10 Potential Signs of Lead Poisoning

Our world contains many different types of metals, including lead, which is found in the earth’s crust. Despite the fact that this metal is naturally occurring, inviting it into our everyday lives can lead to very serious consequences, because too much lead can poison our bodies and interfere with development in children.

In response to this, the United States government has banned lead from common sources, such as paint, but lead exposure is still alarmingly high. As of 2019, 4.3 million kids still lived in homes with lead-based paint, and researchers estimate that 170 million Americans were exposed to harmful levels of lead in childhood.

As a specialist in heavy metal poisoning, Dr. Jonathan Singer and the team here at HealthFirst offer chelation therapy, which is the go-to treatment for lead poisoning. But, let’s back up a little and first review some common signs of lead poisoning in both kids and adults.

Lead poisoning red flags

A toxic metal like lead can cause a wide range of symptoms as it affects a number of systems in the human body, including the nervous system, cardiovascular system, digestive system, and musculoskeletal system. 

While both kids and adults can develop lead poisoning over time, we’re particularly concerned about kids who are in the development stage, as lead poisoning can negatively impact this critical growth period.

To give you an idea of the broad range of potential symptoms, the following 10 are frequently cited:

1. Abdominal cramps
2. Delayed mental and physical growth
3. Headaches
4. Hearing loss
5. Anemia (low red blood cell count)
6. Mood swings, irritability, and behavioral issues
7. Fertility issues
8. Constipation
9. Reduced sensations
10. Kidney damage

As you can see, each of these symptoms can be attributed to many other health issues. For example, abdominal cramps can stem from a anything from bad meal to a more serious autoimmune illness like Crohn's disease. As a result, we want you to look out for a combination of symptoms that might not make sense together, but when combined, can point to something like lead poisoning.

Diagnosing and treating lead poisoning

The good news is that once we consider lead poisoning as a possible driver of your symptoms, confirming that suspicion is easy. A simple blood test can tell us whether there’s lead circulating through your body and at what level (under ideal circumstances, there should be no lead in your blood).

If we find lead, we can get to work to remove the metal from your blood, which we accomplish through chelation therapy. At the core of this therapy is calcium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), which Dr. Singer introduces intravenously (IV). The calcium EDTA binds itself to any lead it encounters and carries it out of your body.

To put you firmly on the path toward better health, Dr. Singer also adds critical vitamins and nutrients to the IV transfusions to help your body recover from the lead poisoning more quickly.

If you suspect that you or a loved one might be dealing with lead poisoning, come see us for an evaluation. To get started, simply contact one of our offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, or Cheyenne, Wyoming, to schedule a consultation with Dr. Singer.