Antimony occurs naturally in the environment. It is used in many industries. Especially people that work with antimony can suffer the effects of exposure by breathing in antimony dusts. Human exposure to antimony can take place by breathing air, drinking water and eating foods that contain it, but also by skin contact with soil, water and other substances with antimony.

As exposure continues serious health effects may occur, such as lung diseases, heart problems, diarrhoea, severe vomiting and stomach ulcers.

It is not known whether antimony can cause cancer or reproductive failure.

Antimony was used as a medicine for parasite infections, but had serious side effects.

Antimony toxicity from food, however, has not been recorded.