Maggi, Lead and The Soup it is in.

The Greek botanist Nicander described the colic and paralysis seen in lead-poisoned people. Dioscorides, another Greek physician who lived in the 1st century CE, wrote that lead makes the mind "give way".

Beginning in 1965, with the publication of Contaminated and Natural Lead Environments of Man, Clair Cameron Patterson tried to draw public attention to the problem of increased lead levels in the environment and the food chain due to lead from industrial sources. It was his effort that lead to ensure lead being removed from petrol. He then turned his attention to lead in food where similar experimental deficiencies had masked the increase. In one study he showed an increase in lead levels from 0.3 to 1400 nanograms per gram in certain canned fish compared with fresh, whilst the official laboratory had reported an increase of 400 ng/g to 700 ng/g

Health effects - there is no safe level

Though lead is found frequently in our environment, it has no known purpose in our bodies. When lead gets inside the body, the body confuses it with calcium and other essential nutrients. This confusion can cause permanent damage to the health of both children and adults. Children In children, lead is most damaging when they are six years and younger. Children are growing at a very fast rate - growing bones, developing stronger muscles and creating many connections in their brain. When lead instead of essential nutrients is "available" to the body to make bones, muscle, and brain connections, permanent harm to health can occur. Even at low levels, lead can be harmful and be associated with: Learning disabilities resulting in a decreased intelligence (decreased IQ) Attention deficit disorder Behavior issues Nervous system damage Speech and language impairment Decreased muscle growth Decreased bone growth Kidney damage High levels of lead are life threatening and can cause seizures, unconsciousness, and death. Adults Lead exposure is a concern for adults, even though they have finished growing. Since an adult's body is much larger than a child's body, more lead is needed to cause injury but the harm lead can do to an adult is very serious. High levels of lead can cause: Increased chance of illness during pregnancy Harm to a fetus, including brain damage or death Fertility problems in both men and women High blood pressure Digestive issues Nerve disorders Memory and concentration problems Muscle and joint pain

Who's most at risk for getting hurt by lead?

Children are most at risk for lead injuries because their bodies are still developing and because they tend to put things that may have lead dust on it in their mouths.

The recent controversy in India with regards to high levels of lead in #Maggi is scarifying especially since children are Nestle's key market. Without proper warning #Maggi has become the staple food of many households. The effects of prolonged use of #Maggi needs to be studied to ensure that it has not being poisoning the people of India all this while.

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