Lead Exposure and ADHD
June 1, 2025
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18:55Now PlayingLead Exposure and ADHD
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Lead is one of the environmental factors most closely associated with an increased incidence of ADHD.
Lead poisoning has been recognized since the time of ancient Rome as a metal that is potentially toxic. Silver mining and smelting was a major source of human lead contamination for several centuries at the peak of the Roman Empire. In the 20th Century, organic lead added to gasoline to prevent "knocking" produced elevated lead levels throughout Americans.
In the 1970's, prior to lead being phased out from gasoline, the median blood level was above 15 micrograms/deciliter, but it has dropped to below 1 ug/dl in recent decades. Still, there continue to be local problems with lead plumbing, old lead house paint, and lead contamination of food and cosmetics that have lead to cases of lead poisoning.
Lead affects a number of biochemical processes in the body, and can lead to digestive, liver, kidney, red blood cell and brain problems. Some of the best documented complications of high blood levels are decreases in intelligence, increased impulsivity, poorer emotional regulation, and deficits of executive functions. Rates of clinical ADHD are higher in those children who experienced higher blood lead levels in their early years of life.
Removing lead from gasoline likely has prevented hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of cases of ADHD.
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References:
Low blood lead levels and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2019)
The Association between Lead and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review (2019)
The lead-crime hypothesis: A meta-analysis (2022)
Lead in Children’s Blood Is Mainly Caused by Coal-Fired Ash after Phasing out of Leaded Gasoline in Shanghai (2010)
Blood Lead Levels in U.S. Children Ages 1–11 Years, 1976–2016
Occurrence of heavy metals coupled with elevated levels of essential elements in chocolates: Health risk assessment
Full Chapter list:
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Psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and author John Kruse, MD, PhD presents practical, actionable, well-researched information about treatment options that scientists and clinicians recommend for adult ADHD and other mental health conditions.
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