Lead

Lead: The typical daily dietary intake of lead is 15 to 100 µg. Significant sources of lead include seafood and plant foodstuffs grown under high lead conditions. In rats and pigs, lead deficiency reportedly has adverse effects including depressed growth and disturbed iron metabolism. Although lead may have beneficial effects in small amounts, lead toxicity is of more concern than lead deficiency. Lead toxicity results in anemia, kidney damage and central nervous abnormalities. Ingestion of high amounts of lead from the environment by children, particularly when anemic, has been associated with reduced intelligence and impaired motor function.