What is cadmium and what are the risks to your health?

Cadmium is a heavy metal naturally present in soil. It is absorbed by plants and therefore enters the food chain. Other possible sources of cadmium exposure include airborne particles from pollution, but especially cigarette smoke.

Cadmium has no beneficial biological role and, like other heavy metals, is difficult for the body to eliminate. It can therefore accumulate in the body for years without causing visible symptoms. Its effects often appear too late to be easily reversible.

In March 2026, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) published an unprecedented assessment of cadmium exposure among the French population. The findings are concerning: nearly half of the adult population exceeds the health-based reference values [1].

Understanding what cadmium is, where it comes from and what it does to the body has now become a public health issue. Here is what you need to know.

Cadmium: the origin and discovery of a heavy metal with no beneficial role in the body

Not all metals have the same biological importance. Some are essential to our health: zinc, iron, copper and manganese each play a specific role in how the body functions.

Cadmium, however, plays none. It has no known biological function. Instead, it is toxic because it accumulates in the body.

Discovered in 1817, cadmium was initially used in industry for batteries, anti-corrosion coatings and paint pigments. Today, it is classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic to reproduction, which scientists refer to by the acronym CMR [2]. This means that it can cause cancer and genetic mutations and may impair fertility. This is one of the most severe classifications in toxicology.

Unlike some pollutants that are eliminated relatively quickly, cadmium accumulates in tissues over the years.

Its half-life in the body — the time required for half of the absorbed amount to be eliminated — is estimated at between 10 and 30 years in the kidneys [2]. This is what makes it particularly difficult for the body to manage.

How does cadmium enter our body and our food?

Smoking: the main source of exposure

The main source of exposure for the general population remains cigarette smoke, including secondhand smoke. A regular smoker may have cadmium levels two to three times higher than those of a non-smoker [3].

Cadmium in food

For non-smokers, food is the main source of cadmium accumulation.

According to the 2026 ANSES report, food accounts for up to 98% of cadmium exposure in non-smokers [1].

But how does this metal end up in our bread or potatoes?

The mechanism is simple. Cadmium is naturally present in soil at concentrations that vary considerably depending on geological origin. Natural areas such as Scandinavian forests have soils that are particularly rich in cadmium. In France, the phosphate fertilizers used in agriculture mainly come from a region with high cadmium levels (North Africa), which largely explains the increase in soil concentrations observed across all types of agricultural production.

It should be noted that our European neighbors more frequently use phosphate fertilizers originating from Eastern Europe, which contain much lower levels of cadmium.

Cadmium is absorbed by plant roots and accumulates in stems, leaves and grains. It therefore enters the food chain without consumers being able to see, smell or detect it.

The foods that contribute most to cadmium exposure

The foods that contribute most to daily exposure are not necessarily those with the highest individual cadmium concentrations, but those that are consumed regularly and in large quantities:

• Bread
• Breakfast cereals
• Rice
• Pasta
• Potatoes [1].

Among non-plant foods, mollusks, shellfish and organ meats tend to contain higher concentrations of cadmium, but they are consumed less frequently in France, which limits their overall contribution.

Are people in France really exposed to cadmium?

The ANSES report published in March 2026 reveals that 47.6% of the French adult population exceeds the toxicological reference values for cadmium [1].

Children are also affected. Between 23% and 27% exceed the tolerable daily intake through ingestion [1]. Younger children, who have a lower body weight and often consume diets rich in cereals, are particularly vulnerable.

The same applies to vegetarians, whose diets are naturally richer in cereals, legumes and seeds — all foods that can accumulate cadmium.

The risk is cumulative and silent. It develops over decades without warning signs, which is precisely what makes it such a difficult public health issue to address.

What are the health effects of cadmium?

One of the most concerning characteristics of cadmium is the absence of visible signs associated with its ingestion.

It can accumulate in the body for twenty years without causing any visible symptoms. By the time its effects become apparent, the target organs may already have sustained damage that is difficult to reverse.

The kidneys: the main target of cadmium

The kidneys are the organs most exposed to cadmium. This is where it primarily accumulates and where it causes the first lesions. Prolonged exposure, even at low doses, can impair the kidneys' ability to filter waste, eventually leading to kidney failure [2].

