Can Vitamin C Help with Lead Poisoning?
Channel: NutritionFacts.org
Date: 2017-06-05

Those who have higher vitamin C levels tend to have less lead in their bloodstream, but what happens when you give people vitamin C supplements to put it to the test?

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I’m always conflicted about doing these kinds of videos. I can imagine some who just want me to “give them the answer.” That natural impulse is exploited, though, by those with vested and commercial interests. This is problem with science in general, but perhaps particularly in nutrition. When it comes to something as life-or-death important as what to feed ourselves and our families we shouldn’t just follow someone’s opinion or beliefs on the matter. We should demand to see the science. That’s what I try to do: present the available data as fairly and even-handedly as possible and let you make up your own mind. You can imagine how easily someone could cherry pick one or two of those studies and present a distorted but compelling case for or against vitamin C supplements in this case. That’s why I feel it’s important to present each study in their historical context. Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion in Yellow Bell Peppers for Male Infertility and Lead Poisoning? (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/Yellow-Bell-Peppers-for-Male-Infertility-and-Lead-Poisoning).

For those of you thinking: Why should I care about lead? I don’t eat paint chips or use leaded gasoline. And anyways, what’s the big deal? Check out my full series of lead videos for hwo we got into this mess and some of the ways we can dig ourselves out:
• How the Lead Paint Industry Got Away With It (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/How-the-Lead-Paint-Industry-Got-Away-With-It)
• Lead in Drinking Water (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/lead-in-drinking-water)
• How the Leaded Gas Industry Got Away With It (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/•How-the-Leaded-Gas-Industry-Got-Away-With-It)
• “Normal” Blood Lead Levels Can Be Toxic (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/Normal-Blood-Lead-Levels-Can-Be-Toxic)
• The Effects of Low-Level Lead Exposure in Adults (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/The-Effects-of-Low-Level-Lead-Exposure-in-Adults)
• How to Lower Lead Levels with Diet: Thiamine, Fiber, Iron, Fat, Fasting? (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/How-to-Lower-Lead-Levels-with-Diet-Thiamine-Fiber-Iron-Fat-Fasting)
• How to Lower Lead Levels with Diet: Breakfast, Whole Grains, Milk, Tofu? (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/How-to-Lower-Lead-Levels-with-Diet-Breakfast-Whole-Grains-Milk-Tofu)
• Best Foods for Lead Poisoning: Chlorella, Cilantro, Tomatoes, Moringa? (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/Best-Foods-for-Lead-Poisoning-Chlorella-Cilantro-Tomatoes-Moringa)
• Best Food for Lead Poisoning - Garlic (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/Best-Food-for-Lead-Poisoning-Garlic)
 
And for those of you saying: Another lead video?! Don’t’ worry, only one more to go :)

Have a question about this video? Leave it in the comment section at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/can-vitamin-c-help-with-lead-poisoning and someone on the NutritionFacts.org team will try to answer it.


Want to get a list of links to all the scientific sources used in this video? Click on Sources Cited at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/can-vitamin-c-help-with-lead-poisoning. You’ll also find a transcript and acknowledgements for the video, my blog and speaking tour schedule, and an easy way to search (by translated language even) through our videos spanning more than 2,000 health topics. 

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Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution!
-Michael Greger, MD FACLM

Image Credit: Jon Bunting / Flickr. Image has been modified.
Icons created by James Keuning from the Noun Project.

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