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Ayurveda Go To Index Page Ayurvedic medications can lead to 'lead poisoning' Washington:
A study published in this week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report has revealed that using some types of traditional Ayurvedic medications
may cause lead poisoning. The researchers have said that 12 cases of
lead poisoning have been reported from 2000-2003 among adults using
Ayurvedic medications. Ayurvedic medicine is commonly practised in India
and other South Asian countries and is also practised in the U.S. as
a form of alternative medicine. The medications contain herbs, minerals,
metals, or animal products. Many Ayurvedic and other types of traditional
medications do not contain lead, but researchers found that lead content
ranged from 0.4 to 261,200 parts per million in some common Ayurvedic
preparations. These lead levels are especially dangerous to young children
and pregnant women. Besides, certain branches of Ayurvedic medicine
consider heavy metals to be therapeutic and encourage their use to treat
particular ailments. The researchers have described 12 cases of lead
poisoning linked to use of Ayurvedic medications that occurred in New
Hampshire, California, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas. The lead-poisoned
adults said they were using Ayurvedic medications from India to treat
a variety of conditions, such as infertility, diabetes, and arthritis.
Each of the individuals had very high blood levels of lead, and no other
source of lead exposure was found. Symptoms of lead poisoning in adults
often vary and may include: Abdominal pain, fatigue, decreased libido,
headache, irritability, muscle pain and joint pain. The researchers
have said that culturally appropriate educational efforts are needed
to inform people about the potential health risks posed by various Ayurvedic
remedies.
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