Bones: fragility and risk of fractures

Cadmium interferes with the metabolism of calcium and vitamin D, two elements that are essential for bone strength. Chronic exposure promotes demineralization and increases the risk of osteoporosis and fractures [2].

The liver, cardiovascular system and fertility

The liver is the first organ to receive cadmium after it is absorbed by the intestine. It eliminates part of it, an essential point that we discuss in the following section. However, significant and continuous exposure can lead to its accumulation. Studies have found markers of liver damage in highly exposed individuals [4].

From a cardiovascular perspective, excessive cadmium exposure is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Cardiologist Pierre Souvet, president of the French Association for Environmental Health (ASEF), estimates that the increased risk of mortality associated with cadmium could reach 44% [3].

Finally, cadmium can impair both male and female fertility — a reproductive toxicity recognized by European health authorities [2].

The liver: the first line of defense against cadmium

Before reaching the kidneys, bones or cardiovascular system, cadmium passes through the liver. The liver is the first organ to receive the metal absorbed by the intestine, and it has mechanisms that help neutralize it and prepare it for elimination. The liver is the body's main line of defense against heavy metals.

To perform this role, the liver relies on specific biological mechanisms, enzymes, proteins and antioxidants whose production directly depends on the intake of certain micronutrients.

If these micronutrients are lacking, the liver's defenses weaken and a greater proportion of cadmium can accumulate.

Three nutrients play a key role: zinc, methionine and selenium.

These three nutrients support the liver's detoxification processes against heavy metals, each in its own way and in a complementary manner. The first line of protection against a risk that is difficult to predict is therefore to ensure an adequate intake of these nutrients.

Their mechanisms of action are explained in detail in our dedicated article on liver detoxification.

How can you reduce the impact of cadmium in everyday life?

The risk associated with cadmium is cumulative and develops over decades, which also means that gradual changes can have a real impact over the long term.

The first priority is, of course, to avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.

The second is to keep the liver functioning optimally so that it can eliminate as much unintentionally ingested cadmium as possible.

From a dietary perspective, it is unfortunately important to be aware of the limits of what we can do, since we do not actually know the cadmium levels of the foods we consume, which vary depending on their regional origin, farming methods and other factors.

ANSES particularly recommends limiting the daily consumption of sweet and savory wheat-based products — breakfast cereals, biscuits and pastries [1]. This is even more important for children.

As for organic food: organically grown products contain less cadmium on average, particularly because phosphate fertilizers are more strictly regulated in organic farming. A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2014 found cadmium concentrations to be 48% lower in organically grown crops [5]. However, organic food is not an absolute guarantee, as organic fertilizers can also increase the natural cadmium content of soils.

What you need to know about cadmium

Cadmium is a heavy metal with no beneficial biological role and is classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic to reproduction. It mainly enters the body through food, accumulates silently over decades and primarily targets the kidneys, bones and liver. The latest French data show concerning levels of exposure in nearly half of the adult population.

There are two possible levels of action:

1) Reduce exposure by avoiding tobacco smoke and making dietary adjustments, although their overall impact remains difficult to measure until more precise information becomes available.

2) Support the liver through an adequate intake of hepatoprotective micronutrients such as zinc, helping the body's natural elimination mechanisms to function properly.

References

[1] ANSES. Qu'est-ce que le cadmium et quels sont les risques pour la santé ? Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail. Saint-Maurice (France); 2026. Available at: www.anses.fr

[2] Centre Léon Bérard. Cadmium et ses composés. Portail Cancer Environnement. Lyon (France); 2025.

[3] Souvet P., Association Santé Environnement France (ASEF). Cadmium et alimentation : faut-il s'inquiéter ? Cited in Harmonie Santé, 2025.

[4] Li Y., Shi Y., Huang M. et al. Selenium status, cadmium exposure, and hepatotoxicity biomarkers: a meta-analysis. Environmental Research, 2020; 183: 109217.

[5] Barański M. et al. Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses. British Journal of Nutrition, 2014; 112: 794–811.