Lead in Gasoline Linked to Over 150 Million Additional Cases of Mental Health Disorders – One America News Network
OAN Staff Abril Elfi
6:30 PM – Tuesday, December 3, 2024
A recent study has revealed that childhood exposure to lead from gasoline has led to millions of additional cases of psychiatric disorders over the past 75 years.
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On Wednesday, the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry released a study examining childhood blood lead levels from 1940 to 2015 in the United States.
Lead was prohibited from vehicle fuel in 1996.
The research indicated that over 151 million excess mental health disorders were associated with lead exposure from automobile emissions during crucial stages of childhood development.
This exposure has been linked to increased rates of depression and anxiety, and has resulted in higher levels of inattention and hyperactivity, contributing to conditions such as ADD and ADHD. Furthermore, it was found to diminish impulse control and increase tendencies toward neuroticism among affected individuals.
The study underscores the enduring mental health and personality effects of lead exposure, particularly in those born between 1966 and 1986. Generation X individuals born from 1966 to 1970 were noted to suffer the most, coinciding with the peak usage of leaded gasoline, which heighten both environmental and personal lead exposure.
“People born during those years can’t go back in time and change that,” stated Post-Doctoral Scholar Aaron Reuben, a co-author of the study.
“Research like ours further supports the idea that eliminating lead from our environment and preventing its introduction initially yields benefits beyond what we had previously realized,” Reuben remarked.
While lead is no longer a component of gasoline, it remains present in other areas, such as imported toys, outdated water service lines, and certain soils and paints in homes built before 1978.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asserts that there is “no safe level” of lead exposure. They emphasize that even minimal amounts are linked to developmental and cognitive issues, as exposure can inflict damage on the brain as well as the nervous and reproductive systems.
The study synthesized data on blood lead levels and historical lead exposure estimates with results from previous studies, including a 2019 study involving nearly 600 New Zealand children, which tracked their lead exposure and mental health over more than thirty years.
“This new research does not introduce new facts about lead’s harmful effects, nor do we claim that this study definitively proves causation — we are essentially applying existing evidence to the entire U.S. demographic,” Reuben added.
“We are confident that our assessment of the harm is not overstated,” he continued.
Reuben also emphasized that prevention is key in safeguarding public health.
“Significant progress has been made in the U.S. to reduce lead exposures. Blood lead levels have decreased substantially, but there is room for further reduction,” he stated. “It’s crucial to learn from history to understand the extent of harm caused in the U.S., and strive to apply these lessons in the future.”
Lead was originally included in gasoline to enhance engine efficiency. Its usage rose post-World War II until it was found to damage catalytic converters, which became mandatory in the 1970s. Although some of the dangers of lead were known long before its prohibition, addressing lead exposure was not deemed a federal priority for a lengthy period.
Currently, lead testing is recommended for all young children, with therapies like chelation available to eliminate lead from the body if levels are excessively high.
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