Lead Poisoning

The Lead Poisoning topic includes research on the health effects of lead exposure, including the causes, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of lead toxicity.

Lead is a metal that exists naturally in the environment. When lead combines with other chemical elements, it creates compounds. When people come in contact with lead in the environment, it is often with compounds. In the past, lead was used often in products such as house paint, pesticides, and gasoline. Although there are restrictions on lead use now, lead still lingers in the environment.

Lead harms many systems in the body, especially the central nervous system. It is most dangerous for children because their nervous systems are still developing. Repeated exposure to low levels of lead can affect children’s growth and cause learning or behavior problems. Researchers estimate that many people in the U.S. were exposed to harmful lead levels in early childhood.