Heavy Metal Exposure

Nutrients connected to Heavy Metal Exposure

A link means the body needs the nutrient for this, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate; each link shows how strong the evidence is.

• BladderwrackDocumented risk

  Bladderwrack can contain arsenic and other heavy metals; a case report links kelp supplements to arsenic poisoning, and 8 of 9 kelp supplements tested exceeded an FDA food tolerance level. Quality varies.

• The princeDocumented risk

  Wild Agaricus augustus can carry very high cadmium; a German survey found samples above 50 mg per kg dry weight. The level depends on where it grew.

• Amethyst deceiverDocumented risk

  This mushroom takes up large amounts of arsenic (and, in L. laccata, cadmium) from soil, so eating it can add to metal exposure; levels depend heavily on where it grew.

• ShilajitDocumented risk

  Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury were measured in shilajit; some studies found them above the limits they used and others below.

• HijikiDocumented risk

  Hijiki is the main algae source of inorganic arsenic in the Japanese diet and several governments advise avoiding it.

• Eating Clay (Geophagy)Documented risk

  Eaten clays often exceed lead, cadmium and arsenic limits, and geophagy was linked to higher blood lead in pregnant women.

• ManganeseDocumented risk

  Manganese overexposure, for example at work or from contaminated water, soil, air, food or infant formula, can be harmful.

• Tongkat aliDocumented risk

  Some tongkat ali products in an old Malaysian survey exceeded mercury limits; contamination, not the herb itself, is the risk.

• CilantroDocumented risk

  Coriander can take up metals such as cadmium from contaminated soil or water, and a case report links lead poisoning to coriander powder. It is not shown to remove metals from the body.

• CordycepsDocumented risk

  Wild O. sinensis contains notable arsenic and contaminated powder caused two lead poisonings; check product testing.

• PorciniDocumented risk

  Wild and dried porcini can carry cadmium and other metals; levels vary widely by site and producer.

• ChanterelleDocumented risk

  Wild and commercial chanterelles can contain cadmium, mercury, lead and arsenic; levels depend on origin.

• Shaggy maneDocumented risk

  Wild shaggy mane can hold high mercury and other metals depending on the site; origin matters.

• TurmericDocumented risk

  A 2024 study found lead above 2 micrograms per gram in about 14% of South Asian turmeric samples; likely added lead chromate.

• Parasol mushroomDocumented risk

  Wild parasol can accumulate cadmium and lead; one Romanian study estimated risk above thresholds, higher for children.

• Fairy ring mushroomDocumented risk

  In one study of dried mushrooms, mercury in fairy ring mushroom was above legal limits, and cooking barely reduced it. Levels depend on where it grew.

• Bay boleteDocumented risk

  Wild bay bolete can carry cadmium and other metals; cadmium ranged more than fifty-fold between Czech sites, so the origin matters.

• Slippery jackDocumented risk

  Wild-grown slippery jack can carry arsenic; in one Polish market survey it had the highest arsenic of six species, with a hazard index just under 1 at the assumed intake.

• Termite mushroomDocumented risk

  The review says Termitomyces can accumulate arsenic and radioactive isotopes; no values are given, so the size of the risk is unknown.

• Pavement mushroomDocumented risk

  In one UK study, wild pavement mushrooms held cadmium and lead; a weekly 300 g fresh portion would equal about half of EFSA's tolerable weekly cadmium intake. Applies to wild-grown mushrooms from towns and roads; this is exposure screening, not poisoning.

• Chestnut mushroomDocumented risk

  Wild fruiting bodies of this species had high cadmium in some samples, so wild-harvested material is a possible route of exposure. Cultivated stock was not measured.

• Pine boleteDocumented risk

  Wild pine bolete can carry mercury (median up to 3.6 mg per kg dry in Polish and Belarusian caps) and cadmium; the origin and amount eaten matter.

• Caterpillar fungusDocumented risk

  The wild product is high in total arsenic (mostly organic forms) and also carries some lead and cadmium; no retail supplement was tested and cultivated versions measured much lower.

• Birch boleteDocumented risk

  Wild birch bolete can carry cadmium and other metals; mean cadmium was six times higher in one Polish region than another, so the origin matters.

• Irish moss (sea moss)Documented risk

  Sea moss can contain arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury, so it can be a source of heavy-metal exposure.

• KelpDocumented risk

  Seaweed takes up arsenic; all 31 retail seaweed samples in a UK survey contained some, though the more harmful inorganic form was found only in hijiki. A kelp supplement poisoning case report is disputed. Other metals were not covered.

• TamarindDocumented risk

  Lead was found in wrappers of some imported tamarind candy linked to child lead poisoning; this concerns candy, not the pulp.

