7 Substances That Are Really Bad For Your Health

Harmful substances are more common in our daily lives than you may think, and smoke from cigarettes and air pollution are merely at the tip of the iceberg. These harmful substances exist in many forms, including naturally-occurring elements and their complex compounds, and organic toxins.

It might be a hard pill to swallow, but makeup contains various chemicals like mercury that could damage your kidneys and nervous system. Also, the appropriate or inappropriate use of some products makes them harmful. For example, using too much toothpaste while brushing your little one’s teeth may be harmful as it contains fluoride. Moreover, exposure to environmental pollutants could directly impact your health with the least visible symptoms. Thus, every chemical has its positive and negative effects. And misuse of some chemicals may pose serious health hazards.

Keep reading to learn about harmful substances that could wreak havoc on your health.

7 Harmful substances That Are Really Bad For Your Health

Asbestos

Asbestos is a group of six types of fibrous silicate minerals that pose serious health risks. This mineral causes mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. Among these, mesothelioma is the most lethal. People may get exposed to asbestos through the breakage of asbestos-containing materials such as wall insulation, textured paints, hot water pipes, etc. Also, construction workers and those people working in industries that use asbestos in making products are more at risk of developing asbestos-related diseases.

However, patients suffering from asbestos-related diseases can collect money from asbestos trust funds and cover their treatment expenses. This fund was established by bankrupt companies that used asbestos in their products to compensate the victims of mesothelioma and related diseases.

Arsenic

Do you know why filtration of water is necessary? It removes chemicals like arsenic and protects you from developing life-threatening diseases. However, filtered water is not enough to protect yourself from the intake of arsenic. What more you can do is limit the intake of food prepared with groundwater, seafood, cereals, rice, mushrooms, etc.

There are two main types of arsenic compounds, inorganic and organic. Inorganic compounds are highly toxic than organic compounds. Seafood contains abundant amounts of organic arsenic compounds. Organic compounds in seafood are eliminated rapidly from the body and are relatively less harmful to human health than inorganic ones. Thus, be more mindful of your food choices.

Benzene

Did you know benzene is among the top 20 chemicals for production volume in the U.S? And did you know benzene is more abundant in the inside air than the outside air? Probably not! It is a widely used chemical in the U.S. Many household products like glues, paints, detergents, furniture wax, etc., contain benzene and make t airborne inside our homes. Also, tobacco smoke contains varying amounts of benzene.

How does it affect your health? Inhaling benzene may lead to drowsiness, headaches, unconsciousness, etc. Benzene also interferes with cellular activities. For example, it affects the bone marrow cells reducing the production of red blood cells. Moreover, it may also affect the immune system making you prone to other diseases.

Cadmium

Cadmium is a cancer-causing agent found naturally in the earth’s crust. How are humans exposed to cadmium? Many mining operations and the actions of wind and rain account for this exposure. But there are also other sources such as the human diet as cadmium gets absorbed into plant and animal foods consumed by humans. Many jobs such as battery manufacturing and welding, and activities like passive smoking also expose humans to this carcinogen.

Cadmium is a toxin whose direct ingestion through the mouth can cause severe irritation in the stomach causing diarrhea. Cadmium is hazardous for your health, even in small amounts, as it builds up over time in the kidneys, making you prone to kidney disease. While inhaling high levels of this toxin may severely affect the lungs leading to death.

Lead

Lead, a naturally occurring metal, is one of the most harmful toxins for human health. It affects multiple organ systems, including the neurologic, cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal, and hematologic systems. Children are more vulnerable, and even brief exposure can make them vulnerable to neurologic defects.

It might come from unimaginable sources like imported candies and toys. The more common sources of lead include paints, traditional medicines, dust, drinking water, jewelry, inks, car batteries, etc. To avoid lead damage, it is crucial to beware of the initial symptoms of lead positioning. These include headaches, constipation, muscle cramps, fatigue, trouble sleeping, etc. If you notice such symptoms, consult a health expert immediately.

Mercury

Like many other toxins, mercury is a naturally occurring element that harms human health. Mercury, in all forms and all amounts, is toxic. Exposure occurs mainly through skin contact, eating fish contaminated with mercury, and direct inhalation of mercury vapors commonly found in the air. Mercury is particularly harmful to children as it interferes with their development in utero and early years of life. It affects brain development in neonatal babies and children under the age of 14 are extremely sensitive to mercury.

All forms of mercury have different toxic effects on various organs inside the body ranging from the nervous system, digestive systems, and immune system to kidneys, liver, and eyes in some cases.

Pesticides

Pesticides are chemicals used for plant growth. They are mostly chemicals but can also be manufactured from natural materials like plants, animals, bacteria, etc. Different types of pesticides have different health effects ranging from short-term acute effects like rashes, blisters, etc., to long-term chronic effects like cancers, congenital disabilities, neurological effects, etc.

A common category of pesticides containing organophosphates and carbonates causes acute nervous system poisoning. Others, like soil fumigants, lead to congenital disabilities. Infants and young children are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of pesticides than adults. Likewise, farm workers are also more susceptible to prolonged exposure to these hazardous chemicals.

Conclusion

Toxins affect human health in one way or the other. Their effects may range from mild headaches to serious consequences like death. Most naturally occurring chemicals and elements make their way into human lives mainly through the air we breathe and food and water. At this point, we are so used to the products containing these toxins that we can’t completely stop using them. But, we can reduce their adverse health effects by managing their production and limiting their use to a safe level. So, be informed about what you breathe in, eat and drink.