For years we have been aware of the potential dangers of lead. Since then, scientists have learned that exposure to lead can damage blood cells, the nervous system, the reproductive system, and other organs. In larger doses lead exposure can impair brain function and even cause convulsions, coma and death.
Children are among the most vulnerable to lead's toxic effects.
But lead ingestion isn't just a problem for children. The issue of lead content in calcium supplements is not a new one. However, because patients are being advised in increasing numbers to use such supplements and because dietary supplements are barely regulated by federal agencies, researchers thought it prudent to reexamine the issue. The calcium that forms supplements is sometimes taken from seabeds that also contain lead. Authors believe that small amounts of this lead have found their way into 8 of 22 of the supplements they tested.