Back to Top Health Risks of Lead Poisoning Lead is a toxin that has the ability to impede the development and function of every organ and system in the body. Once it enters the body, lead travels through the bloodstream. A small portion of the ingested lead remains in the bloodstream, while some is deposited and stored in the kidneys and brain. Most, however, is stored in the bones. This lead moves in and out of the bones as the body absorbs nutrients and grows.
Lead stays in the body for a long time.
Even tiny amounts of lead can be dangerous to a person's health, and its effects on the body can be devastating and irreversible. To Children The Center for Disease Control estimates that nearly two million American children under the age of six have at least low-level lead poisoning. Even children who appear to be healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies. A small child may eat paint chips or soil that contains lead. Children also are likely to place their hands or other objects covered with lead-contaminated dust into their mouths.