Lead/blood test is high

[knotbrush]

Hmmm, my lead level is 15 ug/dl. It's supposed to be <10. I have it tested once a year and this is the first high reading I've had. My doctor e-mailed me and said I should try to limit exposure. She knows I'm a shooter, an instructor and a casting reloader.

From now on I'll always wear gloves when touching ANY lead, quit smoking while casting and be much more attentive to exposure.

Any suggestions? Is 15 really-really high? When they cremate me will lead drain off?

[dverna]

Indoor shooting in some ranges is not a good idea.

I doubt touching lead is the problem. It is what you touch afterward (cigarette/food) and put in your mouth that is a concern. There is lead on cases too after firing.

I used to use a full mask with lead cartridges when I used to cast.

Don

[GrizzLeeBear]

15 is only slightly elevated. Not injesting anything while casting, including smoking, is a standard precaution, so quiting smoking while casting is definitely a good idea.

Do you shoot on an indoor range? Inadequate ventilation and cleaning in indoor ranges can contribute significanty to elevated lead levels. Also, the lead exposure in indoor ranges is primarily due to the primers, not lead bullets.

[475BH]

Don't smoke and cast or handle bullets and smoke at the same time.
Lead will get on the cigs and when it burns to that spot, you'll breathe it right in.

[George369]

A 15 is not that high,the Federal recommendation for removal of Instructors from ranges is much higher than a 15 I think it is in the 30 plus area.Just be more carefull.No smoking while casting,handwashing after done with cold water and soap etc.

[zxcvbob]

quit smoking while casting

That's the big one. Also take vitamin C tablets, about 2000 mg per day for a while, as a chelating agent to scrub the lead from your bloodstream. The lead that's in your bones already is gonna take a while to flush out, but your levels are not that high -- don't worry about it, just make sure they are trending in the right direction.

And avoid primer dust when you handle tumbling media or fired brass. That's got more lead in it than you think.

[dodgyrog]

I always understood that primers (Lead Styphenate, I guess) are the main culprit. I wasn't aware of the Vit C as chelating agent so thanks for something new learned.

[-06]

Thanks for the tips. I often deprime a thousand cases at a time so think I will use a mask from now on. No need to take chances. I am careful to wash my hands often. Why use cold water? I do use cold water to pre rinse but very hot with soap afterwards.

[Shooter6br]

Look up Milkweed Thistle It is used widely in Europe for heavy metal poisioning Used for centuries

[Shooter6br]

Try this link www.mahalo.com/milk-thistle

[rintinglen]

A BLL (blood lead level) over 40 (ng/dl) is grounds for removal from lead work areas. OSHA requires repirators and BLL monitoring when the exposure is something like 30 micrograms per cubic meter. Anything over 10 is "high" nowadays, though back in the days of leaded gasolines the AVERAGE BLL in the USA was somewhere around 7. Health effects aren't usually seen until BLL exceeds 70, though there is one study that purports to link much lower BLL's to increased heart attacks and strokes. New--there are now at least two studies alleging a definite correllation between increased adult mortality and BLL's as low as 5 ng/dl. 5-8-2011
I work as a Safety Officer for a power company (sounds important--wish it paid that way) and work with the industrial hygenists. We have only had issues with welders and splicers, and then it is normally due to stupidity--like using lead pots to warm coffee cups and refusing to wear respirators in confined space welding jobs.
+1 on the advice to never, EVER eat or smoke while handling or working with lead or lead contaminated materials, including brass and tumbling media. Before you smoke, eat, drink, or apply makeup (yeah, there are some women in this category, as well as some fellows whose drummer plays a different tune) wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and rinse thoroughly. Doing so will keep your lead levels down where they they belong.
My last BLL was 4.6, and I load and cast hundreds of boolits each month. If you shoot indoors and you can see gun smoke lingering, limit your exposure to one or two hours a month.

[Whistler]

I usually test high during shooting season (summer), but lower during casting & loading season (winter).
It gets into your system when breathing the vaporized lead at the range.

