TOXIC METALS

IN HUMAN HEALTH AND DISEASE

By Lawrence Wilson, MD

Toxic metals comprise a group of minerals that have no known function in the body and, in fact, are harmful. Today mankind is exposed to the highest levels of these metals in recorded history.

This is due to their industrial use, the unrestricted burning of coal, natural gas and petroleum, and incineration of waste materials worldwide. Toxic metals are now everywhere and affect everyone on planet earth. They have become a major cause of illness, aging and even genetic defects.

The study of toxic metals is part of nutrition and toxicology, areas not emphasized in medical schools. For this reason, these important causes of disease are accorded little attention in conventional mainstream medicine. This article focuses on the extent of toxic metal problems – sources of toxic metals, symptoms and how to remove them safely, quickly and deeply. This is not an easy task, I might add.

Many methods are used together. Most important, however, is that at the same time we use chelators, antagonists, sulfur amino acids and other methods, we balance the body chemistry very delicately using hair mineral analysis. This is the secret, really, to our success which is great.

INTRODUCTION TO THE MINERALS

Minerals are the building blocks of our bodies. They are required for body structure, fluid balance, protein structures and to produce hormones. They are a key for the health of every body system and function.

They act as co-factors, catalysts or inhibitors of all enzymes in the body. Copper and iron, for example, along with other minerals are required for the electron transport system, and thus needed for all cellular energy production.

Minerals are classified into four groups: The macrominerals, or those needed in large quantity, include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, copper and zinc. Required trace minerals include manganese, chromium, selenium, boron, bromine, silicon, iodine, vanadium, lithium, molybdenum, cobalt, germanium and others.

Possibly required trace minerals include fluorine, arsenic, rubidium, tin, niobium, strontium, gold, silver and nickel. Toxic metals include beryllium, mercury, lead, cadmium, aluminum, antimony, bismuth, barium, uranium and others.

These categories overlap slightly because assessing minerals that are required by humans is problematic. Some may be needed in minuscule amounts. Clinical studies to prove this by depriving people of vital minerals would be cruel and possibly disastrous.

Also, note that minerals needed in lesser quantities are usually toxic in greater amounts. Examples are copper, iron, manganese, selenium and vanadium. Even calcium and sodium are quite toxic in excess.

TOXIC METAL DANGERS

Today mankind is exposed to the highest levels in recorded history of lead, mercury, arsenic, aluminum, copper, nickel, tin, antimony, bromine, bismuth and vanadium. Levels are up to several thousand times higher than in primitive man. In my clinical experience, everyone has excessive amounts of some or all of the toxic metals.

Toxic metals are also persistent and cumulative. The late Dr. Henry Schroeder, MD, who was a world authority on trace elements, wrote:

“Most organic substances are degradable by natural processes. (However), no metal is degradable…they are here to stay for a long time”.

Toxic metals replace nutrient minerals in enzyme binding sites. When this occurs, the metals inhibit, overstimulate or otherwise alter thousands of enzymes.

An affected enzyme may operate at 5% of normal activity. This may contribute to many health conditions. Toxic metals may also replace other substances in other tissue structures. These tissues, such as the arteries, joints, bones and muscles, are weakened by the replacement process.

Toxic metals may also simply deposit in many sites, causing local irritation and other toxic effects. They may also support development of fungal, bacterial and viral infections that are difficult or impossible to eradicate until this cause is removed.

The mineral replacement process often involves the idea of preferred minerals. For example, the body prefers zinc for over 50 critical enzymes.. However, if zinc becomes deficient - and our soil and food are very low in zinc today - or exposure to cadmium, lead or mercury is sufficiently high, the body will use these in place of zinc.

Cadmium, in particular, is located just below zinc in the periodic table of the elements, so its atomic structure is very similar to that of zinc. It almost fits perfectly in the zinc binding sites of critical enzymes such as RNA transferase, carboxypeptidase, alcohol dehydrogenase and many others or great importance in the body.

The ability to replace a vital mineral means, however, that toxic metals are not completely harmful. Indeed, they can extend life. They keep bodies functioning when vital minerals are deficient.

An analogy is to imagine taking an automobile journey. If one is far away from a repair shop when a key part like the fan belt breaks, if one had a spare piece of rope, one could tie it around the pulleys and continue the trip slowly.

The rope would not function nearly as well as the original part, but would allow one to keep going. This is how toxic metals can function positively in the body. Many people limp along on grossly deficient diets, and are even born deficient and toxic.

