Also called: Plumbism
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Lead Poisoning
Lead is a metal that occurs naturally in the earth's crust. Lead can be found in all parts of our environment. Much of it comes from human activities such as mining and manufacturing. Lead used to be in paint; older houses may still have lead paint. You could be exposed to lead by:
- Eating food or drinking water that contains lead. Water pipes in older homes may contain lead.
- Working in a job where lead is used
- Using lead in a hobby, such as making stained glass or lead-glazed pottery
- Using folk remedies such as herbs or foods that contain lead
Breathing air, drinking water, eating food, or swallowing or touching dirt that contains lead can cause many health problems. Lead can affect almost every organ and system in your body. In adults, lead can increase blood pressure and cause infertility, nerve disorders, and muscle and joint pain. It can also make you irritable and affect your ability to concentrate and remember.
Lead is especially dangerous for children. A child who swallows large amounts of lead may develop anemia, severe stomachache, muscle weakness, and brain damage. Even at low levels, lead can affect a child's mental and physical growth.
Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry
It sits within Children and Teenagers and Poisoning, Toxicology, Environmental Health.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Lead Poisoning
32 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- A Study to Assess the Efficacy of Public Health Campaigns in Reducing Lead ExposureInternational Health Strategies LLC
- The α-gal Syndrome - Investigating Immune Reactions to Tick BitesLuxembourg Institute of Health
- Effectiveness of Environmental Measures to Eliminate the Risks of Lead Exposure in Infant Lead PoisoningAssistance Publique Hopitaux De Marseille
Research already completed
- Reducing Diagnostic Errors in Primary Care Pediatrics (Project RedDE)Montefiore Medical Center
- Treatment of Lead-Exposed Children TrialNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
- Dietry Pattern and Lead Levels in PregnancyUniversity of Bristol
- Vitamin D, Iodine, and Lead Levels in Haitian Infants and Children.Boston Children's Hospital
- Effect of Environmental Exposures on the Egg Fertilizing Ability of Human SpermNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
- Exposure, Dose, Body Burden and Health Effects of LeadNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- About Childhood Lead Poisoning PreventionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- LeadEnvironmental Protection Agency
- Learn about LeadEnvironmental Protection Agency
Diagnosis and Tests
- Heavy Metal Blood TestNational Library of Medicine
- Lead Blood Test (For Parents)Nemours Foundation
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Hidden Hazards: Clearing Out Toxins in the HomeNational Institutes of Health
- Preventing Childhood Lead PoisoningCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Protect Your Family from Sources of LeadEnvironmental Protection Agency
- Risk AssessmentEnvironmental Protection Agency
Related Issues
- About Drinking WaterCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- About Lead in Drinking WaterCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- About Lead in Foods, Cosmetics, and MedicinesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- LeadCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Safety and Health Topics: LeadOccupational Safety and Health Administration
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Lead PoisoningNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Lead Poisoning. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Lead Poisoning, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.