Nickel and Dimed: How a Common Earth Element is Short-Changing Our Health

Nickel has been studied for a long time as an environmental contaminant, but its effects on population health are less well known. Nickel can be harmful with chronic low-dose exposure, especially in people with sensitized immune systems. However, the U.S. lacks current and reliable data on the proportion of the population with nickel allergy and the amount of nickel Americans are exposed to through diet. Researchers created a new dataset of dietary nickel and other heavy metals and found that counties with high nickel exposure experience increased primary care visits for symptoms suggestive of nickel poisoning. The results withstood multiple tests and controls. The research suggests that nickel has harmful effects on individual health and is shaping primary care across the United States.