TRACE MINERAL ANALYSIS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Abstract. Five cases of substance abuse were analyzed for mineral patterns unique to this population as revealed on hair mineral analyses. All five cases had very low zinc and elevated cadmium levels. In the author's experience, this is not common in other population groups. The study suggests a link between low hair zinc, elevated cadmium and substance abuse. Also analyzed were three cases of former substance abusers. These revealed higher zinc levels. Possible reasons for the findings and how correction might prove helpful in treating substance abuse are covered in the discussion.

INTRODUCTION

Substance abuse is a common and costly health problem in America today. An area of research that has received little attention are nutritional imbalances that might predispose one toward substance abuse. A fairly new tool for assessing mineral imbalances inexpensively and accurately is hair mineral analysis. The objective of this study was to review a number of cases to identify mineral patterns unique to substance abusers.

METHODOLOGY

In the author’s nutrition consulting practice, a tissue mineral analysis is performed on every new patient. A number of substance abusers were clients in the practice. Often they requested nutritional therapy as part of their recovery program. Mineral tests of five randomly selected substance abuse patients were analyzed for this study.

THE CASES

Those who were substance abusers at the time of testing:

Case #1. K.G., a 30-year-old white female, had a history of alcohol abuse since age 15. At the time she presented, she had been sober for nine months. She also abused sleeping pills at the time of the mineral analysis, and had a history of tranquilizer abuse on and off for 10 years. She complained of extreme fatigue, hypoglycemia, poor digestion and hopelessness.

Case #2. J.M., a 44-year-old white male, had a history of cocaine and alcohol abuse. He also smoked two packs of cigarettes daily for the past 20 years.

Case #3. J.P., a 37-year-old white male, was a heroin addict, now on a methadone maintenance. He is also HIV positive. He had taken massive doses of vitamin C and other vitamins which he claimed helped his energy level. He complained of fatigue, joint pain, depression, and anxiety.

Case #4. W.H., a 57-year-old white male, regularly abused alcohol. His symptoms were arthritis, impotence and extreme fatigue.

Case #5. U.P., a 33-year-old white female, is a former heroin addict, now on methadone maintenance. She had symptoms of fatigue, mood swings, anxiety, joint stiffness and premenstrual tension.

Those who were former substance abusers:

Case #6. B.K., a 24-year-old white female, had a history of alcoholism and drug abuse until five years ago. At the time of testing she was taking Prozac and Xanax for symptoms of irritability, depression, mood swings, panic attacks and anxiety.

Case #7. D.W., a 29-year-old white female, had a history of cocaine abuse several years ago. She complained of mood swings, anxiety and 'stress'. She smokes 10 cigarettes per day. She takes no medication.

Case #8. A.K., a 17-year-old white female, previously had a brief involvement with cocaine. Her main symptom was fatigue, and she was not on medication.

TISSUE MINERAL TESTING PROCEDURE

Sampling of the hair requires several clippings from the back of the head, close to the scalp. Hair over one inch long is cut off and discarded. Cuttings are combined to form a 500 mg sample. This is sent to Accutrace Laboratories in Phoenix, Arizona, a federally licenced testing laboratory with over 25 years experience. At the laboratory, the sample is cut up by hand into smaller pieces. This is left to dissolve overnight in a combination of nitric and sulfuric acid. The following day a carefully measured amount is placed in an induction-coupled plasma instrument. The instrument detects the levels of 20 trace and toxic minerals accurately within parts per million.

Controls involve a National Bureau of Standards bovine liver sample, and in-house controls of all reagents. Controls are run with every batch of samples.

RESULTS

All data is presented at the end of the article.  Test results differing from averages seen in the general population included:

Cadmium: All substance abusers revealed tissue cadmium levels above 0.02 mg%. Two of the three former substance abusers also had elevated cadmium readings. The ideal cadmium level is less than 0.02 mg%.

Zinc : All substance abusers had zinc readings of 12 mg% or lower. None of the former substance abusers had a zinc reading less than 14 mg%. Normal zinc levels are 14 mg% or higher.

Phosphorus: Four of the five substance abusers had phosphorus readings of 13 mg% or lower. Among the former abusers, only one had a phosphorus level below 13 mg%. Normal phosphorus levels are above 13 mg%.

