THE DANGERS OF HEAVY
METALS
Heavy metal poisoning
has become a major health problem, especially since the
industrial revolution. Heavy metals are in the water we
drink, the foods we
eat, the air we breathe, our daily household cleaners, our cookware and our
other daily tools. A heavy metal has a density at least 5 times that of water
and cannot be metabolized by the body, therefore accumulating in the body.
Heavy metal toxicity can cause our mental functions, energy, nervous system,
kidneys, lungs and other organ functions to decline. Learning where these
metals can be found and decreasing one’s exposure is vital to staying
healthy. For the person who wonders if they have heavy metal poisoning,
testing is essential.
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Treatment for
Heavy Metal Poisoning
The best treatment
for heavy metal poisoning is chelation. Chelation is a treatment where a
synthetic amino acid called EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) is
administered intravenously. It was originally used in the 1940’s to treat
solders with lead poisoning. When chelation proved to have good results the
FDA approved it. When EDTA enters the bloodstream it binds to the metal atoms
and flushes them out with the urine. This is usually within the first 24 hours
of the chelation treatment.
EDTA chelation is
used to treat such heavy metal poisonings as lead and cadmium. Lead poisoning
can also be treated orally using the chelating agent DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic
acid). Mercury poisoning is treated with DMPS (dimercaptopropane sodium
sulfonate) which is administered intravenously. DMSA (chemet) can also be used
for mercury poisoning.
The EDTA chelation IV
lasts for approximately 3 hours. It is generally given weekly for a period of
time based on the individual case. Kidney and liver functions are monitored
every few treatments. This is because the chelation must pass out the urine
with all the metals that it has collected throughout the blood stream. DMPS IV
chelation therapy takes about 20 minutes.
In general after six
to ten chelations the urine is again collected to see if the chelation is
still removing heavy metals. If not, the chelation is stopped. If heavy metals
such as lead or mercury are still present then the chelation is given another
six to ten treatments and the urine test repeated at that time.
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Testing for
Heavy Metals - HAIR ANALYSIS
When heavy metal
toxicity is suspected, a good screening test is a hair analysis. Scientists
have been evaluating hair specimens for types of metals and concentration as
early as 1931. A hair analysis acts as a timeline for exposure to various
elements. It is a safe and non-invasive way to collect tissue and will help a
doctor treat the underlying problem more efficiently.
At Caring Medical the
hair analysis measures for 12 toxic elements including mercury, lead, arsenic,
aluminum, and cadmium. It measures for 33 nutrient elements including calcium,
zinc, manganese, and cobalt. Additional elements measured in the hair analysis
are iron, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, and titanium.
The hair is generally
taken from the nape of the neck. That is, if the hair is long enough. About an
inch, in length, closest to the skin is needed. For bald men or women with short hair, this isn’t always the route
taken. Hair samples can also be taken from the under arm or the pubic area.
Besides length, the problem of hair treatments can arise. Hair chemicals,
including dyes, can contain lead that will attach to the hair and may
contaminate the sample. For the most accurate results it is best to refrain
from chemically treating hair for at least 2 months.
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Testing for
Heavy Metals - BLOOD TESTS
Hair analysis is a
very useful tool in detecting what causes chronic symptoms but is unable to
detect very recent heavy metal exposures. For recent, acute exposures to
metals such as mercury or lead a blood test is suggested. A 7ml tube of blood
is needed for the test. In the blood various heavy metals can be tested
including mercury and lead.
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Testing for
Heavy Metals - URINE TESTS
The most sensitive
test though for heavy metal load according to various natural medicine
specialists is the provocative urine test. At Caring Medical a person is
infused with a chelating agent such as EDTA or DMPS and then the urine is
collected for 24 hours. The chelating agent, after being infused intravenously,
will go into the tissues of the body and bind the various heavy metals
including cadmium, lead, and mercury. It is then excreted out of the urine
where the heavy metal levels are measured. This is often the only way a person
can tell what types of heavy metal exposure they have had. For children, such
as those with autism, chemet (DMSA), an oral chelating agent,
is given for three days. The child’s urine is then collected for 6 hours to look
for heavy metal poisoning. As a side note, oral chelation therapy has been a
very effective treatment for autism at Caring Medical.
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Aluminum
Toxicity
Sources: Aluminum
foil, antacids, aspirin, dust, auto exhaust, treated water, vanilla powder,
nasal spray, milk products, salt, commercially-raised beef, tobacco smoke,
antiperspirants, bleached flour, cans, animal feed, ceramics, commercial
cheese
Symptoms and DIseases: Flatulence,
headaches, dry skin, weak and aching muscles, senility, spleen pain, stomach
pain, liver dysfunction, kidney dysfunction, neuromuscular disorders,
osteomalacia, colitis, anemia, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, hemolysis, leukocytosis, porphyria, heartburn, memory loss,
numbness, paralysis, Parkinson's disease, excessive perspiration, leg
twitching, cavities, colds, behavioral problems, constipation
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Arsenic
Sources: Coal
combustion, paints, rat poisoning, beer, pesticides, table salt, seafood from
coastal waters (oysters, shrimp, muscles), fungicides, drinking water, wood
preservatives.
Symptoms and Diseases: Brain damage, enzyme
inhibitor, kidney damage, anorexia, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chronic anemia, drowsiness,
rashes,
dermatitis, liver dysfunction, hair loss, headache, vertigo,
fever, stupor, herpes, jaundice, fluid loss, throat constriction, spasms,
respiratory tract infection, garlicky odor to breath or stool, keritosis,
pallor, goiter, birth defects.
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Beryllium
Sources: Coal
burning, household cleaners, industrial dust, manufacturing.
Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD)-
A treatable but not curable disease primarily in the lungs. CBD can cause a
persistent cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest and joint pain, blood in
sputum, loss of appetite, rapid heart rate, fevers and night sweats.
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Cadmium
Sources: Tap
water, fungicides, marijuana, processed meat, rubber, seafood (cod, haddock,
oyster, tuna), sewage, tobacco, colas (especially from vending machines),
tools, welding material, evaporated milk, airborne industrial contaminants,
batteries, instant coffee, incineration of tires/rubber/plastic, refined
grains, galvanized pipes, dental alloys, candy, ceramics,
electroplating fertilizers, paints, motor oil and motor exhaust.
Symptoms and DIseases:
Alopecia,
anemia, arthritis, cancer, lung disease, cerebral hemorrhage, cirrhosis of the
liver, enlarged heart, diabetes, emphysema, fatigue, hypoglycemia, hypertension,
high blood pressure,
impotence, infertility, kidney disease, learning disorders, migraines, nervous
system disorders, renal disease, osteoporosis, schizophrenia, strokes, vascular
disease, high cholesterol, neuromuscular diseases, growth is impaired, cardiovascular
disease.
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Copper
Sources: Cookware, pipes, dental alloys, fungicides, ice makers, industrial
emissions, swimming pools, shellfish, perch, bluefish, lobster, walnuts,
almonds, soybeans, wheat germ, yeast, beer, chocolate, corn oil, gelatin,
liver, lamb, mushrooms, avocado, birth control pills.
Symptoms and DIseases:
Acne,
allergies, alopecia, insomnia, nausea, tooth decay, strokes, PMS,
yeast infections, urinary tract infections, mood swings, kidney disorders,
depression, cystic fibrosis, arthritis, anxiety, anorexia, multiple sclerosis,
inflammation, pancreatic dysfunction, vitamin deficiencies, paranoia,
migraines, libido decreased, nervousness, osteoporosis, senility, stuttering,
phobias, diabetes, autism, estrogen dominance, autism symptom elevation.
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IRON
Sources: Iron
cookware, iron pipes, drinking water, welding, shellfish, soybeans, liver,
kidneys, beef, nuts, legumes, sunflower seeds, bran, bone meal, wheat germ,
whole grain, molasses, yeast.
Symptoms and Diseases:
Anger
and other emotional disorders, birth defects, constipation, diabetes,
insomnia, high blood pressure, arthritis, cancer, cirrhosis of the liver,
schizophrenia, myasthenia gravis, nausea, pancreas damage, headaches,
Parkinson’s disease, scurvy, shortness of breath, hepatitis, dizziness,
heart failure.
Hemochromatosis (iron overload)-
A disease with the ability to be passed on hereditarily or acquired. It can
cause hair loss and skin discoloration. It can increase the possibility for
stroke and memory loss. Serious heart problems can erupt from hemochromatosis
by clinging on to the arteries and in time causing them to become blocked, and
also damaging the electrical nerves causing an irregular heart beat. The liver
may also become enlarged and lead to cirrhosis. Hemochromatosis also messes
with the digestive system, in that bleeding ulcers may develop. Severe
arthritis can also develop because an iron overload causes a precipitation of
calcium pyrophosphates in the joint spaces, the cartilage of the joint and the
surrounding tissues of the joint. As if that weren’t enough, the
susceptibility to infections is significantly increased.
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LEAD
Sources: Ash,
auto exhaust, cigarette smoke, coal combustion, colored inks, pesticides,
rainwater, food cans with lead solder sealing, toothpaste, wine, manufacturing
batteries, cosmetics, hair dyes, lead pipes, liver, glazed ceramics, pencils,
lead-based paint, industrial emissions.
Symptoms and DIseases:
Abdominal
pain, ADD, adrenal insufficiency, allergies, anemia, anxiety, arthritis,
blindness, cardiovascular disease, autism, colic, constipation, convulsions,
depression, dyslexia, epilepsy, fatigue, gout, hallucinations, headaches,
hostility, hyperactivity, hypertension, hypothyroidism, impotence, liver
dysfunction, hyperkinesis, mental retardation, mood swings, menstrual
problems, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, nephritis, nightmares,
nausea, numbness, Parkinson’s disease, poor concentration, psychosis, renal
dysfunction, restlessness, schizophrenia, seizures, stillbirths, SIDS, tooth
decay, vertigo, weight loss.
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Mercury
Sources: Dental
amalgam, tunafish, swordfish, felt, algaecides, floor waxes, adhesives, fabric
softeners, chlorine production, contact lens solution, preparation H,
diuretics, Mercurochrome, Merthiolate, childhood vaccines.
Symptoms and DIseases:
Adrenal
gland dysfunction, anorexia, birth defects, brain damage, depression,
dermatitis, dizziness, fatigue, hearing loss, hyperactivity, insomnia, kidney
damage, memory loss, migraines, mood swings, nervousness, pain in limbs, skin
rashes, schizophrenia, thyroid dysfunction, peripheral vision loss.
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NICKEL
Sources: Peanut
butter, hydrogenated vegetable oils, margarine, imitation whip creams, kelp,
oysters, herring, nickel plating, cigarette smoking, tea, batteries, wire and
electrical parts.
Symptoms and DIseases:
Hemorrhages,
malaise, low blood pressure, kidney dysfunction, nausea, vomiting, heart
attack, oral cancer, intestinal cancer.
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TIN
Sources: Tin
coated cans of fruits and vegetables, processed foods, industrial waste.
Symptoms and DIseases: Headaches,
vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, abdominal bloating, nausea, fever,
hyperglycemia, vision changes, liver damage, ataxia.
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