The studies will delineate the nutritional conditions which are contributive factors in the deposition or removal of lead. Various series of experiments are planned: a. The first series of studies is designed to compare the effect of various levels of dietary calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and copper on lead deposition in the rat. The results will show which concentration of each nutrient will minimize lead retention and lead tissue deposition. b. Another series of experiments is designed to compare nutrition intervention to the currently used chelation therapy in children with lead toxicity. These studies compare in an animal model under controlled conditions the excretion of lead following treatment with three concentrations of dietary calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and copper or the standard EDTA chelation therapy. c. Experiments are under way to study the effect of lead on the developing fetus during pregnancy and on the lactating offspring. These studies will document the toxic effects of lead on prenatal growth and development and test conditions which minimize these effects.
NIH ExPorter
NIH ExPorter