Relation between anemia and blood levels of lead, copper, zinc and iron among children
Amal A Hegazy, Manal M Zaher, […], Raya A Saleh
BMC Research Notes volume 3, Article number: 133 (2010)
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Zinc and lead are antagonists, meaning more of one depletes the more of other. In looking at reasons why certain demographics are hit harder by coronavirus than others, lead in the water, even in amounts that are technically considered acceptable, could have a significant, and in some cases deadly, effect.
Highlights:
Blood lead level found higher, and zinc therefore usually lower:
... in males than females - men hit harder then women again because there testosterone requires zinc to keep their muscles working correctly. Men's bodies tend to prioritize zinc to testosterone, even above the immune system's fight with coronavirus; people who have been drinking even and normally acceptable amount of lead in their water may start with a zinc deficiency from prioritizing zinc to remove lead from the body.
... in those of low social standard, which means that people of whatever is meant by low social standard are going to have less zinc by having elevated lead levels; possibly not an amount which would be deleterious otherwise, but can be disastrous with Coronavirus.
... in children of illiterate mothers and fathers, possibly do to lower income, and living in places where the level of lead in the water is what is currently considered acceptable or marginal, as compared to more expensive places where there may be a higher standard being maintained.
... unemployed mothers and employed fathers, to which I would give a similar guess, since this society, as a result of a shrinking middle class and enlarging lower class, has less jobs available for men that can provide for the whole family without requiring the woman, in traditional families, to bring in income as well.
This study did not mention single person families, but single-mother families have been traditionally among the most poverty-stricken, and are covered by the first item.
Where there is losing, there is usually a higher level of copper, another zinc antagonist. Being in the hospital might give a better quality of water, but it won't make up for a chronic zinc deficiency immediately.
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©Deborah Barges July 2020 open access