They do not realize their fatigue and other symptoms are due to the presence of incorrect “replacement parts” in their biological engine compartments. Depending on where toxic metals accumulate, the resulting effects may be given names such as hypothyroidism, diabetes or cancer. The idea of preferred minerals is discussed in a theoretical context in the article on this website entitled The Theory of Nutritional Balancing Science.

MODERN DIETS AND TOXIC METALS

The danger of toxic metals is greatly aggravated today by the low mineral content of most of our food supply. An abundance of vital minerals protects against toxic metals. Vital minerals compete with toxic metals for absorption and utilization in enzymes and other tissue structures.

However, when food is low in essential minerals, the body absorbs and makes use of more toxic metals. To continue the previous analogy, we are not stocking up sufficiently on factory parts, so we must use the greatly inferior replacement parts – toxic metals. Causes for the low mineral content of almost all agricultural products are primarily:

· Hybrid crops are bred for production or disease resistance, rather than superior nutrition.

· Superphosphate fertilizers produce higher yields by stimulating growth, but do not provide all the trace elements.

· Monoculture, the growing of just one crop over and over on the same piece of land, eventually depletes the soil.

· Toxic sprays damage soil microorganisms needed to help plants absorb minerals from the soil.

· Food refining and processing almost always reduce the mineral content of our food. Whole wheat flour, when milled to make white flour, loses 40% of its chromium, 86% of its manganese, 89% of its cobalt, 78% of its zinc and 48% of its molybdenum. Refining cane into sugar causes even greater losses. EDTA may be added to frozen foods to retain their color. However, this chelating agent removes minerals that otherwise would cause the surface minerals to ‘tarnish’, discoloring the vegetables.

According to Dr. Weston Price, author of Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, primitive man ate 5 to 11 times the amount of the essential minerals in his diet as modern man . The term 'empty calories' aptly describes most of our food today.

SOURCES AND DETECTION OF TOXIC METALS

For a more complete list of sources for each of the major toxic metals organized by the metal, see the Reference Guide at the end of this article.

Food Sources. Food grown near highways or downwind of industrial plants may contain lead and other toxic amounts of metals. Even organic home gardens may be contaminated if, for example, old house paint containing lead leaches lead into the soil.

Sprays and insecticides still often contain lead, arsenic, mercury and other toxic metals. Refining of food often contaminates the food with aluminum, as it is found in water supplies everywhere.

Also, food refining removes the protective zinc, chromium and manganese from food and leaves the toxic metals in some cases, such as cadmium. This makes white flour even more toxic, as with white sugar, and is another reason to totally avoid these foods.

Lead is considered the most widely distributed toxic metal due to its many uses in industry. However, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and particularly aluminum are just as widespread if not more, but are less well-studied.

Pesticides used on fruits, vegetables and many other foods may contain arsenic, lead, copper, mercury and other toxic metals.

Mercury and others from the sea. Fish, especially those caught near the coast or in contaminated streams or lakes, are universally contaminated. Mercury is found today in ALL FISH, bar none. Even small fish, which used to be safe, are not any more. This is sad as fish is otherwise an excellent food.

We recommend eating small, cold-water fish such as salmon and sardines no more than twice weekly, and this is because they are such excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids we all require today. These fatty acids are especially important for children and babies, by the way, for nervous system development.

Large fish concentrate mercury a million times or more. The federal government recently issued a warning that pregnant and lactating women should avoid tuna, shark, king mackerel and other large fish. I recommend everyone avoid these fish!

Avoid shellfish. Shellfish and bottom feeders in particular contain excessive cadmium, mercury and other toxic metals. Please avoid all shellfish, forever, as the problem is just getting worse in most nations of the world. Once again, they are not bad foods if they are processed correctly, but the toxic metal levels are incredible at times. This is why many people are “allergic” to them. This is a mild term. They are really poisoned by them.

Table salt has aluminum added as an anti-caking agent. Sea salt is much better. Beverages in aluminum cans or food cooked in aluminum may contain elevated levels of aluminum. Ceramic plates and cookware from other nations often contain leaded glazes that come off onto the food.

Nickel. This is a particularly deadly toxic metal. It is found in large quantity, sadly, in some older metal or even ceramic dental fixtures such as crowns and some wires used in bridges and braces. Be very careful about this because nickel can contribute to cancer and other horrible problems.