Lead.  All but one of the cases showed an elevated lead, using a lead level of 0.1 mg% as the ideal.

Other mineral levels were variable, similar to the general population.

DISCUSSION

Zinc: Zinc is a critical mineral, involved in over 50 enzyme systems. These include alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme required to detoxify alcohol in the liver. Zinc is also considered by some researchers as a calming neurotransmitter. Zinc is important for the functioning of the cortex, or higher brain centers. Zinc is also required for protein synthesis, digestive enzyme secretion, insulin production and secretion, the sense of taste and smell, appetite control, wound healing and many other functions. Zinc deficiency is associated with anorexia, mood swings, anxiety and emotional instability. It can also cause cadmium toxicity, as cadmium replaces zinc in enzyme binding sites.

Zinc deficiency is common in America. Dr. Carl Pfeiffer wrote in Mental & Elemental Nutrients that as of 1975, zinc was deficient in the soil of 32 of the 50 states. This causes low zinc levels in many foods today. Food refining and processing removes more zinc from our foods. Zinc deficiency is commonly congenital, or present from birth, if the mother is low in zinc. Stress and the use of alcohol further deplete the level of zinc. Cigarette paper contains cadmium, an element that competes with zinc for intestinal absorption.

Zinc deficiency may contribute to the tendency for substance abuse by increasing one’s anxiety level. Conversely, alcohol or drug abuse with accompanying malnutrition almost always results in a zinc deficiency. The deficiency in turn worsens anxiety and emotional instability, creating a vicious cycle.

Cadmium : Cadmium competes with zinc and interferes with zinc metabolism. Cadmium can replace zinc in enzyme binding sites. In a study of Navy recruits, high hair cadmium was shown to correlate well with behavior problems. Cadmium toxicity may be present at birth, passed from the mother through the placenta. It may also be acquired from environmental sources, including tap water, processed foods and occupational exposure.

Cadmium from cigarette smoke could help account for the elevated levels in some of the study participants. Zinc deficiency also predisposes one to cadmium toxicity. When zinc is deficient, the body will absorb cadmium to replace zinc in enzyme binding sites.

Phosphorus: Low phosphorus on a mineral analysis is the result of a diet low in protein, impaired digestion or assimilation, or a zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency or a poor diet could account for the low phosphorus readings in the study participants.

Lead.  Lead is a highly toxic metal that affects the nervous system as well as many other body systems.  Lead toxicity is associated with over 100 symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The intent of this small study was to identify mineral patterns that might be common to substance abusers. Low zinc and high cadmium were common to all cases. Low phosphorus was present in four of the five substance abusers. This study suggests a correlation between substance abuse and mineral imbalances, either as a cause or a result of substance abuse. Correction of mineral imbalances may have a role to play in the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. Larger studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

TRACE MINERAL READINGS - 8 CASES

(all numbers reported in mg per 100 grams)

Mineral    Case #1     Case #2     Case #3     Case #4     Case #5 Case #6     Case #7     Case #8
                    F - alcohol M - alcohol M - heroin    M - alcohol F - heroin F - former  F - former   F - former

Calcium         55                 76             53             115                 57             50             176             99

Magnesium    10                   6                6             26                    10             6                 24              6

Sodium             3                 230             62             43                 26                3                 18             8

Potassium         1                 30             28               72                 11                 1               5                3

Iron                 1                 0.6             1.6             4.0                 0.5             0.8             0.9             0.8

Copper         9.4                 16               1.0             4.0                 1.1             0.9             2.0             2.7

Manganese    0.01             0.03             0.03             0.15             0.01           0.01         0.02             0.02

Zinc             12                 12                 12             11                     7             14             17                 14

Chromium    0.2             0.04                 0.06         0.16                 0.04         0.03         0.03             0.02

Phosphorus   12             11                     12             14                     11            13             13               11

Lead             0.1             1.1                 0.32             0.79             0.31             0.1             0.3             0.4

Mercury     0.04 0.        08                    0.24            0.22             0.05             0.03         0.04             0.06

Cadmium     0.03         0.06                   0.03             0.07             0.04             0.06       0.02             0.05

Aluminum     1.5             0.5                    4.9             7.4                 1.00             1.1         1.2             0.9

Nickel         0.1               0.1                   0.11            .19                 0.2             0.18        0.17         0.19

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