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A natural element found in popular sweets like dark chocolate may be linked to an increased risk of dementia.
Researchers have found for the first time a link between cadmium exposure and memory and thinking problems.
The metal is released from rocks and cigarette smoke and has been found in unnatural amounts in foods ranging from hot chocolate to brownie mix and cake mix.
Dr. Liping Lu, a public health and nutrition researcher at Columbia University who co-authored the paper, said: ‘Given the high incidence of dementia and the high costs it imposes on families and society, it is important to identify risk factors for early cognitive problems that can be influenced by changes in people’s behaviour or in society.’
The chart above shows 48 chocolates tested in a separate study, all of which contained lead and cadmium, which can be hazardous to human health. Three samples of each product were sent in by Consumer Reports to reveal the findings
Cadmium and lead have been found in 23 brands of chocolate in the US.
The paper followed 2,172 people around 64 years old without cognitive problems over a 10-year period. About 61 percent of the participants were white and 39 percent were black.
At the start of the study, researchers measured their cadmium levels and participants took regular tests to measure their cognitive abilities.
At the end of the study, the researchers looked at the group that had developed cognitive impairment, the precursor to dementia. No link was found between cadmium levels and cognitive decline.
But when they broke down the data and looked at it based on demographics, a different pattern emerged.
The cognitive ability of white people declined as they ingested more cadmium.
So much so that white people with high cadmium levels were twice as likely to have cognitive decline than white people with low cadmium levels — even after the researchers ruled out the influence of other factors, such as weight and alcohol consumption.
No association was found between cadmium levels and cognitive decline in black people.
Nearly 10 percent of white people with high cadmium levels developed cognitive problems.
According to Dr. Lu, the difference likely had to do with the smoking habits of the two groups.
The white participants with high cadmium levels smoked about one pack per day for 23 years, while the black participants with high cadmium levels smoked about one pack per day for nine years.
In the short term, inhaling cadmium can cause flu-like symptoms, including fever and muscle aches, shortness of breath and chest pain. In the long term, this can lead to kidney disease, lung cancer and bone weakening.
It’s not clear how cadmium affects the brain, and researchers say more research is needed to determine the link. But the health effects already attributed to the heavy metal mean it’s wise to limit your exposure.
Dr Lu said: ‘There are many reasons to reduce cadmium exposure, whether it is implementing policies and regulations for air pollution and drinking water or changing behaviour by quitting smoking or staying around cigarette smoke.’
But as smoking becomes less popular, researchers are looking at other possible exposures to cadmium, such as through food.
A 2022 study A Consumer Reports study found that 23 of 28 chocolate bars tested contained cadmium and lead, including popular favorites like Hershey’s.
Researchers at Columbia University found that long-term exposure to high levels of cadmium is linked to memory and thinking problems in white people.
The results are particularly concerning given that dementia currently affects approximately 6.7 million Americans and researchers This number is forecast to exceed 13 million by 2050.
These amounts were low, but frequent or large intakes could cause health problems, the report said.
However, cadmium is more common in cigarette smoke than chocolate.
The people in the most recent study, which ppublished in the Neurology magazine According to the American Academy of Neurology, humans are most likely exposed to cadmium through tobacco.