[shooter93]

We have lead mitigation laws in my state now. I have been building and remodeling/renovating for over 40 years and I have been casting for over 30. I doubt many people have been exposed to more lead than I have short of working in a foundry. I just had my lead checked again....it was .01. maybe some people are affected more than others but I've never had a high lead level.

[flydoc]

Hey Knotbrush:
Im a real doc, ( no, I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn express last night), and all of the posts you have gotten are on target. Rintinglen is on the money especially. Make sure you get periodic levels to follow your progress. Don't expect a sudden or dramatic drop in the level, as it takes a while. One thought is to be aware of your possible oral intake of lead as well. Older homes may still have lead solder in the pipes as a source to contend with. Lead will be in highest concentrations in taps with lead solder especially in the first few ounces that comes out of the tap, and if you let the water run a few seconds the remainder has very little. A Brita water filter or similar device will remove that. Consider taking a sample of your tap water to your local health department for testing. Best Regards.
Flydoc/Lindy

[leadman]

I was able to tell my bll was up at 12.9. Had a metallic taste in my mouth, teeth felt strange, nails were kinda purple at the base.
I used Home Depot lead test kits to check my casting area for lead on the surfaces. There was lead all around my pot and shotmaker for 3 or 4 feet. I made a cabinet and had a 20" box fan sucking the fumes away from me. Strapped a piece of aluminum to my shirt while casting and checked it for lead after a couple of hours. No lead. also improved my personal hygiene after casting.
Followed the Minnesota diet for children with high bll and now mine is .05.

I think some people are more sensitive to the effects than others.

[Centaur 1]

I am careful to wash my hands often. Why use cold water? I do use cold water to pre rinse but very hot with soap afterwards.

I bet it has something to do with hot water opening up the pores in your skin, making it easier for the lead to be absorbed.

[GabbyM]

Check out what kind of plates are going into your microwave oven with your food.
Cookware is the leading cause of lead poisoning in the USA. Made in China Plates or old glazed plates.

I’m sure you are getting some lead from shooting but probably not the only source hence an elevated level. Multiple sources all adding up.

I’m not a doctor but I watched one on TV.

[Slingshot]

I’m not a doctor but I watched one on TV.

Hey I am not a real Doc either, but I did play one on TV. Also, I saved a whole bunch of money on my car insurance :drinks:

[truckjohn]

Really, while mineral supplements are a good idea anyway.... The real thing to focus on is Hygiene..... Get your casting area outside.... no questions or complaints about it.... It's gotta go outside if it isn't already...

Don't smoke, dip, eat, pick your nose, lick your lips, chew your nails, etc during casting or shooting sessions....

Next thing... Buy yourself some D-Lead or other heavy metal cutting soap... If you can't find this - Wash your hands real good with Vinegar - it cuts lead real well.... and then use soap to wash off the vinegar... Do this before you eat anything, chew your nails, smoke anything, etc....

Thanks

[303Guy]

My doc hasn't said anything to me about lead levels but he does tell me my cholesterol is very low - a good thing!

Just one question, why should anyone be worried about lead levels anyway when we smoke, drink (which in moderation is supposed to be healthy) and consume huge amounts of sugar and fats and refind carbohydrates in our diet? Not to mention the dangerous chemicals we get exposed to daily in our jobs! (You've no idea the poisons I was exposed to (and neither was I!):violin:

I lived in a country where leaded fuel was all that was available.

Just asking.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive been treated 3 times by chealting. Mine was as high as 88 and i didnt have any symtons at all. I was told by my doc that if its below 30 dont worry about it. 30 is high for a child but not an adult. Used to be a guy on here that sold the chealting pills. I wish i could remember who it was.

[63 Shiloh]

The Govt just shut down the operations of a lead mine in my state, West Australia.

Seems the mining company was not too careful with their lead handling, thousands of birds just fell over dead from lead contamination. It was also found that a kids playground was heavily contaminated by this mining companies lack of care.

