Exposure of adults and children to 27 metals (cadmium, arsenic, chromium, copper, mercury, etc.).

The entire population is impregnated, at levels sometimes higher than the limits recommended by the health authorities. However, these molecules can have “harmful effects on health”, recalls Public Health France. One of the main sources of contamination is food.

The French are rich in metals… in their body! According to Public Health France (SPF), the entire French population, adults and children, is impregnated with various molecules, in particular cadmium, copper, nickel, mercury, chromium and arsenic. These contamination levels are higher than those observed in most countries in Northern Europe and North America (except for nickel and copper). However, some of these metals have deleterious consequences for health: carcinogens, neurotoxicants, leading to bone, kidney, cardiovascular effects, etc.
These worrying results were published in early July by SPF. They come from the national public health study Esteban, carried out in 2016-2017 on 1,104 children and 2,503 adults. They also showed that the situation worsened for arsenic, cadmium and chromium compared to the previous study (2006-2007). To the point that SPF calls for “reducing the exposure of the population to these substances, by acting on the sources of exposure”.

A MAINLY FOOD ORIGIN

These metals come to us mainly in the food we eat:

Fish and other seafood contain cadmium, mercury, arsenic and chromium.

Cereals in various forms (bread, pastries, breakfast cereals) contaminate us with cadmium.

Vegetables from organic farming are a source of copper.

Other sources also contribute:

Tobacco increases the concentrations of cadmium (by more than 50%) and copper.

Medical implants diffuse chromium.

Fillings (or dental amalgams, which do not contain lead) increase the concentration of urinary mercury.

The children had levels of cadmium of concern in the study. The researchers suspect their higher consumption of breakfast cereals, the cultivation of which (in conventional) requires applications of phosphate fertilizers rich in cadmium. In addition, they are more exposed than adults to copper, because they consume more organic vegetables. SPF points out, however, that copper is an essential trace element for humans.

REDUCE EXPOSURE

For smokers, it’s simple: quitting cigarettes would reduce their cadmium impregnation while lowering the risk of lung, throat or digestive tract cancer. With regard to sources of food contamination, exercise is more difficult, in particular with regard to seafood: due to their nutritional qualities (high in vitamin D, omega 3, etc.), the authorities of health recommend eating fish twice a week (alternating one fat and one lean). Given their cadmium, arsenic, mercury and chromium content, it is nevertheless wise to diversify the species and fishing grounds, and reduce the quantities – the French being large consumers.

THE MOST PROBLEMATIC METALS

Arsenic

100% of the exposed population (up compared to the previous Esteban study of 2006-2007), including 28% of adults and 2 to 3% of children exceed the overexposure threshold. Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment. It also comes from industrial and agricultural activities.
Sources of exposure:

fish, molluscs and crustaceans;
bottled water, milk (children);
occupational exposure (adults)…
Risk for the health :
carcinogenic (lung, bladder, liver, digestive tract, etc.);
dermatological effects;
neurological effects;
haematological effects;
cardiovascular effects;
hepatic effects;
endocrine effects (diabetes);
developmental effects.

Mercury

96% to almost 100% of the exposed population (similar to the previous study), of which 2.4% of children and 2% of women of childbearing age exceed the recommended threshold

Sources of exposure: …..

Cadmium

100% of the population exposed (increasing), including almost half of adults exceed the critical exposure threshold proposed by the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES).

Sources of exposure: …..

Lead

100% of the population exposed (decreasing). Among the children in the study, 24 (or 2.9%) had a level above the vigilance threshold, 1 reached the threshold of the intervention threshold, and 1 greatly exceeded it.

Sources of exposure: ……

https://www.quechoisir.org/actualite-sante-et-alimentation-les-francais-trop-exposes-aux-metaux-lourds-n92992/

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