• Caesar's mushroomDocumented risk

  Wild samples can hold cadmium and mercury at levels the authors rated a concern if eaten in large daily amounts.

• Weeping milk capDocumented risk

  In one polluted area of Poland, wild weeping milk cap held 3.7 mg mercury per kg dry mass in caps; where it grew matters.

• Horse mushroomDocumented risk

  Wild horse mushroom from one Polish study held cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic at about 0.4 to 1.8 mg per kg dry weight; place of growth matters.

• Iceland mossDocumented risk

  Lichens collect lead and other metals from the environment, so untested or wild-collected material can add to exposure.

• Garam masalaDocumented risk

  A CDC-reported study found lead in some ground spices, including masala and curry blends; garam masala itself was not listed.

• Curry powderDocumented risk

  A CDC report found lead in some retail spice samples, including 2 curry powder samples averaging 1.4 mg/kg; no US limit for lead in spices exists.

• Chinese five-spiceDocumented risk

  Lead was found in many ground spice samples in New York City. Five-spice was not named, so this is a general ground-spice risk.

• Chili powderDocumented risk

  A CDC report found lead in some retail spice samples, including 23 labeled chili powder/red pepper (average 12.6 mg/kg, up to 170); no US limit for lead in spices exists.

• Charcoal burnerDocumented risk

  Wild samples of this mushroom contained mercury and cadmium; in one Spanish study the authors calculated a mercury risk index above 1 for eating about 300 g fresh daily in season. Levels depend on the site.

• Pig's ear (violet chanterelle)Documented risk

  A Turkish study of one sample calculated a cadmium intake above the authors' limit for daily eating and advised against eating it daily. One abstract-only source; levels depend on soil.

• Orange birch boleteDocumented risk

  Wild orange birch bolete concentrates mercury and can carry cadmium; levels vary many-fold by site, so origin and portion frequency matter.

• Summer cepDocumented risk

  Wild summer cep caps can carry mercury (median up to 4.7 mg per kg dry in Polish and Belarusian samples); the origin and amount eaten matter.

• Scaly hedgehogDocumented risk

  Wild scaly hedgehog accumulates cadmium and arsenic; Polish samples showed cadmium well above many foods, so the origin matters.

• Cacao NibsDocumented risk

  Cocoa products can contain cadmium and lead; many of 72 US products exceeded California limits at one serving. Nibs themselves were not tested in the sources we read.

• Kombucha (Fermented Tea)Documented risk

  Lead poisoning has been reported from kombucha brewed or sold in ceramic containers; the acid in the drink pulls lead out of glaze. The CDC advises against ceramic and lead crystal.

• Brown RiceDocumented risk

  Rice is a major dietary source of inorganic arsenic, and brown rice holds more than white. Cooking in extra water lowers it.

• Water (Tap & Bottled)Documented risk

  Lead can reach tap water from old pipes and fittings; EPA lists ways to reduce it.

• Rice MilkDocumented risk

  Rice drink had the highest inorganic arsenic level among milk and dairy products in EFSA data; young children are most exposed and official bodies advise against it for them.

• ChyawanprashDocumented risk

  Surveys of Ayurvedic products found lead, mercury or arsenic in about one in five tested; chyawanprash was not singled out.

• KombuDocumented risk

  Kombu and other seaweeds took up cadmium and arsenic in a 2026 study; cooking cut arsenic in a lab test.

• Sea Moss (Eucheuma & Gracilaria)Documented risk

  Dried sea moss products contained arsenic, cobalt and mercury in a 2026 test; dried Kappaphycus also contained cadmium and lead. No safe amount was found.

• Bentonite ClayDocumented risk

  Some eaten clays contain toxic minerals; metal content in commercial bentonite is unknown to us.

• Fulvic and Humic AcidDocumented risk

  Environmental and mined fulvic products can contain lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury; content varies by batch.

• French Green Clay (Illite-Smectite)Documented risk

  Some green clays contain arsenic, lead or mercury, and lead built up in the liver and kidneys of mice treated with a green clay paste. Contents vary by product.

• Rhassoul (Ghassoul) ClayDocumented risk

  Cosmetic clays can contain metals such as mercury; rhassoul itself was not measured in sources we read.

• Montmorillonite ClayDocumented risk

  Clays from the ground can contain small amounts of lead; metal content of commercial montmorillonite was not found.

• Diosmectite (Smectite)Documented risk

  Trace natural lead is the reason for age limits in France and Singapore.

• Zeolite (Clinoptilolite)Preliminary or mixed

  One 80-patient trial found lower serum lead with tablets added to standard care; supplements for healthy people not supported.