I believe the problem was lead oxide and lack of proper containment.


Mike

[deltaenterprizes]

The first action to reduce your lead is to identify the source of ingestion and remove it.
When I did commercial casting my lead level rose to about 40. I tooks to limit exposure by hiring help and reduced time in the indoor range, this did not help, the problem was a small slot in the boolit collator on the lubrisizer that was nose high causing me to inhale lead dust! A small collector provided by the manufacturer installed over the slot solved the problem.

[686]

IF it is a 50 % increase in 1 yr , i would get another dr. test. they do make mistakes.

[pistolman44]

Here is a place where you can get oral chelation with EDTA for removing heavly metals out of your blood. www.goodlifelabs.com It dropped the level of lead in my blood.

[BD]

I've had elevated BLL since I was a child, in the teens mostly, as low as 8 when I worked out of the country once for 5 years. I've been paying attention to possible sources of exposure for most of my life.

My BLL got as high as forty after shooting a single season of indoor Bullseye. That year my test got the attention of the state, and opened my eyes as well. For the past six years I've kept my BLL below 10, despite shooting and casting as much as ever, by following two basic rules:
1. Never shoot indoors
2. Wash all brass in water with simple green before de-priming or tumbling it.

I believe that the single most significant source of BLL unique to shooters is lead styphnate from primers. Both airborne from shooting, and dust from handling brass. This contamination on fired cases is quite soluble, and can be washed off. Unfortunately limiting exposure in an indoor range is much harder. When I first moved to South Carolina I joined a brand new state of the art "Five Star Rated" air-conditioned, filtered indoor range. Despite paying meticulous attention to hygiene, my BLL was back up to 15 within 6 months. In my opinion exposure to lead styphnate residue on an indoor range can not be readily mitigated. The airborne residue is just too fine and readily absorbed. Short of wearing a full face mask and some type of single use disposable suit you are going to get some level of exposure from every visit to an indoor range.

There is probably an acceptable level for the occasional, (once a month?), shooter at an indoor range who doesn't have any other BLL issues, but I'm not that guy.
BD

[MtGun44]

I have shot at an indoor range most Friday nights for 31 yrs. BLL runs historically about
20-25. This is NOT a problem for adults. The 10 number is for children, 40 is the limit
for adults in the workplace. So you can run 25-30 for ever not be in trouble with OSHA.
haven't checked mine in a few years, probably a bit lower due to not as many indoor
matches these days. In the old days I shot maybe 45 weekeds a year, now more like
25.

Do not eat, drink or smoke when around reloading or casting area, or at an indoor range.
Assume all surfaces in the range are lead contaminated and wash your hands as you leave
the range and as soon as you get home or to a restaurant after you leave.

You will be fine if you take reasonable precautions.

Bill

[Beagler]

Hmmm, my lead level is 15 ug/dl. It's supposed to be <10. I have it tested once a year and this is the first high reading I've had. My doctor e-mailed me and said I should try to limit exposure. She knows I'm a shooter, an instructor and a casting reloader.

From now on I'll always wear gloves when touching ANY lead, quit smoking while casting and be much more attentive to exposure.

Any suggestions? Is 15 really-really high? When they cremate me will lead drain off?

I;m a Maint/mechanic for Deka Battery my blood lead level is currently 22 Last time I checked OSHA removal from lead area was around 40'ish our company standards a at 35 in the blood. 15 isn't really much to worry about for an adult. Just don't eat the stuff for dinner and you will be fine. I get the needle every three months. We had a Hispanic guy eating the stuff just so he could go out on disability He got canned real quick!!!

[nanuk]

When they cremate me will lead drain off?


I think the temps in the crematorium are too high....

the lead will be vapourized and inhaled by the attendants, poisoning them

then when they are cremated....

well you get the picture,

Kinda like Strychnine impregnated seeds for rodents... also kills the eagles and buzzards that feed off the dying and dead.

Best thing is an OPEN Air conflagration like the Viking Movies

perhaps accelerated by Black and Smokeless powder!

