Two city laboratories come up with shocking results. Experts blame pollution, construction activity and ayurvedic medicines for toxicity.
It's been 10 years since lead-free petrol was introduced. Lead in pencils is gradually being replaced by graphite and clay, and most paint and cosmetic companies are now going out of their way to convince consumers that their product is 'metal-free'. And yet, lead poisoning continues to top the chart of heavy metal toxicity in humans. Medical experts claim extreme level of pollution, construction activity and haphazard use of ayurvedic medicines are the culprits.
Figures from the city-based laboratories reveal the worrisome trend. Of the 600 odd samples received every month by SRL diagnostics forAtomic Absorption Spectroscopy, which detects metal content in body fluids, about 350 contain lead. It is followed by copper (125), zinc (50) and other metals such as arsenic, mercury, aluminum and chromium.
Even a small amount of exposure to lead can lead to long-term health hazards, especially in children. It is known to cause anaemia, hypertension, impaired fertility and so on. Doctors say foetuses can be affected by lead exposure, as it reaches them through the placenta.
In addition, lead does not allow other metals such as zinc and copper to be flushed out of the body, leading to their build-up as well. The dangerous metal can remain inside the body for more than 45 years.
Apart from being carcinogenic or toxic, most metals adversely affect the central nervous system, kidneys, liver , skin, bones and teeth.
"The number of samples with metal content has gone up over the years. We started in 2010 with about 250 samples monthly and today we screen around 600," said Dr BR Das, president, Research and Innovation, SRL Diagnostics. Another laboratory, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, tests about 250 samples in a month, of which 150 contain lead. "Most samples are from people working in industrial set-ups, which expose them to such metals on a daily basis. Samples with arsenic generally come from people who use ayurvedic drugs containing heavy metals," said Dr Sandeep Warghade, in-charge of clinical chemistry, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd.
While advanced technology is available to test the metal content, many metals generally go undetected. That is because the process to detect each metal is different and doctors check only for that metal which is producing adverse symptoms. Ayurvedic medicines have been blamed for high amount of metals in them. The practitioners, however, claim that their medicines were always made with various metals but qualified practitioners know how much to prescribe.
According to consultant physician Dr Hasnain Patel, these metals are present in food, water, even the very air we breathe in. "They first enter the blood stream. Liver tries to process these metals out of our body, which puts pressure on it. It can cause jaundice and liver cell disease. These metals can cause renal failure and neurological problems too," said Patel, who is also the vice-president of International Board of Clinical Metal Toxicology.
According to Patel, if detected in the initial stages, patient can be provided with metal chelationtherapy, which helps remove these toxins in two-three months.
Heavy metal poisoning
Heavy metals may enter the body by ingestion, inhalation or absorption through the skin or mucous membranes. They are then stored in the body's soft tissues. Once absorbed, they compete with other ions and bind to proteins, impairing enzymatic activity and damaging many organs.
Here are some of the most common heavy metal toxins, where they are usually found, and what exposure to them can lead to.
It's been 10 years since lead-free petrol was introduced. Lead in pencils is gradually being replaced by graphite and clay, and most paint and cosmetic companies are now going out of their way to convince consumers that their product is 'metal-free'. And yet, lead poisoning continues to top the chart of heavy metal toxicity in humans. Medical experts claim extreme level of pollution, construction activity and haphazard use of ayurvedic medicines are the culprits.
Figures from the city-based laboratories reveal the worrisome trend. Of the 600 odd samples received every month by SRL diagnostics forAtomic Absorption Spectroscopy, which detects metal content in body fluids, about 350 contain lead. It is followed by copper (125), zinc (50) and other metals such as arsenic, mercury, aluminum and chromium.
Even a small amount of exposure to lead can lead to long-term health hazards, especially in children. It is known to cause anaemia, hypertension, impaired fertility and so on. Doctors say foetuses can be affected by lead exposure, as it reaches them through the placenta.
In addition, lead does not allow other metals such as zinc and copper to be flushed out of the body, leading to their build-up as well. The dangerous metal can remain inside the body for more than 45 years.
Apart from being carcinogenic or toxic, most metals adversely affect the central nervous system, kidneys, liver , skin, bones and teeth.
"The number of samples with metal content has gone up over the years. We started in 2010 with about 250 samples monthly and today we screen around 600," said Dr BR Das, president, Research and Innovation, SRL Diagnostics. Another laboratory, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, tests about 250 samples in a month, of which 150 contain lead. "Most samples are from people working in industrial set-ups, which expose them to such metals on a daily basis. Samples with arsenic generally come from people who use ayurvedic drugs containing heavy metals," said Dr Sandeep Warghade, in-charge of clinical chemistry, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd.
While advanced technology is available to test the metal content, many metals generally go undetected. That is because the process to detect each metal is different and doctors check only for that metal which is producing adverse symptoms. Ayurvedic medicines have been blamed for high amount of metals in them. The practitioners, however, claim that their medicines were always made with various metals but qualified practitioners know how much to prescribe.
According to consultant physician Dr Hasnain Patel, these metals are present in food, water, even the very air we breathe in. "They first enter the blood stream. Liver tries to process these metals out of our body, which puts pressure on it. It can cause jaundice and liver cell disease. These metals can cause renal failure and neurological problems too," said Patel, who is also the vice-president of International Board of Clinical Metal Toxicology.
According to Patel, if detected in the initial stages, patient can be provided with metal chelationtherapy, which helps remove these toxins in two-three months.
Heavy metal poisoning
Heavy metals may enter the body by ingestion, inhalation or absorption through the skin or mucous membranes. They are then stored in the body's soft tissues. Once absorbed, they compete with other ions and bind to proteins, impairing enzymatic activity and damaging many organs.
Here are some of the most common heavy metal toxins, where they are usually found, and what exposure to them can lead to.
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