Author: Aldiyarbek Nurlan
Editor: Merentsova Anastasia
Cadmium is a type of heavy metal. People can be exposed to heavy metals through food, water and air. However, even very small amounts can have devastating effects on our health.
The study included 706 women and their children. The scientists measured the levels of three heavy metals (cadmium, manganese and lead) in the blood of women during pregnancy and in blood taken from the umbilical cord of their babies after giving birth. The authors of the work observed children under the age of eight, in particular, paid attention to the characteristic signs of such pathological conditions as asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema or food allergies.
The results showed that higher levels of cadmium found in the umbilical cord blood of infants were associated with a possible increased risk of asthma by about 24% and a likely increased risk of food allergy by about 44%.
“Our study does not explain why this might be the case, but it is possible that cadmium interferes with the development of the immune system of infants, and we think that this may affect their allergic reactions in childhood,” the authors of the work argue.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200902182433.htm
