Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) on a request from the Commission related to the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of Nickel

Nickel has not been shown to be essential for humans. Orally ingested nickel salts can cause adverse effects on kidneys, spleen, lungs and the myeloid system in experimental animals. Furthermore, perinatal mortality was reported to be increased in the offspring of female rats ingesting nickel salts, even at the lowest administered dose (1.3 mg nickel/kg body weight/day). While there is evidence that inhaled nickel salts are carcinogenic in rodents and humans, orally ingested nickel salts have not been shown to be carcinogenic; however the data presently available are very limited.