What toxic contaminant was implicated in the case study where a woman consumed kelp supplements at excessive levels for two years?
Answer
Arsenic poisoning developed after consuming the supplement at two to four times the recommended dosage over an extended period.
Kelp absorbs environmental toxins present in seawater, including arsenic, making heavy metal contamination a significant safety concern, especially with continuous, high-dose supplementation. A specific case study highlighted this danger, reporting that a woman developed clear symptoms attributed to arsenic poisoning. This adverse event occurred because she was consuming the kelp supplement at an intake level two to four times higher than what was officially recommended, maintaining this excessive intake continuously for a span of two years, demonstrating how ignored dosage instructions amplify contaminant risk.
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