If you suspect you have nickel-plated crowns or dental wires of some kind, talk to your dentist about the problem and try to find out the materials in your mouth. One way to save thousands of dollars, though not a perfect solution, would be to coat dental wires and even the sides of crowns with clear nailpolish to keep the nickel from rubbing off into the body.

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME, however, Go to a dental office where they have a suction machine and do it there, or have the hygienist do it for you. Nail polish gives off very toxic fumes and these should never be breathed, ever.

Nickel in much smaller quantity in hydrogenated oils found in commercial peanut butter, margarines including soy margarine and vegetable shortening. Cadmium used as catalysts.

Aluminum and Drinking Water. This is the most important source of toxic metals for most people. Aluminum, copper, toxic chlorides and fluorides are added to many municipal water supplies.

Aluminum allows dirt to settle out of the water, while copper kills algae that grows in reservoirs. Chlorine is used to disinfect water, although ozone works very well and is a far more healthful treatment.

Wells and even municipal water may also contain some lead, arsenic and other undesirable metals. Galvanized and black plastic pipes can be an important source of cadmium. Lead-soldered pipes and copper pipes may increase these metals in the drinking water if the water is soft. It is an uncommon problem in hard water areas.

Fluoride compounds added to drinking water are extremely toxic. They have found their way into ground water supplies, and thus into the food chain. Fluoride levels in foods processed with water may be very high, especially baby foods and reconstituted fruit juices.

Health authorities who recommend fluoridating the water rarely if ever take into account fluorides already found in natural foods, foods processed with fluoridated water and fluoridated toothpaste. The combination adds up to overload in all cases.

Hydrofluosilicic acid, the chemical often used to fluoridate drinking water, is a smokestack waste that contains lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum, benzene and radioactive waste material .

Note that carbon and carbon block filters do not remove most toxic metals from water. Only distillation and reverse osmosis remove most toxic metals. Good quality spring water is probably best way to avoid the most common source of toxic metals and at the same time obtain vital minerals.

Airborne Sources of Toxic Metals. Most toxic metals are effectively absorbed by inhalation. Auto and particularly aircraft exhaust, industrial smoke and products from incinerators are among the airborne sources of toxic metals and other chemicals.

Mercury and coal-fired power plants. Burned high in the atmosphere, aircraft fuel deposits everywhere and affects everyone on earth. Burning coal can release mercury, lead and cadmium among other metals . Iranian and Venezuelan oil are high in vanadium.

Coal plants should have scrubbers, as they do in the United States. However, they do not in some nations such as China, that are in a great hurry to industrialize and do not realize the damage their plants are causing in the entire world thanks to their pollution of the air, water and food supplies.

Other oil is excessive in toxic sulfur compounds. Tetraethyl lead was added to gasoline for many years. Residues are present on pavement and may settle on buildings, cropland and elsewhere. Today, manganese is added to gasoline. Uranium exposure is largely from airborne sources such as nuclear tests and accidental nuclear releases.

Incineration can be clean. Older methods of incineration of electronic parts, plastics, treated fabrics, batteries and even diapers release all the toxic metals into the air. The use of scrubbers and newer methods of very high temperature incineration are much better.

Cadmium and mercury in papers. Cigarette and marijuana smoke are high in cadmium, found in cigarette paper. Pesticides used on these crops may contain lead, arsenic and other toxic metals.

Medications. Many patented prescription and over-the-counter drugs contain toxic metals. Cipro (fluoquinolones) and Prozac (fluoxetine) are fluoride-containing chemicals, for example.

Thimerisol, a mercury-containing preservative, is used in some vaccines, including all flu shots. Independent evaluation of a large study that is part of the Centers For Disease Control Vaccine Safety Datalink concluded that

“children are 27 times as likely to develop autism after exposure to three thimerisol-containing vaccines than those who receive thimerisol-free versions” .

Thiazide diuretics contain mercury. These include Maxzide, Diazide and many others. Antacids such as Ryopan, Gaviscon, Maalox, Mylanta and many others are very high in aluminum. Antibiotics may also contain toxic substances including metals.

Direct Skin Contact. Almost all anti-perspirants and many cosmetics contain aluminum. Dental amalgams contain mercury, copper and other metals. Dental bridges and other appliances often contain nickel.

Prostheses and pins used to hold bones together may contain nickel and other toxic metals. Copper intra-uterine devices, if left in place for years, release a tremendous amount of copper into the body.

Soaps, body lotions and creams often contain toxic compounds. A few hair dyes contain lead. Selsun Blue shampoo contains selenium that is quite toxic in high doses.

