The Hidden Danger: New Study Reveals Lead’s Devastating Impact on Human Health

Lead Exposure More Dangerous Than Previously Thought, Study Finds

A recent scientific study has revealed that lead is significantly more hazardous to human health than previously believed.

Lead’s Impact on Mortality and Intelligence

The Lancet Planetary Health journal has published the results of a study conducted by American scientists, demonstrating that exposure to lead metal contributes to the premature deaths of millions of individuals annually. Moreover, it leads to lower intelligence scores, particularly in developing nations, and contributes to environmental pollution.

In this research, scientists constructed a statistical model to examine the effects of lead on mortality from cardiovascular diseases and the intelligence quotient (IQ) of children in developing countries. Additionally, they analyzed blood samples from individuals residing in 183 countries.

Devastating Impact on Cardiovascular Health

The study estimates that in 2019 alone, 5.5 million adults died from heart disease as a direct result of lead exposure. Shockingly, 90 percent of these deaths occurred in low- or middle-income countries. This number is six times higher than previous estimates and accounts for approximately 30 percent of all premature deaths caused by cardiovascular disease worldwide. These findings suggest that lead exposure poses a greater risk of cardiovascular disease than smoking or cholesterol.

Impaired Cognitive Development in Children

Furthermore, the study found that children under the age of five experienced a collective loss of 765 million IQ degrees in 2019 due to lead exposure. Alarmingly, 95 percent of this decline occurred in developing countries. On average, each child lost around six points on intelligence tests.

Source: Linta.ru + Fine-news.ru