Heavy metals
(including lead, cadmium, mercury, and the metalloid arsenic) are
persistent in the environment and have documented potential for
serious health consequences. Heavy metal toxicity may damage:
* central nervous system
* cardiovascular system
* gastrointestinal system
* lungs
* kidneys
* liver
* endocrine glands
* bones
Fortunately, integrative interventions like selenium and garlic have
been shown to decrease the buildup and increase the excretion of
toxic heavy metals.
Risk Factors for Toxic Metal Exposure
Lead:
* Lead-containing plumbing
* Lead-based paints (in buildings built before 1978 and is the
predominant source for children)
* Foods grown in lead-rich soil
Mercury:
* Eating fish or shellfish contaminated with methylmercury (includes
shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tile fish, bass, walleye, pickerel)
* Breathing contaminated workplace air or skin contact during use in
the workplace
* Release of mercury vapor from dental amalgam fillings
Cadmium:
* Tobacco smoke
* Eating foods containing cadmium (levels are highest in grains,
legumes, and leafy vegetables, fish and shellfish)
* Contact with cadmium from household products (electric batteries
and solar panels)
Signs and Symptoms
These can be similar to other health conditions and may not be
immediately recognized as due to heavy metal toxicity:
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Diarrhea
* Abdominal pain
* Central nervous system dysfunction
* Heart problems
* Anemia
Diagnosis:
* Blood testing
* Urine testing
* Hair and nail analysis
Conventional Therapies:
Chelation therapy, which enhances the elimination of metals (both
toxic and essential) from the body, including:
* DMPS, an oral medication for arsenic, cadmium, and mercury
toxicity
* Succimer (DMSA), an oral medication for mild-to-moderate lead,
arsenic and mercury toxicity
* Calcium-disodium EDTA for lead encephalopathy and lead poisoning
Novel and Emerging Therapies:
* Toxicogenomics, the study of gene expression changes by toxin
exposure
* New chelation therapies, including polygamma-glutamic acid-coated
superparamagnetic nanoparticles that have a high specificity for
metal toxins
Dietary and Lifestyle Changes:
* Avoid or replace mercury amalgam dental fillings with mercury-free
composite material
* Maintain nutrient sufficiency, as adequate intake of essential
trace minerals may reduce toxic metal uptake
* Limit consumption of high-mercury fish to no more than 1
serving/week
Integrative Interventions:
* Selenium: Selenium is an inhibitor of mercury accumulation and
increases excretion of mercury and arsenic
* Vitamin C: A free-radical scavenger that has been shown to reduce
lead levels in humans
* Folate: Higher blood folate levels in pregnant women were
associated with lower blood mercury and cadmium levels
* Garlic: Garlic lowered lead levels in the blood of industrial
workers as effectively as the chelator d-penicillamine
* Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Glutathione: In preclinical studies, these
compounds reduced the adverse changes in blood parameters due to
lead, cadmium, and copper
New Zealand,
Canning, Victoria
Eritrea, Asmara
Canning, Victoria
Vanuatu, Port Vila
Parramatta, Australia
Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
Maryborough, Queensland
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Antigua and Barbuda, St. John's