Household lawn and garden chemicals may contain lead, arsenic and other compounds. Mercury treated seeds and arsenic-treated wood are other common sources of toxic metals.

Occupational exposure is important for many occupations today. Among the most common are plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, printers, ironworkers, office workers, other building trades and many other occupations.

Workers need to wear gloves, masks and take other precautions when handling inks, metals and other toxic materials. Unfortunately, most occupational exposure occurs without the knowledge of either the worker or the employer today.

Congenital Toxic Metals. This is a vital topic that deserves a separate article, so important is it. Here I will just briefly introduce the subject.

Today, all children are born with some toxic metals acquired in utero. All the toxic metals pass through the placenta from mother to child. This is seen clearly when reviewing mineral analyses of infants. Most have never been exposed to even food, yet their bodies are high in many toxic metals.

The only explanation is that these infants receive exposures in utero during gestation. This is a very sad situation, as these children are born with two strikes against them, so to speak. They are far more prone to autism, ADD, ADHD, infections, developmental delays and more. For more information about this critical topic, see the articles on this website about children’s health.

DETECTING TOXIC METALS IN THE BODY

Toxic metals are not easy to detect as they lodge deep within tissues and organs. Serum tests are helpful at times, and not helpful for most chronic exposure. Toxic metals are removed from the blood rapidly and deposited in storage organs and tissues where they will do less damage.

Tissue tests such as hair mineral analysis are therefore more often helpful. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reviewed over 400 reviews of the use of hair for toxic metal detection and concluded that:

“Hair is a meaningful and representative tissue for (biological monitoring for) antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, vanadium and perhaps selenium and tin.“

The author of a study of lead toxicity in Massachusetts school children, Dr. R. Tuthill, concluded:

“Scalp hair should be considered a useful clinical and epidemiological approach for the measurement of chronic low-level lead exposure in children.”

Skilled interpretation of the hair analysis is required. For example, when aluminum is elevated in the hair, iron and manganese are almost always elevated, but hidden. That is, they do not accumulate in the hair so they are not revealed there. Later, when they are being eliminated due to a nutritional balancing program, they will usually be revealed, however.

Another method of detection is a challenge test in which one takes an injection of a chelating agent such as EDTA or DMPS. Then a 24-hour urine sample is analyzed for toxic metals. This will reveal some metals that are in the arteries, veins and kidneys, but misses most of the others.

No test can detect anywhere near all the toxic metals in the body. Often they are sequestered in hard-to-reach places such as the bones or poorly-perfused fatty tissues. They will be revealed, however, as they are excreted through the hair if one performs repeat hair mineral tests. As a clinician, I must assume everyone has toxic metals and any sound health program needs to be designed to remove them.

SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH TOXIC METALS

For a complete list of symptoms for each toxic metal, see the Reference Guide at the end of this article.

Toxic metals can contribute to any imaginable illness. For example, lead that replaces calcium in the bones can contribute to weakened bones and osteoporosis.

Cadmium that replaces zinc in the arteries causes inflammation and hardening of the arteries. Iron that replaces zinc and other minerals in the pancreas, adrenals and elsewhere can contribute to impaired blood sugar tolerance and diabetes.

Copper that replaces zinc in the brain is associated with migraine headaches, premenstrual syndrome, depression, anxiety, panic attacks and much more. Mercury and copper that replace selenium in various tissues impairs the conversion of T4 to T3, contributing to thyroid imbalances.

Toxic Metals and Aging. The slow, or not so slow, replacement of vital minerals with toxic metals is an important and neglected cause of aging due to deactivation of enzyme systems and the loss of organ and tissue integrity.

Toxic metal accumulation also feeds on itself. As one’s energy production decreases with age, the body is less able to eliminate toxic metals, causing more metal accumulation.

Toxic Metals and Gene Expression. Genetic birth defects may be caused by faulty DNA or by faulty gene expression. Even if one’s DNA is perfect, the synthesis of proteins from that DNA can be faulty.

For example, zinc is required for a key enzyme in gene expression, RNA transferase. Not surprisingly, zinc deficiency is associated with conditions such as neural tube defects. A recent article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discussed this hidden cause of genetic defects.

"An alternate form of a gene present in greater than 1% of the population is called a polymorphism".

While the article mainly discusses vitamin deficiencies as a cause for genetic defects, it gives the example that "mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase cause 25% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis."

