The composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s health issues throughout his life are well documented, with many conjectures on the cause of his death from liver and kidney disease. The presence of high hair lead concentration in Beethoven led to speculation by Reiter, who claimed that it caused the composer’s ailments, including his deafness, and demise

However, higher hair lead concentrations, such as those seen in this study, have been shown to correlate with kidney and liver disease . While the concentrations determined are not supportive of the notion that lead exposure caused Beethoven’s death, it may have contributed to the documented ailments that plagued him most of his life.

We believe this is an important piece of a complex puzzle and will enable historians, physicians, and scientists to better understand the medical history of the great composer.