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Filled Full of Lead

Standard rifle bullets disperse tiny lead fragments throughout the flesh of wild game, raising public health concerns about lead poisoning in those that consume venison, based on a study of white-tailed deer shot by hunters.

October 11, 2012 |
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Filled Full of Lead, 4.0 out of 5 based on 3 ratings

Sources Cited

Arya F, Egger S, Colquhoun D, Sullivan D, Pal S, Egger G. Differences in postprandial inflammatory responses to a 'modern' v. traditional meat meal: a preliminary study. Br J Nutr. 2010 Sep;104(5):724-8.

Hunt WG, Watson RT, Oaks JL, Parish CN, Burnham KK, Tucker RL, Belthoff JR, Hart G. Lead bullet fragments in venison from rifle-killed deer: potential for human dietary exposure. PLoS One. 2009;4(4):e5330.

Acknowledgements

Images thanks to: Malis via Wikimedia Commons and National Park Service.

Transcript

Given this new data suggesting that the consumption of flesh from wild animals causes less inflammation, those who continue to eat meat might benefit from switching to something like venison— but it depends on the kind of ammo you use.

“The potential for human dietary exposure to lead bullet fragments in venison from rifle-killed deer. “Human consumers of wildlife killed with lead ammunition may be exposed to health risks associated with lead ingestion.

They took X-rays of “30 eviscerated carcasses of White-tailed Deer shot by hunters with the standard lead-core, copper-jacketed bullets under normal hunting conditions. For those thinking, wait a second, can’t you just dig out the bullet like you see on all the old Westerns—you don’t understand modern ammunition. …

“All carcasses showed metal fragments and widespread fragment dispersion. How many fragments, an average of… 136. So they went to the store and scanned the resulting meat packages, revealing tiny metal fragments in the ground meat packages from 80% of the deer. And most of those fragments were lead. “We conclude that people risk exposure to bioavailable lead from bullet fragments when they eat venison from deer killed with standard lead-based rifle bullets and processed under normal procedures. At risk in the U.S. are some ten million hunters, their families, and low-income beneficiaries of venison donations.”

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Kerry Skinner.

To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

The new data I refer to in the beginning is a reference to yesterday's video-of-the-day Modern Meat Not Ahead of the Game. Lead has also been found in protein powder supplements, ayervedic medicine supplements, andother animal products. Maybe in shot kangaroo meat too? Like mercury in tuna, no level of lead consumption can be considered safe. So what's the least unhealthy meat? Find out in tomorrow's video-of-the-day Good Grub: The Healthiest Meat.

For some context, please check out my associated blog post: Lead Poisoning Risk From Venison

If you haven't yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

    The new data I refer to in the beginning is a reference to yesterday’s video-of-the-day Modern Meat Not Ahead of the Game. Lead has also been found in protein powder supplements, ayervedic medicine supplements, and other animal products. Maybe in shot kangaroo meat too? Like mercury in tuna, no level of lead consumption can be considered safe. So what’s the least unhealthy meat? Find out in tomorrow’s video-of-the-day Good Grub: The Healthiest Meat.

    If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here.

    • HemoDynamic, M.D.

      Get the ‘Led’ out, otherwise we will be climbing the Stairway to Heaven earlier than expected.
      ;-}

      • HemoDynamic, M.D.

        Here’s my lunch that Got the Lead out:

        Sweet & Spicy Lentil, Ginger Curry Quinoa, tossed with Arugala Salad–Absolutely delish!

        • Thea

          Yummmm.

          My lead-free lunch was: a baked home-made felafel burger topped with spinach and my own made-up mixture of quinoa, kale, broccoli and mushrooms tied together with a home-made “cheesy” cashew sauce.  I had organic grapes and strawberries for dessert.  Also yumm!  Also lead-free!

          • HemoDynamic, M.D.

            Makes me hungry–again!

          • BPCveg

            Can you please share how you make the “cheesy” cashew sauce?

          • Doug

            I will butt in and tell you how I make “cheese” sauce!
            1 cup water
            3/4 cup raw cashews
            1 tsp salt
            3 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
            1 tsp onion powder
            1/4 tsp garlic powder
            1/2 cup pimentos (roasted red peppers)
            2 Tbsp lemon juice
            4 drops Tabasco Sauce or cayenne powder

            Blend in a blender until very  smooth, bring to a boil, turn head down and simmer for a couple of  minutes. ( If you boil the cashews a few minutes before using them,they seem to blend smoother. Pour the boiling water off and use cold to blend with.) 

             To make macaroni and cheese, I add 2 Tbsp olive oil and 3/4 cup almond (or other) milk to the sauce.  I use 2 cups of uncooked macaroni for this amount of sauce.  Of course you have to cook the macaroni first!    Mix the sauce in the macaroni, put in a casserole dish, top with “buttered” crumbs and bake till hot.  enjoy

          • Doug

            Waiting to see if Thea’s recipe is similar or even better!

