)
- Decreased placental
functioning (19)
- Lead passed via placenta to
foetus from mother (39,
58)
Adults
- Altered testicular
functioning (24)
- Hypospermia [low sperm
count] (3,
5,
19,
47)
- Asthenospermia [sperm
weakness] (3,
5,
20)
- Teratospermia [sperm
abnormalities] (3,
5,
31)
- Erectile dysfunction,
impotence (3,
40)
- Decreased serum
testosterone (3)
- Lead presence in seminal
fluid (31)
- Pituitary effects (31)
- Sterility, infertility (5,
31,
35,
39,
58)
- Effects on ovaries (19)
- Decreased libido / sex
drive (2,
21,
31)
- Impotence (31)
Kidneys
- Renal damage (2,
3,
5,
13,
14,
21,
23,
24,
28,
30,
34,
39,
58)
- Chronic lead nephropathy
[kidney disease] (2,
3,
14,
21,
22,
24,
38,
58)
- Death from nephritis
[kidney inflammation] (29,
30)
- Fanconi Syndrome (14)
- Gout (2,
3,
14)
- Renal hypertension (17)
- Increase in creatinine
concentration (23)
Nervous system
- Encephalopathy [brain
disease] (2,
4,
20,
24,
25,
34)
- Cerebrovascular diseases,
stroke, cerebral haemorrhage (2,
27,
28,
29,
30)
- Psychomotor impairment (13,
34)
- Peripheral nervous system
impairment [eg wrist-drop] (13,
24,
40,
47)
- Peripheral Arterial Disease(53,
54)
- Slowed nerve conduction
velocity [slowed reaction time] (2,
34, 58)
- Tremor (25,
26,
38,
40,
55)
- Paresthesia, paralysis (25)
Cardiovascular and
circulation
- Hypertension, elevated
blood pressure (2,
14,
17,
22,
35,
38,
40,
58)
- Increased systolic blood
pressure in men (35)
- Cardio-toxic effects (14)
- Increased risk of
cardiovascular disease (17)
- Coronary artery disease (2)
- Anaemia; falling
haemoglobin levels (2,
3,
5,
13,
24,
35,
38,
39,
47,
58)
- Platelet dysfunction (2)
- Increased erythrocyte [red
blood cell] protoporphyrin (35)
- Increased ALA in urine (34)
- Increased protoporphyrin in
urine (34)
- Increased risk of early death from
heart attack or stroke (46)
Intellectual and mental
- Depression (2,
13,
38)
- Anxiety (38)
- Personality changes (34)
- Death from violence,
suicide, accidents (29)
- Impaired concentration (19,
25,
34,
38)
- Deficits in short term
memory (2,
13,
19,
34,
38)
- Cognitive function deficit (58)
Behaviour
- Fatigue, muscular
exhaustion (2,
19,
25,
34,
38,
47)
- Sleep disturbance, insomnia
(19)
- Irritability, agitation,
restlessness, aggression (2,
13,
19,
24,
34,
47,
58)
Sensory
- Abnormalities in visuomotor
coordination (2)
- Abnormalities in fine motor
control (2)
- Deficits in visual acuity (2)
- Hearing loss (18,
35,
39,
47,
58)
- Somatosensory dysfunction
[eg deficits in detection of vibration, changes
in temperature] (2,
23)
Gastrointestinal / Digestive
- Effects on gastrointestinal
tract (24)
- Loss of appetite (19,
40)
- Nausea (19)
- Constipation, diarrhoea (25,
38)
- Abdominal pain, cramps (25,
34,
40,
47)
- Weight loss, anorexia (25,
38)
Bone, muscle and joint
- Bone marrow alterations (21)
- Myalgia [muscle pain] (25,
38,
40,
58)
- Pain in buttocks and cramps in the
legs as early stages of peripheral arterial
diseases (53, 54)
- Muscular weakness (34,
38,
39,
40,
47)
- Arthralgia [joint pain] (25,
38,
40,
47)
- Bone marrow alterations (21)
- Bone lead mobilisation during
menopause leads to decreased neurocognitive
performance and increased systolic blood pressure
in post-menopausal women (44)
- Wrist drop [the inability to hold
the hand extended] (47)
- Long term effect: linked to
osteoporosis which has symptoms of decline in
bone density and increase risk in fractures, also
inhibit normal fracture healing (48,
49 ,50,
51,
52)
Other
- Headaches (2,
19,
21,
40,
47)
- Decreased longevity (35,
39)
- Adrenal dysfunction (38)
- Teeth with blueblack-lines
near gum base (38,
40)
- Pallor (40)
- Cell damage (at blood lead level
between 20 to 30 mg/dL for men
and between 10 to 20 mg/dL for
women) (39)
- Probable human carcinogen (56,
57)
Death (2,
4,
19,
39,
46)
- Increased risk of early death from
cancer and all other causes (46)
Effects of lead from animal
studies
- Impaired attention,
learning and short-term memory in primates (12)
- Behavioural impairment;
inflexibility in behavioural change in primates (12)
- Elevated blood pressure at
moderate levels (17)
- Impaired immune system in
new-borns of rats fed lead [greater
susceptibility to asthma ] (37,
45)
- Increased incidence of tumors
(cancer) in rats born to mothers fed lead (45)
- Altered response to
stimulant drugs; attenuation of drug induced
hyperactivity in rats (2)
- Impaired attention, learning and
short-term memory in primates (12)
- Teratogenic effect causing birth
deformities (4)
- Low bone density in lab animals
such as mice and fractures due to lead-induced
osteoporosis do not heal properly (52)
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