Here's some information about heavy metal exposure in Chinese Americans:
-
A 2013 study by Columbia University found that Chinese immigrants to New York have higher levels of cadmium and lead in their blood than other New Yorkers and New Yorkers of Asian descent. In San Francisco, Chinese adults also have higher levels of heavy metals and PFAS in their blood than other groups in California.
-
According to the CDC, Asians in the United States have higher levels of cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic in their blood and urine than other racial and ethnic groups. However, U.S.-born Asians have lower levels of lead and cadmium than other groups, with the exception of mercury and arsenic. Dietary intake of seafood and rice may contribute to higher levels of mercury and arsenic in Asians.
-
Traditional Chinese medicine can also cause heavy metal poisoning. For example, mercury poisoning can cause proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome, and hypoalbuminemia. Lead poisoning can cause reduced hemoglobin levels and basophilic stippling of red blood cells. Arsenic poisoning can cause skin pathology that may be consistent with basal cell carcinoma
