EFFECT OF DIETARY CALCIUM ON BLOOD LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN OCCUPATIONALLY EXPOSED AND NONEXPOSED WORKERS

Workers exposed to lead may benefit from a calcium-rich diet, since ca lcium competes with lead for intestinal absorption. We studied the eff ect of dietary calcium on blood lead levels, We assessed blood lead le vels dietary intake of calcium, smoking and alcohol consumption, and a nthropometric and demographic data in 56 workers exposed to lead and 9 0 workers without such exposure. Mean intake of dietary calcium was 77 5 +/- 370 mg/day in the nonexposed workers and 858 +/- 423 mg/day in t he exposed workers. Occupational lead exposure explained nearly 90% of the variance in blood lead levels of the entire cohort. Smoking and a lcohol intake also showed significant associations with blood lead lev els, but their combined effect was less than 2%. When the exposed and nonexposed workers were considered separately, no association was foun d between blood lead levels and calcium intake. The amount of calcium in the diet does not influence blood lead levels. Further studies are warranted to determine whether dietary calcium influences blood lead l evels in exposed and nonexposed workers in other settings and in subje cts with lower intakes of calcium. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.