Milk and Dairy Products Intake Is Associated with Low Levels of Lead (Pb) in Workers highly Exposed to the Metal

Lead (Pb) is a toxic metal, frequently associated with occupational exposure, due to its widespread use in industry and several studies have shown high Pb levels in workers occupationally exposed to the metal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of milk and dairy products (MDP) on Pb levels in blood ( B -Pb), plasma ( P -Pb), and urine ( U -Pb), in workers from automotive battery industries in Brazil. The study included 237 male workers; information concerning diet and lifestyle were gathered through a questionnaire, and B -Pb, P- Pb, and U- Pb were determined by ICP-MS. Mean B -Pb, P -Pb, and U- Pb were 21 ± 12, 0.62 ± 0.73 μg/dL, and 39 ± 47 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Forty three percent of participants declared consuming ≤3 portions/week of MDP (classified as low-MDP intake), while 57% of individuals had >3portions/week of MDP (high-MDP intake). B -Pb and P -Pb were correlated with working time ( r s = 0.21; r s = 0.20; p