Case of Lead Poisoning Associated with Herbal Health Supplements

Abstract

Background. Lead poisoning is a chronic health condition arising from prolonged ingestion and exposure to lead above permissible limits. Although reported globally, developing countries like India and neighboring countries are amongst the most affected by lead. Objectives. The aim of the present study was to evaluate lead poisoning associated with herbal health supplements in a suspected case. Materials and Methods. A 31-year-old male reported consuming sixteen different herbal health supplements. The case and supplements were assessed for lead levels. The patient came from one of the metro cities of Uttar Pradesh state, India. Results. The blood lead level of the case was found to be 78.40 μg/dL, which was much higher than the permissible limit of ≤5 μg/dL. Moreover, one of the supplements was found to have a very high lead content. Conclusions. The present study demonstrated a case of lead poisoning which was very likely due to high lead content present in one of the supplements. The case had typical neurological signs of lead toxicity such as irritability, frequent headache, mental dullness, generalized pain, muscle weakness, numbness and tingling, and twitching and shaking of the legs while sleeping. Patient Consent. Obtained Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Keywords

• lead poisoning
• blood lead levels
• herbal health supplements