SOLUTIONS TO TOXIC METAL OVERLOAD

One should not fear toxic metals. They cannot be completely avoided, but one can minimize exposure with careful eating and a healthful lifestyle.

Also, our bodies have a lot of evolutionary experience with them and effective mechanisms to eliminate them. These can be supported and enhanced by nutritional and other therapies. The following program, when followed faithfully, will lead to the safe removal of toxic metals.

1. Eat a varied, excellent-quality diet of mineralized foods. The body will absorb and utilize less toxic metals if it receives more preferred minerals. In a 1994 study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, food labeled “organic” selected randomly from Chicago food markets had an average of twice the mineral content of standard supermarket food. The famed people of Hunza who lived to 120 years or longer in excellent health drank glacial runoff that was so mineral-rich the water was cloudy (The Wheel of Health by Carrington ).

Especially mineral-rich foods include kelp, sea salt, other sea vegetables, small fish and all root vegetables except potatoes and yams. Root vegetables must be cooked at least 45 minutes for their minerals to be most bioavailable.

Adequate protein, especially animal protein, supplies sulfur-containing amino acids which help chelate toxic metals and support liver detoxification pathways.

Other high-sulfur foods include egg yolks and vegetables in the cabbage, radish, garlic and onion families. Sulfur is very helpful for detoxification in general, and for mercury and copper in particular.

Fiber is also helpful to reduce some toxic metals. It reduces bowel transit time, which can limit absorption of toxic metals. Certain fibers such as modified citrus pectin bind some toxic metals that reduces their absorption.

2. Improve Your Lifestyle and Habits of Living. Eat regular, sit-down meals. Also, eat quietly and slowly, and chew thoroughly. This can greatly enhance digestion and absorption of vital minerals. Most everyone needs to take digestive enzymes at least for a while to improve digestion. A relaxed and positive outlook also greatly facilitates digestion.

Sleeping 9 or 10 hours per night is most helpful to eliminate toxic metals. Most people do not sleep nearly enough. Six or seven hours per night is not sufficient for healing and detoxification. These are parasympathetic activities that occur mainly during the hours of sleep and rest.

3. Avoid all extreme or deficient diets. Strict vegetarian diets, for example, are always deficient in zinc and usually in many other essential nutrients. Raw food diets, while higher in some vitamins and other nutrients, are usually much lower in vital minerals.

Cooking does not reduce the mineral content of food and usually makes minerals much more bioavailable by breaking down fiber. Cooking also concentrates the food so that one ends up ingesting many more vital minerals.

Skipping meals or snacking on the run, eating the same foods every day or living on protein drinks also induce mineral deficiencies. For example, egg or whey protein powder is not a substitute for eating eggs or fresh goat milk. The latter are whole foods that are much richer in many minerals. Food supplements are never a substitute for an excellent diet.

Avoid refined foods such as white sugar, white flour, table salt and white rice. These are almost devoid of vital minerals and will cause the body to absorb and utilize more toxic metals.

4. Take Nutritional Supplements. Supplements can help reduce the absorption of toxic metals and facilitate their removal. Kelp supplements are one of the best.

Kelp contains a wide range of vital minerals. It also contains some toxic metals, as do all products from the sea. However, they are tightly bound. Alginates found in kelp also help bind and remove radioactive minerals, another hidden and important health concern related to toxic metals.

One can use antagonists to help eliminate toxic metals. These compete specifically with particular toxic metals for absorption, transport and utilization in enzyme binding sites and in other tissue structures.

For example, zinc and calcium are cadmium antagonists. Selenium and zinc are mercury antagonists.

I worked for a short time at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Heath. We investigated a factory in which workers were fed milk to help avoid lead poisoning. While a bit crude, the principle was sound, as calcium is a lead antagonist.

Specific minerals that most people need to add to their daily diet are more zinc, chromium, selenium and manganese. Most multivitamins do not contain enough. Other supplements that are helpful for toxic metals are N-acetyl cysteine, garlic, chlorella, cilantro extract and other sulfur-containing amino acid supplements.

Chlorella, raw garlic, cilantro and NAC have a disadvantage in that they are extremely yin in Chinese medical terminology. This is not helpful for most people. The Life Extension Foundation offers a number of excellent mineral supplements, as well as Only Minerals and Phyto-food.

5. Reduce Airborne Exposure and Skin Contact. Avoid contaminated air as much as possible. City dwellers should use air filters in their homes and offices that can trap toxic metals. Unfortunately, even rural areas can experience pesticide drift, and auto and industrial fumes. If you must handle toxic materials at home or at work, wear gloves, masks and other protective gear.

