High levels of heavy metals detected in Ludwig van Beethoven’s hair reveal he may have been lead poisoned, contributing to his deafness and other illnesses, according to a new study.
The researchers analyzed DNA in two authenticated strands of the German composer’s hair and discovered that they contained alarming concentrations of leadas well as high levels of arsenic and mercury, according to a study published May 6 in the journal Clinical Chemistry.
For example, one strand contained 380 micrograms of lead per gram of hair, while the second contained 258 micrograms per gram of hair. (Normal levels today would be closer to 4 micrograms or less.) Her hair also contained 13 times the normal level of arsenic and four times the typical level of mercury.
“These are the highest hair values I have ever seen,” study co-author Paul Jannettopathologist at the Mayo Clinic, said The New York Times. “We get samples from all over the world and these values are an order of magnitude higher.”
High levels of these toxic metals could partly explain why Beethoven suffered from a number of illnesses, the study authors note. He began losing his hearing in his 20s, was completely deaf by his late 40s, had gastrointestinal problems and experienced at least two episodes of jaundice, a symptom of liver disease.
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Although high lead levels are associated with gastrointestinal and liver problems, as well as decreased hearing, it is unlikely that the levels were high enough to be the composer’s “sole cause of death.” , the researchers said. However, his high level of lead exposure “may have contributed to the documented illnesses that plagued him for most of his life,” the researchers wrote in the study. The study authors did not comment on how higher levels of arsenic and mercury would have affected his health.
A previous study Beethoven’s hair also revealed high levels of lead, but this research was later debunked when it was discovered that the strands belonged to an Ashkenazi Jewish woman. However, recent DNA examination of verified hair strands determined that Beethoven, born in 1770 and lived to be 56, was infected with hepatitis B and had a high risk of liver diseasewhich may have contributed to his death.
There are several possibilities as to why Beethoven had so many contaminants in his system.
One theory involves his fondness for wine; he often consumed an entire bottle in a single day. It was not uncommon at that time for wine producers to include lead acetate in their preparations as a preservative and sweetener. At the time, glass bottles also contained traces of lead. The composer of the “Fifth Symphony” also ate a lot of fish caught in the Danube, known to contain arsenic and mercury, CNN reported.
In Beethoven’s time, it was common for people to take pieces of hair from loved ones or celebrities. Today, these hairs shed light on the possible causes of Beethoven’s illnesses, which he failed to identify during his lifetime.
“We believe this is an important piece of a complex puzzle and will allow historians, doctors and scientists to better understand the medical history of the great composer,” the researchers wrote.
News Source : www.livescience.com
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