Heavy metal – it isn’t music

There has been much discussion on heavy metals in our diet, lifestyle and even our body.

Cadmium is a heavy metal produced as a by product of mining and refining zinc, lead and copper ore and makes its way into our water, air and food supplies- Kathryn Borg

Recent studies from the Dominican University of California have shown over prolonged periods of time that heavy metals cause breast cancer cells to become increasingly more aggressive and malignant. This latest evidence boosts earlier evidence showing that cadmium plays a significant role in the development of breast cancer.

Cadmium is a heavy metal produced as a by product of mining and refining zinc, lead and copper ore and makes its way into our water, air and food supplies. It is found in the rocks that are mined to produce phosphate fertilizers, and is also found in rechargeable batteries and cigarette smoke.

Cadmium emission levels in the atmosphere have soared because products containing the metal are simply disposed of as household waste rather than being recycled (Br. Med. Bull., 2003).

Inhaling cigarette smoke and passive smoking are a primary source of cadmium but another chronic source of exposure is cosmetics. Many major brands of cosmetics contain a cocktail of toxic heavy metals, including cadmium, according to recent laboratory analyses.

A recent international report on branded cosmetics by the Ontario-based environmental organisation Environmental Defence examined 49 popular make-up products and discovered the presence of cadmium in a little over half of the products tested.

These products included foundations, powders, concealers, bronzers, eyeliners, eye shadows, lip glosses and lipsticks. Seven of the eight heavy metals tested for were found in virtually all of the49 products.

These results are worrying considering the volume of make-up used by the average woman in today’s lifestyle. The average woman applies around 12 make-up products per day; these contain, on aggregate, 168 unique ingredients.

What this adds up to is that one in 13 women is being exposed to substances that are confirmed, or probably, carcinogens. The 2004 report by the US-based Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that at least 146 cosmetic ingredients include impurities, such as cadmium, which are linked to cancer.

Although all of the heavy metals in the EWG report have damaging effects, those of most concern are cadmium, arsenic and lead. The US Food and Drug Administration has long considered cadmium to be toxic and its effects have long been recognised.

In fact, Canada and Europe have banned cadmium as an intentional ingredient in cosmetics. However, in the US this heavy metal is not banned as a product ‘impurity’ if it is present ‘inadvertently’ as a contaminant of raw ingredients, or formed as a by product during the manufacturing process.

To explain this, certain heavy metals are naturally present in the soil, in rocks and in many pigments and raw materials that go into cosmetics; therefore its inclusion is considered unavoidable. Canada, however, has set upper allowable levels for impurities like cadmium, unlike the US.

As a result, The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has called for major cosmetics firms to come clean and make product labelling more transparent (more readable would be a good start, have you seen how small the labels are?), particularly about heavy metals. It has called for an eventual reformulating of the products.

New research also shows that certain foods are more likely to contain cadmium than others. This research has shown that women who eat copious amounts of bread, potatoes and root vegetables also increase their risk of breast cancer by 30 per cent, largely because these foods are more likely to contain the cadmium through the use of fertilizer. (Cancer Res., 2012).

So, briefly, how can we avoid it? Well cigarettes are probably the largest source of cadmium exposure, so that goes without saying. Wearing make-up judiciously by considering how much is necessary and if it is required every single day. Eating an organic, well-balanced diet is important, as cadmium is more likely to cause harm when the body is low in essential nutrients such as zinc, iron, copper, calcium and amino acids (J. Environ. Qual., 1988).

Avoid foods known to be high-risk. These include non-organic bread, potatoes, root vegetables (unless you have grown them yourself, or know them to be truly organic, as fertilizer and toxic soil are the problems, not the vegetable), any fruits or vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides.

Look for eco-friendly, organic cosmetics. Many ‘natural’ cosmetics are not entirely free of chemicals, but at least contain far fewer harmful ingredients. Take detoxifying supplements such asselenium, B-complex, C and A according to advice from aknowledgeable practitioner.

In fact, there are detoxifiers that have been shown to remove cadmium from the bloodstream in experiments (Biol.Trace Elem. Res., 2000). Spirulina, a freshwater blue-green algae, has a long history of use as a heavy metal detoxifier. Incidentally, don’t be tempted to pile on the make-up and then use detoxifiers to remove the resulting heavy metals from the system; be sensible.

Finally, chronic low-level exposure to cadmium has also been linked to depression, kidney disease, high blood pressure, liver disease and nerve and brain damage, so it is a prevalent source of health issues in everyone’s life. Being aware of it can help.

kathryn@maltanet.net