• Bone BrothDocumented risk

  Two small studies disagree: one found several times more lead in some chicken broths than in the water used; the other judged risk minimal. Contamination is an open question.

• BhringrajDocumented risk

  Some Ayurvedic preparations have been found to contain lead, mercury or arsenic at potentially toxic levels; check product testing.

• Oyster mushroomDocumented risk

  Pleurotus ostreatus concentrated cadmium and mercury added to its growing medium in a laboratory study, so growing material and testing matter.

• Almond mushroom (Agaricus subrufescens)Documented risk

  One of four cultivated strains had detectable cadmium (2 to 17 mg/kg dry matter); amounts depend on strain and growing material, so testing matters.

• Cauliflower mushroomDocumented risk

  Wild fruiting bodies can contain arsenic (0.45 to 7.2 mg per kg dry weight in four samples); no inorganic arsenic was detected and no risk assessment was made.

• Poria (fu ling)Documented risk

  A 2025 review names heavy-metal pollution and sulfur fumigation as quality challenges for Poria products.

• MorelDocumented risk

  Wild morels can take up cadmium and lead from soil; one Chilean study found levels within FAO/WHO limits.

• MatsutakeDocumented risk

  Wild matsutake takes up metals from soil; iron and copper in fruiting bodies from high-metal areas exceeded a risk index in one Chinese study. Origin matters.

• Chicken of the woodsDocumented risk

  Wild fruiting bodies can carry lead and cadmium; the figures read are old, single and secondary.

• Hedgehog mushroomDocumented risk

  Wild mushrooms can take up metals from soil; two Turkish studies found H. repandum intakes below reference doses, but results depend on site.

• King strophariaDocumented risk

  Mushrooms can take up metals from what they grow in. A review says this species can; one 2026 study found cadmium below the Chinese food limit in one sample set.

• Honey mushroomDocumented risk

  One Romanian study of wild fruiting bodies flagged a child hazard index above 1; cadmium and lead were under EU limits.

• Field mushroomDocumented risk

  Wild mushrooms take up metals from soil; a Romanian study found cadmium and lead in A. campestris, more in caps than stipes. Results depend on the site.

• CinnamonDocumented risk

  FDA found lead chromate in cinnamon from one manufacturer, likely added deliberately.

• Phoenix oysterDocumented risk

  Cultivated phoenix oyster took up cadmium and lead from its growing material; two lots exceeded the cadmium limit the paper quotes. Testing of growing material and products matters.

• King tuber mushroomDocumented risk

  Mushrooms can take up toxic metals from their growing material; no measured value for market sclerotium was found.

• Coriander seedDocumented risk

  A review found metals in coriander irrigated with wastewater; unclear whether this covers seed.

• SumacDocumented risk

  A 2024 study in Lebanon found some sumac-containing sample groups over the Codex lead limit; sumac was not reported separately.

• PaprikaDocumented risk

  A 1996 report described lead poisoning from ground paprika contaminated with red lead. This is contamination of a powder, not a normal feature of paprika.

• Shaggy parasolDocumented risk

  A 2026 laboratory study reported cadmium and copper above literature limits in this wild mushroom (abstract only).

• Za'atarDocumented risk

  One 2024 survey found lead above the Codex limit in dried thyme and oregano products. It is not specific to za'atar blends.

• Ras el hanoutDocumented risk

  Some ground spices, notably turmeric and chili powder, contained lead in a North Carolina review; blends such as curry powder were low, and ras el hanout was not listed separately.

• BaharatDocumented risk

  Lead was found in a share of spice and spice-blend samples in New York City. Baharat itself was not tested and no US lead limit for spices exists.

• BerbereDocumented risk

  Some chili powder samples from home lead investigations in North Carolina had high lead; not typical of shop products and not berbere-specific.

• Pumpkin pie spiceDocumented risk

  A CDC-reported study found lead in some ground spices; pumpkin pie spice was not listed and this says nothing about any brand.

• Cajun and Creole seasoningDocumented risk

  28.8% of 386 samples had lead at or above 1 mg/kg; an all-purpose spice mix averaged 1.8 mg/kg in 3 samples; no national limit exists.

• Jamaican jerk seasoningDocumented risk

  The CDC report found lead in some retail spice samples and lists soil, grinding dust and deliberate adulteration as routes; jerk seasoning was not named.

• Panch phoronDocumented risk

  Lead was found in a share of spice samples in New York City. Panch phoron was not named in the data and the US has no lead limit for spices.

• Chaat masalaDocumented risk

  Lead was found in some ground spices in a US study; the study did not name this blend.

• Shichimi togarashiDocumented risk

  Lead was found in 28.8 percent of spice samples in one North Carolina study and no US limit for spices exists. Shichimi was not tested.

