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Is the lead level in your blood 5 µg/dL or higher? Then the WHO advises finding out where the lead is coming from and stopping the exposure.[1]
On this page you can read what lead is, what the guidelines say about a level that is too low or too high, what affects your level and which other values are best looked at alongside it.
Also called: blood lead, lead level in blood. At the lab: PBE.
Lead is a toxic metal found naturally in the earth's crust. People have used it for a long time and on a large scale. It is found in car batteries, paint, solder, stained glass, crystal glass, pottery glazes, jewellery, toys and some traditional cosmetics and remedies, among other things.[1]
Once lead gets into your body, it travels to organs such as your brain, kidneys, liver and bones. It is stored in your bones and teeth. How much lead you take in is measured through the amount of lead in your blood.[1]
Heavy metals are almost everywhere around you. That is why it is normal to have some of them in your body. If that amount gets too high, it can be harmful. A heavy metals test is usually done with blood or urine.[2]
Young children are especially sensitive to lead. They can absorb 4 to 5 times as much lead as adults from the same amount. Lead can permanently affect the development of their brain, with effects on attention, behaviour and learning.[1]
In adults too, lead can cause harm in the long term. It raises the risk of high blood pressure, problems with the heart and blood vessels, and kidney damage.[1]
If you are expecting a baby, lead can be released from your bones into your blood and reach your unborn child. Lead during this period can slow the growth of the unborn child and can lead to premature birth.[1]
Worldwide, more than 3.5 million deaths in 2023 were attributed to lead exposure, mainly through its effects on the heart and blood vessels.[1]
The lab uses a reference range for lead of 0 to 0.483 umol/l. The lab calls a value between those limits normal.[3]
| Level in blood | What it can mean | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Any level[1] | There is no known safe level of lead in the blood | Everyone |
| From 3.5 µg/dL[1] | Can be linked to lower intelligence, behavioural problems and learning difficulties | Children |
| 5 µg/dL or higher[1] | Advice: find the source of the lead and stop the exposure | Everyone |
Source: WHO, fact sheet on lead poisoning. The WHO uses µg/dL, a different unit from the lab's.[1]
A high level can point to exposure to lead, for example through your work, dust, soil, water or food. At 5 µg/dL or higher, the WHO advises finding out where the lead is coming from and stopping the exposure. A doctor looks at your result together with your symptoms and how you may have come into contact with lead.[1, 2]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
Do you work in construction, at a battery factory, as a plumber, or with stained glass, pesticides or metal coating? Then you are more likely to be exposed. Smelting, recycling and burning off lead-based paint can also release lead dust into the air. In that case, your employer may ask for regular testing.[2, 1]
Lead can get into your drinking water through lead pipes, solder and fittings in older buildings. You can also take it in through contaminated dust, soil or food.[2, 1]
Lead is found in some paints, pottery glazes, jewellery, toys and traditional cosmetics and remedies. If you often come into contact with items that contain a lot of lead, such as toys with lead paint, lead can also enter through your skin.[1, 2]
If you are expecting a baby, lead stored in your bones can find its way back into your blood. Children who get too few nutrients, especially calcium or iron, absorb more lead.[1]
Lead is included in BioProfile 150. Lead is also included in the standalone test BioProfile Heavy metals.[4]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 5 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 5 October 2026. Every number on this page appears in one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to review this page; once that review is done, the expert's name and the date of the review will appear at the top. This page explains and does not diagnose. Discuss a value outside the normal range with your GP.
