The research findings from a team of experts at Harvard Medical School reveal that lead poisoning was not the primary cause of composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s death.
To date, the exact causes of the liver and kidney diseases that led to Beethoven’s death remain uncertain. However, a new study published in the journal Clinical Chemistry dismisses a common hypothesis, indicating that the composer was exposed to high levels of lead, but not high enough to be the sole cause of his death, as reported by Phys.org on May 7.
Beethoven faced numerous health issues throughout his life. (Photo: Internet).
Throughout his life, Beethoven suffered from a variety of health problems, including gastrointestinal issues and hearing loss, along with liver and kidney diseases. High lead levels have often been associated with all these ailments and other characteristics of Beethoven, such as his volatile temperament, forgetfulness, and clumsiness.
When researchers analyzed a lock of hair believed to belong to Beethoven in 2000, they found it contained extremely high levels of lead, leading to the conclusion that lead poisoning caused the composer’s health issues and eventual death. However, further research revealed that the hair belonged to a woman, not to Beethoven.
In 2023, several locks of Beethoven’s hair were confirmed to be authentic in a genetic sequencing study of the composer. A team of medical experts led by Dr. Nader Rifai at Harvard Medical School conducted toxin analysis on two locks of hair named Bermann and Halm-Thayer. Rifai’s team used two different versions of a highly accurate testing technique known as mass spectrometry to analyze the traces of lead.
They found that the Bermann and Halm-Thayer locks of hair had lead concentrations that were 64 times and 95 times higher than normal levels, respectively. Based on these results, the research team estimated Beethoven’s blood lead levels to be between 69 and 71 µg/dL. This is several times higher than the typical lead concentration in adult blood, but still not high enough to be the sole cause of his death.
“While the research results do not prove the hypothesis that lead poisoning caused Beethoven’s death, they may contribute to the health conditions he endured for much of his life“, Rifai concluded. “We believe this is an important link that allows historians, doctors, and scientists to better understand the medical history of the great composer.”