• Amchur (dried green mango powder)Documented risk

  Lead was reported in one dried mango product in Hong Kong in 2020; we found no report on amchur.

• Milky mushroomDocumented risk

  Mushrooms can carry cadmium and lead and this species takes up minerals from its substrate; source matters.

• Oak mazegillDocumented risk

  Wild-grown oak mazegill from one Turkish region had high risk-index values for cadmium, cobalt and lead; a reason for caution, not a measured figure for products.

• Golden thread cordycepsDocumented risk

  Wild-grown samples held up to 3.44 mg arsenic per kg dry mass, mostly in an organic form whose safety is not described in the abstract.

• Livid pinkgillDocumented risk

  Wild specimens in one Polish survey held high mercury; this is a contamination point, not the cause of the poisoning.

• Sunflower SeedsDocumented risk

  Sunflower seeds can carry cadmium depending on soil; one field study found seeds above the 0.5 mg/kg food limit.

• Turmeric TeaDocumented risk

  Lead chromate adulteration found in some turmeric in South Asia; not measured in tea.

• Idli & DosaDocumented risk

  Rice takes up arsenic from soil and water; FDA does not advise adults to change rice intake and advises a varied diet.

• InjeraDocumented risk

  One Ethiopian Rift Valley study found more lead and arsenic in teff than in wheat and maize, and one sample over the Codex lead limit.

• Cocoa & Hot ChocolateDocumented risk

  Cadmium and lead are found in cocoa powder and chocolate; levels vary by product and origin.

• Apple JuiceDocumented risk

  FDA has action levels for inorganic arsenic (10 ppb, final) and a draft level for lead (10 ppb) in apple juice.

• Bone BrothDocumented risk

  Two small studies measured lead in broth with different conclusions; amounts were micrograms per liter or per serving.

• WakameDocumented risk

  Urinary arsenic rose after wakame in a small feeding study; most seaweed arsenic is the less toxic organic kind per a review.

• DulseDocumented risk

  Arsenic, cadmium and lead were found in Arctic dulse and varied by season. The abstract does not say how this compares with safety limits.

• Sea LettuceDocumented risk

  A 2025 review says Ulva can accumulate pollutants, and a 2026 study measured seven metals in another Ulva species. Where it grew matters. We found no measured values for edible Ulva lactuca.

• FucoxanthinDocumented risk

  Kelp supplements have shown high arsenic. No data for fucoxanthin products specifically.

• Kelp NoodlesDocumented risk

  Seaweeds add to arsenic and lead exposure in EFSA estimates; no kelp noodle test was found.

• Seaweed Snacks (Roasted Nori)Documented risk

  Cadmium and inorganic arsenic were found in all Hong Kong samples within limits; ConsumerLab found concerning lead and cadmium in most of six products.

• Kaolin Clay (White Clay)Documented risk

  Eaten clays can contain toxic minerals; no measurement of cosmetic kaolin found.

• Fuller's EarthDocumented risk

  The material itself can contain heavy metal particles; cosmetic clays have shown mercury.

• Illite ClayDocumented risk

  Cosmetic clays can contain metals such as mercury; contamination varies and labels cannot show it.

• Red and Pink ClayDocumented risk

  Cosmetic clays can contain metals; one red clay sample had nickel and chromium above levels the authors cited.

• Dead Sea MudDocumented risk

  A 2026 study found lead and cadmium sometimes above strict limits in Dead Sea mud cosmetics.

• Coconut Shell CharcoalDocumented risk

  The CDC says certified carbon filters may reduce lead in water; a regulators' resolution warns food-added charcoal may itself carry heavy metals.

• Sea Salt, Himalayan Salt and Dead Sea Salt: Mineral ClaimsDocumented risk

  Harvard notes sea salt can contain ocean metals such as lead; amounts were not given.

• Collagen Peptides (Hydrolyzed Collagen)Documented risk

  Marine collagen products and sports protein powders contained trace metals in small tests; the marine collagen samples stayed within EU limits.

• Marine Collagen (Fish)Documented risk

  A survey of fish and jellyfish collagen supplements found arsenic and lead, below EU limits in the samples, with big differences between brands.

• Multi-Collagen Blends (Types I, II, III, V, X)Documented risk

  All 30 sports protein supplements tested in one analysis contained at least one toxic metal, including one collagen sample; levels in multi-collagen blends were not tested.

• Whey Protein PowderDocumented risk

  Lead, cadmium and arsenic have been found in protein powders. Whey powders averaged lower than plant or mass-gainer types, and no study read shows harm to people.

• Plant Protein PowdersDocumented risk

  A risk assessment found typical intake below its threshold but plant powders tended to carry more metals; data quality was limited.

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