A new study has found that even small drops in lead levels in the blood can lead to better heart health.
This is especially important for Native American adults, who often face higher exposure to harmful metals like lead.
The research shows that lowering blood lead levels is linked to lower blood pressure and other signs of improved heart function.
The study was done through the Strong Heart Family Study, the largest research project following heart health in Native American communities.
It involved 285 adults from four tribal areas in Arizona, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Researchers looked at their blood lead levels and blood pressure over time, comparing results from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.
At the beginning of the study, the average blood lead level was about 2.04 micrograms per deciliter. Over time, this number dropped by 33%, or about 0.67 micrograms per deciliter. In people who had the highest levels of lead at the beginning, researchers saw even greater improvements.
For example, those whose lead levels dropped by about 1.78 micrograms per deciliter saw their systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading) drop by 7 mm Hg. That’s similar to the effect of taking blood pressure medicine or making healthy lifestyle changes like eating less salt, exercising daily, or losing weight.
Dr. Anne Nigra, a senior author from Columbia University, called the findings a “huge win for public health.” She and her team believe the improvements are mostly due to policy changes over the past 50 years, such as removing lead from paint, gasoline, plumbing, and canned goods.
These changes have helped reduce lead exposure in the general U.S. population—and now it seems they are helping Native American communities too.
The study also found that lower blood lead levels were linked to improvements in a heart marker related to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that makes the heart muscle too thick and can lead to heart failure.
Importantly, the research team controlled for many different factors that could influence results, like age, medical history, and social conditions, to make sure the lead level changes were really linked to the improvements in heart health.
Experts say this study is just the beginning. Mona Puggal from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute said the findings show that efforts to reduce lead are working in these communities. But more needs to be done.
Native American populations still face higher exposure to lead and other harmful metals than the general U.S. population. Dr. Lindsey Martin from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences stressed the need for continued research and stronger efforts to protect these communities from environmental risks.
The researchers also hope to test these findings in other groups and continue looking for new ways to reduce lead exposure for everyone at risk.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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