HomeGoods and The Lead Lady did not immediately reply to HuffPost\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n
While experts are unsure of the validity of the claims in the viral video, it is clear that millions of social media users are concerned about lead\u2019s health risks. The heavy metal can cause serious health issues, particularly in kids. Here\u2019s what to know about lead safety and the presence of lead in household items.<\/p>\n
Consumer goods in the U.S. should not contain lead, but contamination happens.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the United States, consumer goods really shouldn\u2019t have lead in them, but sometimes they make their way into the marketplace,\u201d said Dr. Adam Blumenberg<\/a>, an associate professor of emergency medicine and medical toxicologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most common sources of lead exposure are things like deteriorating indoor lead paint in older houses, for example, when that starts to peel and create dust,\u201d said Dr. Diane Calello<\/a>, medical director of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System and an associate professor of emergency medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.<\/p>\n In addition to leaded pottery and leaded ceramics, \u201cwhere lead is either in the paint or in the glaze, lead exposure can also happen from contaminated foods,\u201d Calello said.<\/p>\n Contaminated products may inadvertently end up on store shelves if they come from a different country or are antiques.<\/p>\n \u201cAntique or imported are the two primary things\u201d that cause lead products to make it onto shelves, Calello explained, adding that most brands that follow U.S. manufacturing standards \u2015 even brands outside the country \u2015 typically don\u2019t produce products that contain lead.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they are packaged for sale in the U.S., that generally confers a degree of protection, as opposed to buying a piece that doesn\u2019t have a clear \u2018where it came from\u2019 and \u2018how it got here,\u2019\u201d Calello noted.<\/p>\n The NYC Health Department has online resources<\/a> on ceramics and lead, including which types pose the greatest risk.<\/p>\n \u201cTraditional or handmade ceramic ware and metal dishware from other countries \u2014 including Mexico, Ecuador, Turkey, Morocco, Uzbekistan and India \u2014 may contain high levels of lead,\u201d the health department website states.<\/p>\n \u201cWe actually do occasionally see people getting sick from these, and the reason is that certain foods can leach some of that lead out,\u201d Blumenberg said. Acidic foods, such as tomato-based soups and sauces, can leach lead from glazes and contaminate the food. This is also true for citrus and sour foods, like lemons and limes, he said.<\/p>\n Elena Noviello via Getty Images<\/p>\n A viral social media video shows an influencer testing dishes for lead, but experts say that the most accurate tests are conducted by professionals.<\/p>\n Lead exposure can cause health problems, especially in kids. <\/p>\n \u201cLead is ubiquitous in our environment,\u201d Calello said. \u201cLead is found in the Earth\u2019s crust. It\u2019s just a naturally occurring element in our environment. We are all exposed to little bits of lead on a more natural basis, and our bodies are capable of excreting or eliminating a little bit of lead.\u201d<\/p>\n But lead exposure beyond that could pose risks.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing exposed to lead is a health hazard, especially for young kids who are early in their stages of development,\u201d said Dr. Matthew Correia<\/a>, a toxicologist at Oregon Health & Science University. \u201cIt can affect things such as … your intelligence, it affects behavior. It can cause impaired thinking abilities and ability to focus.\u201d<\/p>\n Lead is also \u201ca risk factor for heart disease<\/a> in and of itself,\u201d Correia added.<\/p>\n Lead exposure can affect cognitive health in kids even at relatively low levels, according to Blumenberg. In adults, it can also cause abdominal pain, high blood pressure and nerve issues.<\/p>\n It is very rare, but excessive lead exposure can also be life-threatening.<\/p>\n \u201cIf someone has a very high amount of lead in their body, it can cause the brain to swell, and that can cause seizures and, rarely, death,\u201d Blumenberg said.<\/p>\n Your lead levels can be checked through a blood test.<\/p>\n The particularly dangerous consequences to kids\u2019 health are why parents are encouraged to bring children in for routine lead testing, which is done through a blood test.<\/p>\n \u201cIn fact, the blood-lead level is the best way to know if you\u2019ve been exposed,\u201d Calello said. \u201cChildren generally get it done at one and two years of age, and adults don\u2019t routinely get tested for lead unless they\u2019re in an occupation that poses a lead hazard.\u201d<\/p>\n If someone\u2019s lead level is zero, that means there\u2019s no lead exposure. If there is a small amount of exposure, it\u2019s generally treated by removing the source of lead, she said, \u201cand then the body will generally just normally come back to a normal level.\u201d For people with more extreme levels of lead, medication is sometimes necessary, Calello said.<\/p>\n While lead exposure is a real problem, and there is no way to guarantee that you\u2019ll never come into contact with a contaminated item, it\u2019s more likely that you won\u2019t.<\/p>\n \u201cMost household products that we eat food on and drink beverages from do not have lead,\u201d Calello said.<\/p>\n Yasser Chalid via Getty Images<\/p>\n Lead exposure, which can happen through antique or imported dishes, can cause issues such as lower IQ in children.<\/p>\n There are consumer tools that measure lead, but the most accurate tests are conducted by professionals.<\/p>\n Just because a consumer lead test detects lead doesn\u2019t mean the results are accurate, so there is no need to panic quite yet. <\/p>\n First, the lead-detection tool used in the Instagram video was not approved by the government for testing lead contamination, said Correia. \u201cFrom a regulation standpoint, it\u2019s still kind of in early phases.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s also unclear whether the consumer\u2019s test results in the video were validated by a more official entity, such as the Environmental Protection Agency.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are more sensitive and specific and reliable measurement methods. It\u2019s not exactly as accurate as the tools that we would normally use to determine if a piece of pottery or ceramics had lead in it,\u201d Calello said of the test used in the Instagram Reel.<\/p>\n Also, while a consumer lead-detection test may indicate the possible presence of lead, it doesn\u2019t indicate how much lead is present. Is it enough to actually be problematic? Is it in a part of the item that is even accessible and able to leach into food or drinks? <\/p>\n \u201cSo, there\u2019s a lot more questions than just the \u2018yes\u2019 or \u2018no\u2019 that is shown in that video,\u201d Calello said.<\/p>\n Your local public health department is the best place to determine whether an item contains lead, as it has access to accurate tests and can help explain if there is actually risk.<\/p>\n There are steps you can take to protect yourself from lead exposure.<\/p>\n \u201cJust some broad strokes advice: I\u2019d say, purchase from reputable sellers. There\u2019s always some risk in life, so there\u2019s no 100% solution here, but purchasing new plates from reputable sellers is an important way to do it,\u201d Blumenberg said.<\/p>\n If you think you have a kitchen tool or serving item that contains lead, stop using it, per Calello. Then have the item tested by your local public health department or with EPA-approved <\/a>lead-testing kits.<\/p>\n The consumer-based test kits can be expensive and, again, aren\u2019t always accurate, so it\u2019s worth talking to a professional about the item in question, Correia said.<\/p>\n If a family heirloom or a prized item purchased on a trip tests positive for lead, you don\u2019t have to throw it away. Instead, keep it as a display piece. Eating off of it or drinking from it is where the real risk lies.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there\u2019s any question … just about every region in the United States has a local poison center<\/a>, and they\u2019re available 24\/7,\u201d Blumenberg said. The toll-free phone number is 1-800-222-1222.<\/p>\n A professional can offer personalized advice rather than overarching advice from a video on social media.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/69d3e88714000015fb86d3dd.jpeg\")
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