Read labels carefully on skin care products. Most cosmetics and skin care products are somewhat toxic.

6. Improve your energy. This greatly enhances the body's ability to eliminate toxic metals. Nutritional balancing science using hair analysis is the key to this. It can assess metabolic rate, metabolic type, and exactly which supplements and how much of each are needed. Random supplementation does not work well.

More importantly, however, we use the hair mineral analysis to assess the oxidation rate and we delicately balance this rate, as well as the oxidation type, to greatly improve a person’s energy.

Also, a combination of adequate rest and sleep, excellent diet and a healthful lifestyle are important for raising the energy level. These factors are too often overlooked by medical and holistic practitioners.

When needed, other natural therapies such as chiropractic, body work, energy work and others are also most helpful to restore and maintain an optimum energy level.

7. Improve your eliminative organs. In almost everyone, these do not function optimally. They are congested or sluggish due to glandular imbalances and the burden of toxic substances everyone must coped with.

Nutritional support includes milk thistle and dandelioin root for the liver, uva ursi and parsley for the kidneys, and fiber, digestive enzymes and other products for the bowel. Other excellent therapies include saunas, coffee enemas, colonic irrigation, massage, skin brushing and others.

Excessive sympathetic nervous system activity inhibits detoxification. Supplementary nutrients that inhibit excessive sympathetic activity include calcium, magnesium, zinc, choline, inositol, GABA, taurine and calming herbs. Other helpful therapies for this purpose include saunas, meditation, tai chi and biofeedback.

Saunas (hot air baths) have been used for thousands of years by many cultures. They are quite safe and very effective for detoxification. The New York Times recently reported on the success of saunas when nothing else was effective for the firemen who became ill at the World Trade Center disaster.

Saunas draw blood to the surface, powerfully stimulate circulation and decongest the internal organs. Infrared saunas penetrate more deeply and are often more comfortable as they work at lower temperatures. Note that sweating during exercise is not as effective for detoxification as sweating when one is relaxed in a sauna. The best saunas I have experienced are those powered by infrared heat lamps.

8. Add Chelating Agents. To chelate means to bind to a metal. Certain substances bind tightly to toxic metals and assist their removal. Natural chelators include vitamin C, sulfur-containing amino acids, and some herbs including yellow dock and bugleweed. Molybdenum complexes with copper and is excellent when used sparingly.

Synthetic chelating agents include penicillamine and BAL (british anti-lewisite) for copper and deferoxamine for iron and aluminum. EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid) is a synthetic amino acid that binds to many minerals, toxic and essential.

DMPS (sodium salt of 2,3-dimercapto-1-propane sulfonic acid) and DMSA (meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid) are synthetic agents used for mercury toxicity. Synthetic chelators are drugs that have more side effects, among which is their tendency to remove more good minerals along with the toxic ones. They may also accumulate in the body, along with the toxic metals they bind.

Toxic metals are in a delicate balance with other nutrients. Aggressive use of any chelator can have adverse and sometimes devastating health effects for this reason. This applies to high dose vitamin C, which powerfully lowers copper, and even moreso to the synthetic agents. For example, DMPS can dislodge mercury from fairly safe storage sites. It may then redeposit in more vital organs. It must be used with utmost caution.

Though chelation is the best known method to eliminate toxic metals, in my experience, synthetic chelators are hardly ever needed if one will undertake a complete nutritional balancing program. One exception is in advanced cases of multiple sclerosis, however. This ailment is often associated with some degree of mercury toxicity that is not so easy to remove, for various reasons, from the brain tissue. Here IV chelation may be lifesavings if done carefully.

SYMPTOMS WHEN METALS ARE REMOVED

This topic must not be forgotten an any article about toxic metals. Elimination of heavy metals, toxic chemicals and chronic infections almost always will cause symptoms from time to time. Also, it will cause fluctuations in a person’s energy level and perhaps many other physical and emotional symptoms.

This is large topic in itself. I will only mention it here. However, several articles on this website such as Copper Elimination Symptoms discuss it in detail, along with what to do for it. Usually, just resting more and perhaps drinking more distilled water is all that is needed, however. I have never had a serious symptom of metal removal when I avoid the synthetic chelating drugs, for example. That is part of the reason that I avoid them, although our methods will also remove the metals in far greater amounts over time than these drugs can do as well.

