Garlic, so essential in our Mediterranean diet, has been shown to be an effective scavenger of accumulated lead in the body and that it is responsible for many health problems.
Lead is a very toxic heavy metal. A high dose can be fatal, and a low dose can cause various problems that mainly affect the brain and kidneys. In our environment, lead can be found in small concentrations in the air we breathe, both inside and outside the home. There is no very effective treatment for getting rid of lead that has built up in the body, but garlic has shown an amazing detoxifying effect.
According to Dr. Michael Greger, there are several studies that show how garlic is able to reduce the presence of lead in tissues of experimental and farm animals. One such study was conducted at Cairo University and revealed that feeding garlic to farm chickens reduced lead levels by as much as 75% or more.
GARLIC REMOVES LEAD FROM THE BODY
The study indicates that consuming garlic reduces the accumulation of lead in the body, which can prevent the negative consequences of chronic exposure. Garlic contains compounds that can extract lead from intestinal contents and even body tissues.
Therefore, the results indicate that garlic contains chelating compounds capable of enhancing lead removal. Research has been done with animals and there are few studies done with people. But one of them compared the effect of garlic with a drug called D-penicillamine, used to treat poisoning with this heavy metal.
In this study, workers at a car battery manufacturing plant were given a capsule of garlic powder, equivalent to about two fresh garlic cloves. The surprise was that garlic performed as well as the drug: blood lead levels were reduced by 20%.
Of course, garlic is totally free from side effects. In fact, in the aforementioned study, not only did it not produce negative effects, but it also caused improvements in the general condition of the workers, as it reduced the incidence of headaches and irritability, lowered blood pressure and increased reflexes. The conclusion was that garlic can be recommended for mild to moderate lead poisoning.
WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF LEAD CONTAMINATION?
The main sources of environmental contamination with lead include mining operations, the metallurgical industry, the manufacture of automobile batteries, the incineration of waste, the combustion of coal, and, in some countries, the use of lead paints.
As a consequence of all these activities, lead can be found in the air we breathe in the form of fine particles less than 1 micrometer in diameter.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has established that the minimum levels of lead in the blood, at which an effect on people’s health is observed, are 15-20 mg / dl in adults and 10 µg / dl in children. , and that on this basis the WHO recommends a level of lead concentration in the air of 0.5 µg / m3 per year.
ANY AMOUNT IS BAD
There is no second limit for the level of lead concentration in the blood. Even as little as 5 mc / dl in the blood can affect children’s intelligence and lead to behavioral problems and learning difficulties.
Young children are especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead, which can have serious and permanent consequences on their health, especially in relation to brain and nervous system development.
Lead in low doses also causes long-lasting harm in adults, for example increasing the risk of high blood pressure and kidney damage. In pregnant women, exposure to high concentrations of lead can cause miscarriage, fetal death, premature delivery and low birth weight, and cause mild fetal malformations.
LEAD CAN GET INTO HOUSES
Old paint- treated surfaces and lead solder in water pipes are the leading causes of lead exposure in homes. Special care must be taken when removing old paint from walls, furniture or windows that have been treated with lead paint, because the particles that come off can be inhaled. Before treating an old surface, it is advisable to consult a professional.
