Lead level blood test, what's yours.

[snake-eye]

Just had my annual phisical which included a lead level test I requested. I not only reload lead ammunition put cast my own bullets. When melting and castings lead, I take precautions to make certain that I'm minimizing exposure. Avoiding vapors, no food or drink in tha area etc. Same thing for case cleaning, reloading and general ammunition handling. Well my lead level turns out to be 9 which is a little high but below acceptable levels.
My question to the forum is have others have lead levels tested and what have the results been. Age is also a variable, mine is 66.
Thanks for looking.

 

[BlackBart]

This was my teething board when I was a baby........... nothing wrong with me.

 

[PapiBarcelona]

I asked for lead last test I've done. They never called me back so I guess it was OK.

Shotshell reloading, and 99% outdoor for range time.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Let's just ban reloading.

Seems like a dangerous hobby.

No reloading if you have children below the age of 14 in the house.

They may inadvertently chew on bullets.

Keep all possible lead exposure to yourself.

Libs and the GA read these threads.

 

[teratos]

Normal is normal. There is really no such thing as high normal and low normal. You could follow a trend, but I'll bet you find little variation as long as your reloading and shooting activities remain constant. If you are below what is considered harmful, you are fine. FWIW, I see several shooters who cast and reload etc. Their levels have been acceptable as well. In fact, in 16 years as an MD, I have never seen a high lead level. These thing don't excite me.

Last night, my kids were playing with Mercury. It's really neat to hold it in your hand.

 

[snake-eye]

Takes all kinds, don't it!

 

[Z_Man]

Normal is normal. There is really no such thing as high normal and low normal. You could follow a trend, but I'll bet you find little variation as long as your reloading and shooting activities remain constant. If you are below what is considered harmful, you are fine. FWIW, I see several shooters who cast and reload etc. Their levels have been acceptable as well. In fact, in 16 years as an MD, I have never seen a high lead level. These thing don't excite me.

Last night, my kids were playing with Mercury. It's really neat to hold it in your hand.

isn't the lead level in your body significantly more important when you are young and still developing? If i remember its biggest impact is on brain development.

 

[BradMacc82]

I'm surprised I've lived this long, so I don't worry about lead exposure - unless it's coming at me at 800+fps.

 

[snake-eye]

Watch out for the flying ZOOMIES from CCNP.

 

[Sharp]

The man who taught me how to shoot for the first time was a Vietnam veteran and long time law enforcement veteran. I know he has to be careful with shooting activities to limit his lead intake because his levels are high, though I have no idea what his numbers are.

 

[Jollyllama]

Lead and mercury for that matter need to be methylated to be readily absorbed into your body. Solid lead does not easily absorb so just reloading and shooting non methylated lead will be difficult to absorb.

Did some research on this for an undergrad project back in the day.

 

[teratos]

isn't the lead level in your body significantly more important when you are young and still developing? If i remember its biggest impact is on brain development.

Correct. For us old farts, not such a big deal.

 

[BossmanPJ]

I used to work at Johnson controls and made car batteries. Very high lead exposure. We were tested monthly and if our blood content was too high we had to wear a breathing apparatus for 1 month in the plant. It's really not good for you.

 

[Jollyllama]

Lead that is inhaled is much more readily absorbed, very true. It is not good do you. However your body does excrete it at about a half life of 35-40 days.

Lead that is ingested (inorganic lead) like you would find in bullets does not get processed by your Liver and about 20% of it is absorbed, while the rest is excreted.

Organic lead, like you would find in old leaded gasoline is processed by your organs and absorbed at a much higher rate or around 70%.

Methyllead, or methylated lead also absorbs readily.

Lead can get stored in your teeth and bones and released at a later date. Blood lead tests really are testing recent or current exposure to lead, which if high would be a good reason to avoid further exposure and be on a respirator to avoid more inhalation. However your body will excrete it over the course of a month or so.

For shooting and reloading purposes it shouldn't be a major concern. Just don't eat your bullets

 

[protegeV]

We all got tested due to some shady renovation practices nearby last year. All results were basically 0

 

[montoya32]

isn't the lead level in your body significantly more important when you are young and still developing? If i remember its biggest impact is on brain development.

It's also important when you die.

 

[Threeband]

I asked for lead last test I've done. They never called me back so I guess it was OK.

...

I had a Lyme disease test once. They never called me back, and I was feeling better, so I figured I was okay. Still, I thought I should call to be sure.
"Oh, yes. You have Lyme disease."

"Well thanks for telling me."

You gotta take responsibility and check up on people. The whole world is populated by clowns. Damn near half are below average.

 

[Armadillofz1]

Let's just ban reloading.

Seems like a dangerous hobby.

No reloading if you have children below the age of 14 in the house.

They may inadvertently chew on bullets.

Keep all possible lead exposure to yourself.

Libs and the GA read these threads.

Not funny. They banned kid sized motorcycles because of the lead content. Solder in wires and a battery. There was better than a year when they couldn't be imported.

 

[rico903]

Normal is normal. There is really no such thing as high normal and low normal. You could follow a trend, but I'll bet you find little variation as long as your reloading and shooting activities remain constant. If you are below what is considered harmful, you are fine. FWIW, I see several shooters who cast and reload etc. Their levels have been acceptable as well. In fact, in 16 years as an MD, I have never seen a high lead level. These thing don't excite me.

Last night, my kids were playing with Mercury. It's really neat to hold it in your hand.

Assume you're joking about the mercury.

Surprised I have any brain cells at all. Used to play with mercury as a kid. Sure did make quarters and dimes shine. And used to paint houses years ago in the city. Roland Park but lead is lead and we never wore respirators. Took a class to get lead certified and was like holy crap!!!!!

 

[teratos]

Assume you're joking about the mercury. Surprised I have any brain cells at all. Used to play with mercury as a kid. Sure did make quarters and dimes shine. And used to paint houses years ago in the city. Roland Park but lead is lead and we never wore respirators. Took a class to get lead certified and was like holy crap!!!!!

Not joking at all. Elemental mercury is actually quite safe to handle. Just don't put it in a frying pan and breath the vapors. It was once used as a laxative. You drink a big slug of mercury, and it pushes everything through. Not a huge risk unless you do it every day for a good while.