The Health Risks of Heavy Metal Exposure: How to Protect Yourself and Improve Environmental Justice

There is little we can do about the filth that is in our drinking water or floats through the air. And unfortunately, sometimes it turns out to be more damaging than expected. For example, chronic exposure to lead, cadmium and arsenic increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

These are heavy metals that are found in very small quantities in commonly used household products, but also in the air, water, soil and our food. A overview study of the American Heart Association links chronic exposure to low or moderate levels of three heavy metals – lead, cadmium and arsenic – to cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes.

Lead accumulates in the body
“Studies among large groups of people make it clear that low levels of exposure to polluting metals occur almost everywhere in the world and contribute to the number of cases of cardiovascular disease and premature death from, for example, a heart attack,” says researcher Gervasio Lamas. “These metals disrupt essential biological functions and affect almost all people in the world,” says Professor Ana Navas-Acien of Columbia University. “After exposure, lead and cadmium accumulate in the body and remain in bones and organs for decades. In the US alone, a large study shows that more than 450,000 people may die each year from lead exposure.”

It’s in everything
The annoying thing is that you can do so little about it yourself. Exposure to heavy metals usually occurs involuntarily through daily activities, the Americans write. Lead can be found in many products, such as paint in old houses, tobacco, second-hand smoke and food contaminated by groundwater, but also in ceramic kitchenware and some pans. It is also found in water pipes, spices, cosmetics, electronics and emissions from industry.

Cadmium is in certain fertilizers, which is why the stuff has been found on a number of vegetables. Arsenic has mainly been found in groundwater, which can have consequences for our drinking water, but also for the soil in which crops are grown. It mainly accumulates in rice, more than in other plants.

But before you get too worried: in the Netherlands, the state of our air, water and soil quality is closely monitored. For example, the guideline applies here that there may not be more than 5 micrograms of lead in a liter of drinking water. That is considered safe.

Poor people hit harder
There are also significant differences in the degree of exposure. For example, people are more at risk if they live along busy roads, near factories or near rubbish dumps. Old houses are also more likely to be exposed to heavy metals, as are areas where environmental regulations are not properly enforced. “This is a global problem in which low-income people are disproportionately exposed to heavy metals through contaminated air, water and soil,” says Navas-Acien. “If we can reduce that exposure in these populations, it will help reduce cardiovascular disease inequalities and improve environmental justice.”

Studies in a row
The Americans are not without reason with their warning. They list several studies that showed significantly higher risks. For example, a review study of 37 studies was published in 2018, involving a total of nearly 350,000 people from more than ten countries. It showed that people who had more arsenic in their urine and more lead and cadmium in their blood had a 15 to 85 percent higher risk of strokes and heart attacks. A Spanish study also linked an elevated cadmium level in the urine to cardiovascular disease. And in China it turned out that more lead in the blood led to more plaque in the arteries in people with type 2 diabetes. Another Chinese study found a link between cadmium and arsenic and a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

What can you do?
But heavy metals in the soil, water and air, what can we do about it? The Americans do make some suggestions. For example, there must be much more monitoring of how much heavy metals are in nature. People themselves must also be tested for how much of the toxic substance they have in their bodies. Furthermore, drinking water, food and soil must be better protected. “Cardiovascular health can be improved through a multi-pronged approach, consisting of monitoring and control of the sources of emissions on the one hand and interventions to reduce the amount of heavy metals in the environment on the other hand,” explains Lamas.

Chelaatvormers
Research is also being done into ways to reduce the damage already incurred by heavy metals. For example, the effect of chelating agents is currently being investigated. These are organic substances that form bonds with metal ions, encapsulating them. For example, lead and cadmium in particular can disappear from the body again. Finally, certain nutritional supplements may reduce the effect of the heavy metals and ensure that they leave the body more quickly.

But for now, there’s not much you can do other than try to stay away from the worst sources of heavy metals and hope the damage isn’t too bad.