[dakotashooter2]

We know your Boolits are pretty but quit kissing them and your problem will go away.............................:groner:

[truckjohn]

It's kinda ironic how you can usually tell the guys with high blood leads from the guys with low blood leads.....

The fellow who can pull an oily, sooty, engine out of an old junk yard 1970's Buick and not get a spec of dirt on his clothes.... His blood leads tend to be low.....

The fellow who can walk through a clean room and his clothes come out covered with dirt and grease..... His blood leads tend to be high.....

This is Hygiene.... Wiping your freshly washed hands on your dusty pants.... Guess what - they are dirty again...... Keeping your cigarettes in your pocket while casting.... Reach in that pocket with clean hands - and your cigarettes are now dirty......

Unfortunately, I tend to be that 2nd guy... and I really have to fight myself on bad habits.... Wiping my hands through my hair.... Wiping my hands on my clothes and my face..... Chewing my nails, Washing, then wiping my hands on my clothes or hair or face..... These sort of habits are really hard to break - but working on them constantly is very fruitful....

One that recently occurred to me.... Cleaning guns.... That black gook that comes out is pretty leaded from primers.... Gotta pay attention to where my hands are when around that stuff too.... grumble grumble grumble....

You will never KEEP your blood leads down if you are only focusing on how to get your lead chelated back out.....

Thanks

[reloader28]

I'm scared to get my levels checked. I've thought about it a few times tho.

My casting area is under a specially built hood that I made in my tool room in the man cave. I cast under it on a flip up bench, or I can drop the bench and wheel the BBQ grill under it and gill up some burgers or steaks. The wind blows hard alot here so grilling outside is a pain.

Anyway, its a long house and a longs ways to the bathroom, so I just step out the back door to take a leak. I've wondered many times about taking a leak after playing with the lead.

Kinda gives new meaning to the phrase "puts lead in your pencil".

[Beagler]

Alot of guys at work take apple pectin from the health food stores to help flush some of the lead out. Lead oxide the red/orange kind is the worst to work with its the purest form there is and it can become airborn with a slight wind. Some people retain the lead more than others. Some of the people that have worked all there life at my complex and retired still have some type of PB in the blood. It got into there bones and is slowly working its way out. They where there before OSHA mandated respirators. Truckjohn is right about gettin dirty I get to workin on somrthin and my pants and shirt become the rag!

[fredj338]

Much of your lead issue is likely smoking while casting or smelting. Inhaling lead dust is the fastest way to get it into your bloodstream, followed by oral ingesting. That alone & washing your hands should get you back to normal. I also shun indoor ranges. Even a well ventilated range is going to expose you to far more lead than shooting outdoors. Proper diet helps, lots of soluable fiber like apples & grapefruit.

[303Guy]

OK, so now we have heard how the lead gets into the bloodstream and how to avoid it and what the acceptable levels are but what does lead in the blood actually do to a person?

[Beagler]

OK, so now we have heard how the lead gets into the bloodstream and how to avoid it and what the acceptable levels are but what does lead in the blood actually do to a person?

Extremely High levels over a long period of time Your mouth will start having a sweet taste in the mouth. It will start to affect the nerves and the major organs and to top it all off it can cause sterility. and the list goes on..... They wern't kidding about kids eating the lead based paint chips

[leadman]

Can cause a lose of concentration also. What was I doing??

[Whistler]

They wern't kidding about kids eating the lead based paint chips

Filmcritics: All Babes Want To Kill Me (http://filmcriticsunited.com/allbabes.html)


This paint chip consumption leads to the boy getting Mercritis, a disease which emits a pheromone that makes all hot chicks want to kick his ass.

[smilie=1:

[Beagler]

Can cause a lose of concentration also. What was I doing??

I don't need lead to do that :)

[hansumtoad]

15 MICRO grams per decileter of blood is absolutely safe. You can, and many do, have higher levels of that from drinking water.