          • BPCveg

            Doug: Thank so much for sharing this delicious-soudning vegan recipe. Will let you know how it goes!

          • Doug

            You are welcome.  I also use this hot on broccoli etc. or a cold spread for bread.

          • Thea

             BPCveg:  Doug’s recipe looks good.  I’ve made similar recipes in the past and liked them to varying degrees.

            Unfortunately, the one I referred to above was something that I just made up on the spot without keeping track of ingredients or amounts.  I definitely could not recreate it.  I know I threw some cashews and water to barely cover in a professional-style blender.  Then I put in nutritional yeast and a bit of smoked salt and  lemon juice.  I’m pretty sure I added some other ingredients until I liked the taste, but darn if I remember now what they were.

            Since you ask about cheese, I have to mention that I *just* discovered the book Vegan Artisan Cheese by Miyoko Schinner.  I ordered it from Amazon.  The reviewers rave about the book and the recipes being incredibly true to the “real” thing.  I have a feeling that after trying those recipes that I will be redefining the what counts as “the real thing”.

            What I can say about the various vegan “cheese” sauces that I have made so far: They may be yummy, and they can definitely take the place of a traditional cheese or cheese sauce, BUT they are really, clearly NOT cheese in taste or texture.  Miyoko is reported to have solved both problems.  I’m very excited about trying it.

            Good luck with your cheese sauce adventure.  (And thank you Doug for sharing your recipe.)

          • BPCveg

            Thanks Thea! Like you, I aspire to be a gourmet vegan chef…hopefully the Miyoko book will live up to the promise.

        • BPCveg

          Care to share how you made teh ginger curry quinoa.

          Thanks in advance for any tips.

          • HemoDynamic, M.D.

            I will. Give me some time to get it together.
            Thanks for asking!

  • Thea

    Wow.  I never would have thought of this.  Very interesting.

  • http://bebrainfit.com/ Deane Alban

    Fascinating! I tell my readers to eat wild meat, but now I need to warn them about lead from bullets. I guess hunters should consider switching to bow and arrows.

    • http://twitter.com/IronRonin36 IronRonin36

      …or simply use copper bullets.  Several other non-lead options as well.

      • KC

        Wow…I think people totally miss the point of Dr. Greger’s work.  No bullets are necessary if you get it!

    • BPCveg

      Or they could use their bare hands. Wouldn’t that level the playing field?

  • Dobbie

    so true. as well, there’s been a decades-old  epidemic of ‘mad cow’ in wild critters :
      http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/wild-game/MY01079
    With game there are a few health-related precautions to keep in mind: Chronic wasting disease (CWD). Similar to mad cow disease, CWD is found in deer and elk. While human infection is a potential concern, there have been no verified cases. To minimize risk, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that hunters who harvest deer or elk from known CWD-positive areas consider having the animal tested for CWD before consuming the meat…

    http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/savvy-scientist/the-slow-march-of-chronic-wasting-disease/563
    …From an infectious disease standpoint, CWD is far more frightening than BSE. In BSE, the infectious prions are normally confined to tissues of the nervous system. People get exposed to BSE prions in mad cow beef only because slaughterhouse conditions often splatter brain matter indiscriminately, and it only takes a milligram or so of infected tissue to transmit the prions.In CWD, however, the bad prions manifest throughout an infected animal’s tissues and secretions: they show up in its saliva, its blood, its bones, its feces, its urine, and its muscles…

    • HemoDynamic, M.D.

      Interesting!
      All the more reason to show why I went plant-based. 

      Why worry about a disease that turns your brain into swiss-cheese.
      Just turn to the plants and not only save each other, but the animals and the Planet.
      ;-}

      • KC

        Right on, HemoDynamic!

    • donmatesz

       Wild game also carry campylobacter, pathogenic E. coli, salmonella, etc.  All the data available on pubmed.  Example:

      Assessment of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates from Wildlife Meat as Potential Pathogens for Humans

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2765146/

      Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus among Wild Birds in Mongolia

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3439473/

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Padric-OFish/100001855682804 Padric O’Fish

    If you’ve ever had to deal with hunters, you’ve probably noticed that their reasoning abilities have seemed… impaired. Now we know that there might be at least a partial answer- besides the fact that their parents are usually close relatives.

  • guest

    I heard deer antler tips is healthy as a supplement, can you summarize the research findings on this? thanks!

    • Connie Sanchez, ND

      Deer Antler tips is used in Chinese Medicine to “rejuvenate and strengthen” the body. However, this is based on the belief that if one takes in specific animal tissues that one will take on the characteristics of that animal (i.e., strength). There is absolutely no scientific evidence that deer antlier tips provide any nutritional value or have special “powers” to strengthen or rejuvinate. The best way to rejuvenate and strengthen the body is by consuming a whole food plant-based diet filled with phytonutrients that have been shown by science to rejuvenate the body.

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