Lead content in weight loss food supplements.

INTRODUCTION: The control and prevention of lead exposure are widely discussed topics that seem to be current health concerns for the next decades. Ingestion of lead into the human body can cause toxicity which can be acute or chronic. Possible sources of lead exposure can be, among others, water, food, drugs, and food supplements. The lead content in drugs is a strictly controlled parameter worldwide. The different Pharmacopoeias (European, British, USA) provide information about the limits for lead in every drug substance and also about the tests that should be performed. Regulation of food supplements does not require obligatory analytical control. Often, these products are not monitored to ensure the quality. At the same time, during the last two decades, the global use of dietary supplements has increased manifold.