Their are two OSHA limits for airbrne lead particles. 30ug/m(3) is called the "actionable" limit. Above that and you have to see an MD once a year and have your blood tested every two months. 50ug/m(3) is the Permissable Exposure Limit (PEL). Above that and you must be rprotected by engineering or administravtive controls. Barring that, Personal Protective Equipment must be used.... generally this means respirrators.

The MD that got all wound oiver your blood test results is using the standard set forth by the American PEDIATRIC Association which is 10ug/dl of blood. Unless you're five years old and weigh 40 lbs, this doesn't apply. The OSHA limit is 40ug/dl of blood for an adult.

If you REALLY want to wade through the Fed Regs.... www.OSHA.Gov. CFR 1910 series. 29CFR 1910.1025. Put a cold beer in a pewter mug, get confortable, and be prepared to be bored to tears for a couple of hours.

PM me if you have any questions.

[hansumtoad]

This isn't a big deal. MtGun was right on the nose. WASH YOUR HANDS after handling WW, casting, reloading, or shooting at an indoor range. Especially do so before you put your big, greasy mitts on a Triple Cheeseburger and a Supersize order of fries.

Did I suggest WASH YOUR HANDS? If you do want to use even a disposable mask when casting as a precaution, make sure it is N100 rated and not N95.

Again, feel free to PM me if you have any questions. My company's website is www.oshahelpnow.com.

[303Guy]

I heard a rumer that the Roman empire finally fell (after three thousand years) because the ruling class got killed off from lead pipes and peuter cooking and drinking utensils. Hell, I can't remember how long the Roman empire lasted! As far as I can make out, it's still going strong. Raman Catholic Church? Vatican City?

On the serious side, my youngster was exposed to lead from leaded fuel (and of cause, carbon monoxide) due to a leaky exaust and his speach development did seem to regress (he was under two years old). More likely it was due to a fall and a crack on his head - he being hyperactive and all, or perhaps it was simply his aspergers. He is still very bright.

[Multigunner]

I heard a rumer that the Roman empire finally fell (after three thousand years) because the ruling class got killed off from lead pipes and peuter cooking and drinking utensils. Hell, I can't remember how long the Roman empire lasted! As far as I can make out, it's still going strong. Raman Catholic Church? Vatican City?

On the serious side, my youngster was exposed to lead from leaded fuel (and of cause, carbon monoxide) due to a leaky exaust and his speach development did seem to regress (he was under two years old). More likely it was due to a fall and a crack on his head - he being hyperactive and all, or perhaps it was simply his aspergers. He is still very bright.

The worst of the Roman lead poisoning came from use of lead ascetate as an artificial sweetener for wines.
This was especially common during the first years of the "Dark Ages" when the skies were actually darkened by debris from a massive explosion in Asia, cause not known but suspected to be a comet strike that hit dead onto a weak spot in the Earth's crust near Krakatoa, the same weak spot that caused the 19th century eruption.
Anyway whatever the cause sunlight was greatly reduced for three years, and wine grapes were harvested early to avoid rotting before they got ripe. There was not enough natural fructose in the grapes so after fermentation the wine was thin and soured.
The skeletons of upper class Romans do show signs of heavy metal poisoning, and historical records of some individual omans revealing progressive mental deterioration appear to confirm the effects.

[303Guy]

Interesting. The only massive explosion I am aware of in recent times was that of our own Kiwi volcano, Taupo which ejected some 100 cubic kilometers of material (that's a big number, folks) and the event was recorded by the Chinese and the Romans due it's atmospheric effects. This was 10 times as large as the eruption of Krakatoa. Heaps of gunpowder!
The eruption column was twice as high as the eruption column from Mount St. Helens in 1980, and the ash turned the sky red over Rome and China.
... the most recent major eruption, which occurred in 180 CE. Known as the Hatepe eruption, it is believed to have ejected 100 cubic kilometres of material, of which 30 cubic kilometres was ejected in the space of a few minutes.


The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens ... An eruption column rose 80,000 feet (24,400 m) into the atmosphere and deposited ash in 11 U.S. statesHeaps and heaps of black powder!

