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stefoodie
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| Posted: Sept 18 2008 at 10:49am | IP Logged
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Has anyone seen this?
I'm so glad now I haven't bought vitamins for the kids in months, but still -- some of these are brands we "trust" based on recommendations from like-minded friends and family. I don't just buy vitamins and tend to research them to death... now I don't want to buy them at all. Even my prenatal vitamin (Rainbow Light) is on the list!! Argh.
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stef
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Vanna
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| Posted: Sept 18 2008 at 10:51am | IP Logged
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Oh no! We take some of those!
Thank you for the info.
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Wife to K  Mommy to B (ds18) and G (ds8)
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JennGM
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| Posted: Sept 18 2008 at 11:05am | IP Logged
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So now what? Is there anything that goes with this study to suggest what to do? What levels are considered safe? I don't speak scientese.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Wendy
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| Posted: Sept 18 2008 at 11:39am | IP Logged
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The summary says, "Estimates of Pb exposures for all products were below the PTTI levels for the at-risk population groups of children, pregnant and lactating women and adult women."
Unless I read it wrong, the PTTI column in Figure 1 is the safe level of daily exposure. So while the vitamins they tested (and that looks like a pretty comprehensive list) all have *some* lead, none of them is dangerous, according to the FDA. Not that I necessarily trust the FDA, but most of these do look like pretty low levels, relatively speaking...
Here are the vitamins we take, for the sake of illustration:
boys ages 8 and 11 (safe level of lead, 15 units/day): Rainbow Light Kids One Multistars, 0.244 units/day
girl age 14 (safe level of lead, 15 units/day):
Rainbow Light Active Health TEEN, 0.936 units/day
me (safe level of lead, we'll say 25 units/day, just in case  ):
Rainbow Light Women's One, 0.466 units/day
I know there are some scientists on here who are more comfortable interpreting these studies than I am -- please speak up if I'm reading this wrong. Numbers and charts are not my preferred mode of communication.  
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Wendy
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JennGM
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| Posted: Sept 18 2008 at 11:46am | IP Logged
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Wendy, thank you. I was trying to find a chart that explained what is a safe level, to compare. What you said is what I thought I was reading, but I needed a translator to make sure.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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stefoodie
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| Posted: Sept 18 2008 at 1:46pm | IP Logged
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Here's my interpretation -- please correct me if I'm wrong. The highest levels of lead were found in the vitamins listed at the top of each section of the list (young kids, older kids, pregnant and lactating, adult women)... so if we pick vitamins towards the end of the list, we're safer...
I guess my question is -- if that's the case, then NONE of these vitamins are really dangerous...so what's the point of the study in the first place? Or is the goal ZERO lead? It looks like the only way one would get an excessive amount of lead is an overdose... (as in the case of kids ingesting vitamins thinking it's candy)
am I right?
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stef
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juststartn
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My main concern would be if the lead levels build up over time, absorbed and fltoating around in the body, or if the lead is excreted one way or another...
Rachel
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Wendy
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| Posted: Sept 19 2008 at 11:23am | IP Logged
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You're welcome, Jennifer.
Stef, you're right about the vitamins being listed in descending order of lead content. As for the reason behind the study, the web site says, "In early 2007, FDA became aware of reports of elevated lead levels in certain vitamins, which became an issue of concern to FDA, Congress, and the public," -- which I know you read, restating it just helps me organize my thoughts.  To me, that sounds like someone (consumer group? medical association? it would be nice to know) sounded an alarm, and the federal government thought it better investigate.
If the goal was zero lead, I would hope the authors of the study would have declared all the vitamins unsafe. I don't know enough about vitamin manufacturing to know whether zero lead content is even possible. I think you're right again, Stef, about overdosing on the vitamins as the only way to consume excessive lead. And in that case, I think the lead overdose would be the least of your concerns. 
Rachel, you brought up my next concern, which would be if the lead levels built up over time. Since the PTTI numbers given were safe levels of daily exposure, my assumption would be that our bodies get rid of at least some of the lead on a regular basis. I would imagine this would vary according to the individual's overall health and probably diet -- don't good fats help you get rid of toxins?
My last concern would be other avenues of lead exposure in addition to the vitamins. At this point, though, I find it prudent to refer back to Jennifer's excellent, should-be-required-reading-for-everyone blogpost, "Why Do I Make It So Hard?" (I can't find it to link to, but if anyone wants it, I am willing to email my copy of it. It's that good.)
Again, if any of our resident scientists want to jump in...
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Wendy
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Elizabeth
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Here's another thought: prenatal vitamins should be looked at both from the perspective of what's safe for the mom (an adult) and the baby (who's much, much smaller). How much of that small amount of lead in Rainbow Light prenatals would be an OK amount for a developing baby?
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Wendy
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| Posted: Sept 19 2008 at 12:24pm | IP Logged
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Ooooh, good point. 
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Wendy
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MarilynW
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Just a little thought to add - opinion is moving in the direction that we should be getting our vitamins more from food than supplements. My sad story - I was taking prenatals and extra for years to try and feel better and boost my immune system - turns out that I was making it worse as I was allergic to the vitamins - vit c the worst. I have not taken supplements now since July and feel great. I was told that a lot of people are allergic to vitamins. I need to figure out what to do about prenatals should I need them  Supplements such as probiotics and oils are supposed to be the safe ones. I am stocking up on Sambucol and homeopathics - but I am giving my kids vitamins infrequently as they all eat well. I will give vit c with colds and infections.
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JodieLyn
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Wow Marilyn, that's so odd since Vit. C is part of what's used up in an allergic reaction. I can control my respiratory allergies by taking extra vit. C.
And all vitamins are not created equal.. there's many out there that are food based.
I saw even more dramatic improvment than you've mentioned by taking a higher dose prenatal vitamin.. took about a week. I was floored.. I'd been taking a lower dose vit. and eat fairly decently.. and I was pregnant with our 4th and sooo tired all the time.. I'd get to mid-afternoon and couldn't not take a nap... started these vits and within a week didn't even feel like I needed a nap.
But you know there's a balance in there between enough and too much.. like many things.. more than you need can cause the same symptoms as not as much as you need will. We're not talkign overdose in a medical sense of it being life threatening.. but just your body not needing more of whatever it is.
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JodieLyn
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Elizabeth, I would think that THAT is why the acceptable level is so much less for a woman that's pregnant. That the amount a pregnant woman can have vs a woman not pregnant is determined by the amount the baby could get.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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4Real Forums : Our Lady of Good Remedy and Care
Topic: Lead in Vitamins
