- The ARC - California Edition -

The Latest LEAD Story

Lawsuits were filed early this year against a number of drug companies for not warning consumers about the high lead levels in their calcium supplements. This occurred in California and the lawsuit is claiming a violation of Proposition 65 - the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986.

The mineral lead is known to be a neurotoxin and even small amounts of lead have been reported to affect the physical and intellectual growth of children. Lead is a highly toxic element with no known beneficial effects. Lead’s toxic effects can impact all ages, from fetuses to the aged.

The litigation is based on the test results of more that 100 samples of calcium products and antacids marketed in California. The tests were performed by the University of California at Santa Cruz. Their Trace Metal Research Laboratory found the lead levels in Calcium Dietary Supplements and Antacid Products exceeded the state imposed standard of 0.5 micrograms of lead per maximum daily dose in 85% of the samples of the 26 products tested.

Two of the 21 Calcium supplements tested met the requirement of Proposition 65 -- "Posture-D High Potency Calcium with Vitamin D", and "Tums 500 Calcium Supplement, Chewable". Of the Antacid Products, only "Children’s Mylanta Chewable Antacid", and "Children’s Mylanta Liquid Antacid" had less lead than allowed by the state standard.

The federal Food and Drug Administration uses a different, looser limitation which is stated as "less then three- parts of lead per million parts of a daily dose". This works out to be about 2.5 micrograms of lead per maximum dose or five times as much as California allows.

The FDA has previously publically stated that “there is no level of lead intake that does not produce adverse effects”. The plaintiffs in the California law suit have also petitioned the FDA to adopt the California standard.