Throughout his life, Beethoven battled numerous health issues, including gastrointestinal problems, hearing loss, and liver and kidney disease. Many of these ailments, along with his infamous temper, memory lapses, and chronic clumsiness, have been linked to high lead levels. In 2000, a strand of hair believed to be Beethoven’s was analyzed and found to contain exceptionally high lead levels, leading some to speculate that lead poisoning was the root cause of his health problems and eventual death. However, it was later discovered that the hair belonged to a woman, not Beethoven.
In a groundbreaking study in 2023, several locks of Beethoven’s hair were authenticated, allowing researchers to sequence his genome. A team of experts led by Nader Rifai, Ph.D., from Harvard Medical School, conducted a toxin analysis on two of these locks, known as the Bermann and Halm-Thayer Locks. Using highly accurate mass spectrometry techniques, they found that the Bermann Lock had lead concentrations 64 times higher than normal, while the Halm-Thayer Lock had concentrations 95 times higher. Based on these findings, it was estimated that Beethoven’s blood lead concentration would have been 69 to 71 µg/dL, several times higher than the normal level for adults, but not enough to be considered the sole cause of his death.
Rifai emphasized that while the concentrations of lead found in Beethoven’s hair do not conclusively point to lead poisoning as the cause of his death, they may have contributed to the health issues he experienced throughout his life. This discovery adds a crucial piece to the complex puzzle of Beethoven’s medical history, providing insight for historians, physicians, and scientists alike.