Why Hair Electrolyte Levels May Not Shift. If toxic metals are removed from the body by any means, and yet the first four numbers on a hair test do not change much (calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium), then most likely it is because the metals were superficial.

Usually, however, the electrolytes will shift a lot as toxic metals come out of the body. They may temporarily move higher, but eventually they will always move lower toward normal.

CONCLUSION

Toxic metal exposure is higher than ever before and an important cause of ill health. I predict that removing them will become recognized as a great secret for healing many health conditions. Unfortunately, few doctors test for or even consider searching for toxic metals.

Reducing our exposure is the simplest and most cost-effective way ro prevent toxic metal problems. Efforts to clean up the water, food and air have advanced greatly, but more needs to be done. Governments can do their part, but the public must also learn about the dangers of toxic metals and how to avoid them. It should be a top priority in the education of the children.

Young men and especially young women can do much to help the next generation and themselves to avoid toxic metals by improving their health before having children. Dr. Weston Price discovered that in many primitive cultures, prenatal care for young women began at puberty by feeding the women special foods designed to maximize their vital mineral intake.

One can greatly enhance the elimination toxic metals by reducing exposure, increasing vital minerals in the diet and avoiding mineral-deficient food. Assisting the eliminative organs, improving digestion, taking appropriate supplements, obtaining plenty of rest and using antagonists and perhaps chelators are also most helpful. The general use of inexpensive, infrared electric light saunas would be another excellent additional way to enhance toxic metal removal. These are excellent health insurance and well worth the effort.

References

1. Schroeder, H., Trace elements and Man, The Devin-Adair Company, CT, 1975.

2. Ibid, p. 154

3. Braunwald, E. et al, editors, Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, McGraw-Hill, Professional, 15^th edition, 2001.

4. Pfeiffer, C., Zinc and Other Micronutrients, Keats Publishing, CT, 1978.

5. Kutsky, R., Handbook of Vitamins, Minerals and Hormones, 2^nd edition, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, NY, 1981.

6. Ibid., Schroeder, H., Trace Elements and Man.

7. Hall, R.H., Food For Naught, The Decline in Nutrition, Vintage Books, NY, 1974.

8. Anderson, M. and Jensen, B. Empty Harvest; Understanding the Link Between Our Food, Our Immunity and Our Planet, Avery Penguin Putnam, 1993.

9. Price, W., Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, CA, 1949.

10. Stannard, J., Shim, Y.S., Kritsineli, M., Labropoulo, P.,Tsamtsouris, A., Fluoride levels and fluoride contamination of fruit juices, J Clin Ped Dentistry, 1991;16(1).

11. From the warning label on hydrofluosilicic acid, Cargill Corporation, FL.

12. Casdorph, H.R. and Walker, M., Toxic Metal Syndrome, Avery Publishing, NY, 1995.

13. National Autism Association, Press Release, Feb. 9, 2004.

14. Eck, P. and Wilson, L., Toxic Metals in Human Health and Disease, Eck Institute of Applied Nutrition and Bioenergetics, Ltd., AZ, 1989, p. xiv.

15. Shamberger, R.J., Validity of hair mineral testing, Bio Trace Element Res, 2002, 87:1-28.

16. Muir, M., Current controversies in the diagnosis and treatment of heavy metal toxicity, Alternative and Comp Ther., June 1997:170-178.

17. Environmental Protection Agency, Research and Development, Toxic Trace Metals in Human and Mammalian Hair, EPA-600, 4.79-049, August 1979, p. 3.

18. Tuthill, R., Hair lead levels related to children’s classroom attention-deficit behavior, Arch Env Health, 1996, 51(3)214-220.

19. Ames, BN, Elson-Schwab, I., Silver, EA, High-dose vitamin therapy stimulates variant enzymes with decreased coenzyme binding affinity: relevance to genetic disease and polymorphisms, Am J Clin Nut. April 2002;75(4):616-658.

20. 1993, J Applied Nut, 45(1). (article on trace mineral content of organic foods versus commercial foods)

21. Mortensen, M.E. and Watson, P., Chelation therapy for childhood lead poisoning: The changing scene in the 1990s, Clin Ped., 1993;32:284-291.

21. Committee on Drugs, American Academy of Pediatrics Treatment guidelines for lead exposure in children, Pediatrics, 1995, 96:155-159.

