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

[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!)

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

Just asking.