Thanks to the crises in Flint MI, Newark NJ and our own Portland OR, virtually everyone not living under a rock is aware of the prevalence of lead in drinking water across the U.S.
What most people don’t know, is how serious its health effects are for young and adult humans alike.
Here’s the scoop:
Young children, infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults. In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage of the central and peripheral nervous systems, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells.
Even low levels of lead in the blood of children can result in:
- Behavior and learning problems
- Lower IQ and hyperactivity
- Slowed growth
- Hearing problems
- Anemia
In rare cases, ingestion of lead can cause seizures, coma and even death.
Pregnant Women 
Lead can accumulate in our bodies over time, where it is stored in bones along with calcium. During pregnancy, lead is released from bones as maternal calcium and is used to help form the bones of the fetus. This is particularly true if a woman does not have enough dietary calcium. Lead can also cross the placental barrier exposing the fetus to lead. This can result in serious effects to the mother and her developing fetus, including:
- Reduced growth of the fetus
- Premature birth
Adults
Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults exposed to lead can suffer from:
- Cardiovascular effects, increased blood pressure and incidence of hypertension
- Decreased kidney function
- Reproductive problems (in both men and women)
- Cavities
The great news is that there is a solution to getting the lead out of your drinking water: a solid carbon block filter certified by NSF. You can – and should – take the reins of your health back from outside “authorities” and do all that you can to safeguard the precious bodies in your care.
Contact me to learn how you can get this vitally important health tool working for you and your family.
(A big thank you to Deanna DeLong for her research and fine writing skills that created the bulk of this article. A bigger thank you to her for allowing me to share it here!)