REFERENCE GUIDE

SOURCES AND

SYMPTOMS OF THE COMMON TOXIC METALS

SOURCES

Aluminum - cookware, beverages in aluminum cans, tap water, table salt, baking powders, antacids, processed cheese, anti-perspirants, bleached flour, antacids, vaccines and other medications and occupational exposure.

Arsenic - pesticides, beer, table salt, tap water, paints, pigments, cosmetics, glass and mirror manufacture, fungicides, insecticides, treated wood and contaminated food.

Beryllium - air pollution (burning fossil fuels), manufacture of plastics, electronics, steel alloys and volcanic ash.

Cadmium - cigarettes, (tobacco and marijuana), processed and refined foods, large fish, shellfish, tap water, auto exhaust, plated containers, galvanized pipes, air pollution from incineration and occupational exposure.

Copper - copper water pipes, copper added to tap water, pesticides, swimming in pools, intra-uterine devices, vegetarian diets, dental amalgams, nutritional supplements - especially prenatal vitamins, birth control pills, weak adrenal glands and occupational exposure.

Lead - tap water, cigarette smoke, hair dyes, paints, inks, glazes, pesticide residues and occupational exposure in battery manufacture and other industries.

Mercury - dental amalgams, large fish, shellfish, medications, air pollution, manufacture of paper, chlorine, adhesives, fabric softeners and waxes.

Nickel - hydrogenated oils (margarine, commercial peanut butter and shortening), shellfish, air pollution, cigarette smoke, plating and occupational exposure.

SYMPTOMS

Aluminum – Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, anemia and other blood disorders, colic, fatigue, dental caries, dementia dialactica, hypoparathyroidism, kidney and liver dysfunctions, neuromuscular disorders, osteomalacia and Parkinson’s disease.

Arsenic - abdominal pain, abnormal ECG, anorexia, dermatitis, diarrhea, edema, enzyme inhibitor, fever, fluid loss, goiter, hair loss, headache, herpes, impaired healing, interferes with the uptake of folic acid, inhibition of sulfhydryl enzyme systems, jaundice, keratosis, kidney and liver damage, muscle spasms, pallor, peripheral neuritis, sore throat, stomatitis, stupor, vasodilation, vertigo, vitiligo and weakness.

Beryllium - adrenal insufficiency, arthritis, bone spurs, bursitis, depression, fatigue, osteoporosis and symptoms of slow metabolism.

Cadmium - hypertension, arthritis, diabetes, anemia, arteriosclerosis, impaired bone healing, cancer, cardiovascular disease, cirrhosis, reduced fertility, hyperlipidemia, hypoglycemia, headaches, osteoporosis, kidney disease, schizophrenia and strokes.

Copper - acne, adrenal hyperactivity and insufficiency, agorophobia, allergies, hair loss, anemia, anxiety, arthritis, autism, cancer, chronic candida albicans infection, depression, elevated cholesterol, cystic fibrosis, depression, diabetes, dyslexia, elevated estrogen, failure to thrive, fatigue, fears, fractures of the bones, headaches, heart attacks, hyperactivity, hypertension, hypothyroidism, infections, inflammation, insomnia, iron storage diseases, kidney and liver dysfunctions, decreased libido, multiple sclerosis, nervousness, osteoporosis, panic attacks, premenstrual syndrome, schizophrenia, strokes, tooth decay and vitamin C and other vitamin deficiencies.

Lead - abdominal pain, adrenal insufficiency, anemia, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, attention deficit, back problems, blindness, cancer, constipation, convulsions, deafness, depression, diabetes, dyslexia, epilepsy, fatigue, gout, impaired glycogen storage, hallucinations, hyperactivity, impotency, infertility, inflammation, kidney dysfunction, learning disabilities, diminished libido, migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis, psychosis, thyroid imbalances and tooth decay.

Mercury - adrenal gland dysfunction, alopecia, anorexia, ataxia, bipolar disorder, birth defects, blushing, depression, dermatitis, discouragement, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, hearing loss, hyperactivity, immune system dysfunction, insomnia, kidney damage, loss of self-control, memory loss, mood swings, nervousness, numbness and tingling, pain in limbs, rashes, excessive salivation, schizophrenia, thyroid dysfunction, timidity, tremors, peripheral vision loss and muscle weakness.

Nickel - cancer (oral and intestinal), depression, heart attacks, hemorrhages, kidney dysfunction, low blood pressure, malaise, muscle tremors and paralysis, nausea, skin problems, tetany and vomiting.

I am aware this list is incomplete. More references, symptoms and toxic metals will be added in the near future.

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