[knotbrush]

We know your Boolits are pretty but quit kissing them and your problem will go away.............................:groner:

Some times I AM especially proud of a batch! ...and thanks all, I feel a LOT better! I will take serious precautions and develop better work and clean-up habits. At least I know I don't have to stop casting and shooting.

I recently got my NRA cert for teaching reloading and I was hoping to do informal classes in casting too. I can go forward with that now.

[tommygirlMT]

<snip>

Before you smoke, eat, drink, or apply makeup (yeah, there are some women in this category, as well as some fellows whose drummer plays a different tune) wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and rinse thoroughly. Doing so will keep your lead levels down where they they belong.
My last BLL was 4.6, and I load and cast hundreds of boolits each month. If you shoot indoors and you can see gun smoke lingering, limit your exposure to one or two hours a month.

On the makeup thing --- unless you are careful about what you buy the makeup itself has more toxic $h*t in it then any potential lead contamnation --- Hg is especially a problem in most makeup and is far more problematic then lead

What little makeup I use I buy at the local health nut granola store that is the all natural ingredient stuff --- granted I also like going there because I get to mess with the guy who ownes the places head as well but that isn't too hard --- (I think he smoked a little too much of a certain green herb an fried what few brain cells he had)

[truckjohn]

OK, so now we have heard how the lead gets into the bloodstream and how to avoid it and what the acceptable levels are but what does lead in the blood actually do to a person?

Assuming you are an adult, not a kid...... (Bear in mind I'm not a doctor...)

At lower levels - you end up feeling like ****.... Kinda like a cold you just can't shake... Generally, feeling crappy, worn down, can't shake that feeling of just "Yuck" and tired.....

As the levels increase - it gets worse..... moving into painful bones and joints and really severe fatigue..... almost bordering on "Chronic Depression" or "Chronic Fatigue..."

and to make "Self Diagnosis" matters worse - Vitamin C helps alleviate this when you have higher blood leads... so you really believe you have a cold you just can't shake.... and that large daily doses of Vitamin C is the cure..... The Vitamin C is helping - but it's not helping an actual Cold per se....

Next thing... Pb substitutes into the bones in place of Calcium.... especially if you don't drink much milk (Many adults don't).... It's also why drinking lots of Milk was generally accepted by casters, plumbers, and welders... Getting plenty of Calcium slows down the Lead absorption.....

Personally, I found that I started getting cravings for milk, cheese, and dairy products once I got enough Vitamin D to get adequate calcium absorption..... I also craved citrus and high vitamin C foods like Cabbage..... as well as Vitamin C pills.....

It's a different matter for kids - as Lead interferes with nerve development and development of sexual organs and the like.....

[303Guy]

Oh hell! I have all those symptoms! Is bad memory also a sympton? What was I talking about? ..... :confused:

I shouldn't have high lead levels - I not being exposed so much but I'll ask my doc to check it out just the same.

Thank's, truckjohn. (I think?) :mrgreen:

[Peregrine]

I've looked into the Vitamin C (adsorbic acid) thing, it seems there could be something to it.

Here's a paper (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3875841/) that found a significant increase in lead excretion in urine/feces in rats when lead was dosed in combination with Vitamin C compared to just lead.
n (number of subjects in the study) is pretty small, 10 for each group, but 3 rats died in the lead only group, one died with low dose C and lead, and none died in the high dose C group.

I found other studies showing similar results in terms of increasing excretion of lead but if I link them y'all wouldn't have access and be able to read them without paying for a subscription scheme because of where they are published.

I've found several studies correlating high blood vitamin C concentrations with low blood lead levels in humans, as well as the reverse. There are also a few trial that didn't show a significant correlation one way or the other.

There are many Chelating agents (chemicals that form a complex with lead allowing it to more easily be excreted from the body) that have been proven to be effective to some extent in removing lead from the body, but they tend to have nasty side effects of removing various metal ions your body needs as well as other unpleasantness, and in any case are not something you'll be able to acquire easily.

