Lead Poisoning Said to Come from Mexican Folk Remedies

In January 2008, several media sources reported an increase in lead poisonings of Hispanic children in the U.S. Some of the poisonings were linked to a couple of lead-laden Mexican folk remedies, greta and azarcon, which are used to treat a variety of ailments in children.

It was also reported that in the past eight years, dozens of adults and children have become seriously ill or died after taking lead-laden medicine or folk remedies that have come from outside the U.S. In January 2008, ABC News was one media outlet reporting that Centers for Disease Control (CDC) statistics indicated folk remedies may account for up to 30 percent of all childhood lead poisoning cases in the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was said to estimate that from 2004 to 2006 some 240,000 U.S. children were diagnosed with high blood lead levels.

Certainly not all high blood lead levels are from folk remedies. However, greta and azarcon powders, both traditional folk remedies from Mexico, were found to be the cause of recent lead poisonings of Hispanic children in Texas, California and Arizona. As such, they are worthy of the public's attention, along with what can be done to prevent further poisonings.

According to the EPA's Department of Environment and Climate Change, greta and azarcon (also known as alarcon, coral, luiga, maria luisa, or rueda) both are fine red, orange or yellow powders that have a lead content as high as 97 percent. As a Mexican folk remedy, they are commonly given to children to relieve colic, stomach aches, vomiting, constipation, intestinal distress and painful teething in babies.

These medicines are manufactured outside the U.S. and are brought into the country by either unsuspecting travelers or Mexican visitors or workers, or by illegal importers. Either way, these traditional remedies bypass any sort of regulation and too often take the place of safe and relatively inexpensive over-the-counter medicines.

So, where does the lead come from? Traditional medicines or remedies typically contain herbs, minerals, metals, or animal products. Many times lead is added to the remedies on purpose because it's thought to be useful in treating some ailments. Other times, herbs or plants are grown in highly contaminated soil that's been saturated with pesticides and fumigants containing lead. Contamination also occurs during the manufacturing process, which involves grinding, coloring, or other preparation methods.

What's the alternative? Public education and awareness, for one thing. Just because a remedy or supplement is "natural" and an old family favorite doesn't mean it's any longer safe. Unfortunately, most of us don't have the technical ability to test our supplements to ensure that we have the highest quality product available. That being the case, the next best thing is to stay away from low-cost or "budget" supplements. Use U.S. organic grown herbs and buy only from companies that test their herbs. If possible, work with a naturopathic healthcare provider who will not steer you astray when it comes to dietary supplements.

Bottom line: Be very careful about where you get your dietary supplements, work with a naturopathic healthcare provider if possible and don't use any supplements you don't need when an inexpensive over-the-counter product may treat a temporary ailment.

Resources:

ABC News; http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WireStory?id=4170165&page=2

EPA; http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/leadsafe/remedies.htm