Understand Lead Exposure and Rid Your Body of the Toxin
Denise Clark
Posted On:
January 8, 2025
We go to great lengths to protect children today from lead exposure but what about the children of the past? People born before 1990, and especially those born between the 1960s and 1980s, are likely to have experienced significantly higher levels of lead exposure due to the widespread use of leaded gasoline during that period. Lead does not break down quickly resulting in lead persisting in our environment. Researchers published the results of a study in 2022 that estimated that as many or more than 170 million older Americans were exposed to high lead levels at five times over the acceptable blood lead limit now in place. They speculated this high lead exposure potentially impacted their cognitive development throughout their lives since even small amounts of lead exposure during childhood can have lasting negative effects on brain function.
Lead Exposure in Drinking Water
The widespread use of lead pipes to deliver drinking water to homes is also becoming a major health concern. Major cities, including Denver, have obtained grants from the federal government to replace water service lines—the pipe that brings water into the home from the water main in the street. These water service lines can potentially contain lead, especially in homes built before 1951. Other sources of lead in drinking water in Denver Water’s service area include:
- Copper pipes connected with solder made of lead, common before 1987. Solder can be used anywhere in the house, from fixtures to service lines.
- Brass faucets and faucet parts, like fittings and valves. Fixtures installed before 2014 are likely to contain some brass, even if they have a chrome finish.
It can take time to replace water service lines and in the meantime, water filters such as the Zero water filter are recommended to filter heavy metals from your tap water if you live in certain areas of Denver.
New Sources of Lead Exposure
Since the 1970s, increased public awareness and legislation has reduced our exposure to lead in water pipes, gasoline, paint, industrial sources, and consumer products resulting in significant reductions. However, new items have been found to contain high levels of leading including:
- Chocolate
- Collagen powders
- Protein powders
- Cinnamon
- Tampons
Lead exposure has toxic effects at any level, regardless of age, sex, or exposure pathway. It can cause damage to:
- Mitochondria
- Brain
- Kidneys
- Central and peripheral nervous system
- Bone (causing bone loss)
How to Reduce Lead Exposure
- Talk to the city that services your drinking water to find out if they are concerned about lead in pipes in your water service lines.
- Go to the Environmental Working Group’s website; they list contaminants they found in city drinking water.
- Make sure that your water filter can remove lead from drinking water. The Zero water filter is the least expensive water filter system and has been demonstrated to remove lead and heavy metals as well as PFAS from tap water.
- See Dr. Clark or Dr. Parcell at NatureMed Clinic to get the best testing for legacy lead you may have accumulated. We have state-of-the-art testing and treatments available to remove lead and 20 other heavy metals from your body and give you a healthy start in the New Year.