Can you get arsenic poisoning from wine?

Wine alone is extremely unlikely to cause arsenic poisoning unless you drink 1–2 glasses of the same high arsenic wine daily for long periods, or if you often drink these wines alongside other lifestyle practices that expose you to high amounts of the element ( 5 ).

How does arsenic get into wine?

The element can seep into a vineyard’s water and soil when river water, rain, or wind erode arsenic-containing rocks. The study looked primarily at red wines rather than white because the grape skins contain more heavy metals than pulp. Similar to lead poisoning, exposure to arsenic could lead to I.Q.

Does wine contain arsenic?

A new University of Washington study that tested 65 wines from America’s top four wine-producing states — California, Washington, New York and Oregon — found all but one have arsenic levels that exceed what’s allowed in drinking water.

How much arsenic is in a glass of wine?

And the average arsenic level in wines is 24 ppm, meaning you’ll only consume the equivalent drinking .75 liters of EPA-approved water. So yeah, there’s arsenic in wine, but pretty much in everything else, too.

What happens if you drink a lot of arsenic?

Chronic exposure to high levels of arsenic will lead to confusion, headaches, lethargy, and diarrhea, culminating in various cancers. Because arsenic is commonly found in many sources of food and drink, its the cumulative arsenic intake researchers are worried about. And yes, some wines play a small part. But to what extent?

What causes high arsenic levels in private wells?

High arsenic levels in private wells may come from certain arsenic containing fertilizers used in the past or industrial waste. It may also indicate improper well construction or overuse of chemical fertilizers or herbicides in the past. How can I find out whether there is arsenic in my drinking water?

What foods are most at risk of arsenic poisoning?

Ironically, the researchers behind the study said it wasn’t wine but something as innocuous as infant formula made with organic brown rice syrup that poses the greatest risk of arsenic poisoning. “It’s not one food group. It’s not one beverage group,” she said.