Vitamin C is dirt cheap, I hit up Costco a few days ago and was able to get 1000 IU tablets for about two pennies each.


The upper recommended daily dose of vitamin C is 2000 IU a day, the reason it isn't higher is at around 3000 IU some people displayed intestinal discomfort. Large doses of it are tolerated by the body quite well, most of the other common vitamins can be VERY harmful in high doses, in comparison C is quite safe. It's water soluble and excesses are easily excreted in urine. I think taking 1000 IU as a maintenance dose or 2000 IU if you have an elevated blood level is an excellent idea. Most likely symptom you'll run into first going much higher is diarrhoea.

This a bit of a humorous aside, but for acute toxicity the LD50 in rats was found to be 11900 milligrams per kg in rats. That mean you can estimate the average 200lb human would have to eat about 1.1kg (2.4 lbs) at once to have a 50% chance of dying.

Absorbtion of vitamin C by the body drops off as you take more, large doses don't increase blood concentrations of vitamin C above a ceiling of 0.22mM. This part is purely conjecture on my part but i'm guessing the ability of vitamin C to increase lead excretion also hits a ceiling at this point, taking ridiculous mega doses (multiple grams per day!) of it as in in vogue by some quacks for assorted purported benefits would just be a waste. So taking advantage of the low toxicity to take a massive amount in order to remove lead from your body faster almost certainly won't work.



It's my opinion that supplementing vitamin C strikes an fantastic therapeutic balance for anyone like us who is has increased opportunity for exposure to lead. It's very ubiquitous an inexpensive, there's a good chance it's effective, and it's remarkably safe to take even at higher than recommended dosages for long terms.

[whisler]

If you tend to have gout, don't take high doses of Vitamin C. It tends to metabolize to uric acid and that will cause a flare-up. Don't ask me how I know.

[Peregrine]

If you tend to have gout, don't take high doses of Vitamin C. It tends to metabolize to uric acid and that will cause a flare-up. Don't ask me how I know.


That's odd, I thought the opposite is true at least for moderate doses. Here's a study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2767211/) to that effect, with the highest decrease in gout incidence (45%) at the highest levels of vitamin C intake.

I also don't think that vitamin C is metabolized to uric acid.

Here's the structure of uric acid. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uric_acid#/media/File:Harns%C3%A4ure_Ketoform.svg)
The thing to notice there is that it is a purine, a heterocyclic aromatic compound that's composed of pyrimidine ring fused to an imidazole ring. Note all those nitrogens fused into that ring system. Quite unique structurally.



This is adsorbic acid. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_C#/media/File:L-Ascorbic_acid.svg)
Note the structure is completely different, no fancy aromatized rings or any nitrogen whatsoever.


Gout can be caused/worsened by consuming foods that contain purines, molecules with those fancy rings. I have no information to say that you won't make an existing outbreak of gout worse one way or another, but it won't be because adsorbic acid is being metabolized into uric acid. Any references to the contrary are welcome.

[whisler]

Just going by what my doctor told me. I know that after taking high doses of Vitamin C to combat sinus issues I had a gout flare-up. When I asked the doctor, he told me that for those prone to gout, high doses of Vitamin C would cause flares due to metabolizing to uric acid. Possibly nitrogen is picked up from elsewhere in the body or food supply. I am a chemist but not a biochemist.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Just quit kissing your pretty little ingots, people!

[toallmy]

I go in for some blood work tomorrow morning , and when I mentioned to my Dr. I wanted to be tested for lead & mercury he was very surprised . When he asked why , I just replied I work around some pretty nasty stuff .....

[Yodogsandman]

I had elevated levels once up to 18. I attributed it to digging and sifting dirt from the range. Lead oxidizes causing that whitish dust on the surface. The range lead has this powder on much of it. I ingested it by breathing it in, never thinking about what that dust cloud was, Should have worn a respirator. It took two years to reduce my levels below 10, drinking orange juice every day. Only cast the bare minimum of what I needed, too.