The most common
source of heavy metal toxicity is from dental amalgam fillings and
other metal dental appliances. In 1989, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) declared that amalgams are a hazardous substance under
the Superfund law. Scrap dental amalgam was declared a hazardous
waste in 1988 by the EPA. Outside of your mouth it has to be: 1.
Stored in unbreakable, tightly sealed containers away from heat. 2.
It is not to be touched. 3. Stored under liquid glycerine or
photographic fixer solution. So, once it is taken out of the mouth
it is toxic, but when it is placed in the teeth it is labeled
"nontoxic." You can't throw it in the trash, bury it in the ground
or put it in a landfill, but they say it's okay to put it in
people's mouths. It sounds like truth decay! Lead, mercury and
cadmium exert most of their toxicity by destroying important
proteins, many of which are enzymes, hormones, or cell receptors.
Mercury will attach to sulfur amino acid building blocks in
proteins. The sulfur amino acids are methionine, cysteine, and
taurine. Sulfur is present in all proteins. Numerous enzymes require
intact sulfur groups and many are inactivated by mercury.
Lead binds with
the sulfur groups on proteins and inactivates them. Lead suppresses
neuron clusters in the brain, hindering brain development in
children by stunting the mapping of sensory nerves. One of the
primary ways the body gets rid of metal compounds is through a
pathway that goes from the liver into the bile where it is then
transported to the small intestine and excreted in the feces.
Inorganic mercury is complexed with glutathione in the bile,
suggesting that glutathione status is a major consideration in the
biliary secretion of mercury. This same pathway is affected by a
mercury induced reduction of available taurine needed to produce
bile acid (taurocholic acid). When the microflora of the intestine
has been reduced through stress, poor diet, use of antibiotics and
other drugs, fecal content of mercury is greatly reduced. Instead of
being excreted in the feces, the mercury gets recirculated back to
the liver. The person that is under stress, eating a poor diet,
and/or taking antibiotics will tend to maintain a higher body burden
of mercury derived from dietary sources--especially if they are
eating diets high in fish.
Disposal of the
body's burden of mercury is via the urine and feces, although minute
amounts are detectable in expired air. Excretion via the liver
occurs in bile and reabsorption of some of this mercury does take
place. However, the kidney is equipped with an efficient,
energy-dependant mechanism for disposing of metals such as mercury.
Kidney tissue contains a thiol-rich protein called metallothionein;
exposure to toxic metals triggers the production of this protein
which binds tightly to the metal, retaining it in the kidney tissue
in a relatively harmless form. As long as the kidney's capacity for
production of metallothionein is not overwhelmed, mercury excretion
can eventually balance intake, thereby limiting worsening of
symptoms. However, acute high doses of mercury, or an increase in
the chronic dose level can readily precipitate renal failure, one of
the classic symptoms of mercury poisoning.
Detoxification
systems such as metallothionein, cytochrome P-450, and bile are
adversely affected by mercury. Metallothionein binds toxic metals in
the body to prepare them for excretion. Mercury ties up this
material so it cannot clear out other metals such as lead, cadmium,
and aluminum. Mercury from amalgam binds to -SH (sulfhydryl) groups,
which are used in almost every enzymatic process in the body.
Mercury therefore has the potential to disturb all metabolic
processes.
A small
proportion of total body mercury is excreted in various forms
directly in the urine without being bound to protein. In low dose,
steady state conditions, such as the dentist who has worked at a
similar exposure level for years, the urinary output very accurately
reflects the total body burden and this is why urine monitoring is
so important.
The following is
a list of nutrients that facilitate the removal of heavy metals.
Mega H-: The negative hydride ions in Mega H- alter the water
consumed with the food and supplements in our diet, to have a lower
surface tension and an increased conductivity. A low surface tension
in the extra cellular fluids is also important in the removal of
toxins from the cells and into lymph and venous blood for removal
from the body. Tap water has a surface tension of approximately 73
dynes/cm. The water around our cells has a surface tension of
approximately 45 dynes/cm. It is necessary, that the body reduces
the surface tension of water we consume in order for nutrients to
pass through cell walls, and for toxins to pass out of the cells.
Mega H- in water expedites this process. Glutathione: Contains
cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid. The liver manufactures
glutathione whenever extra cysteine is available. Blood glutathione
levels change in direct proportion to the amount of cysteine is in
the diet. One 50 milligram capsule or tablet, three times a day
taken on an empty stomach. Individuals with insulin deficiency
should not take glutathione.
Methionine:
Methionine levels are a major determinant in the liver's
concentration of sulphur-containing compounds, such as glutathione
and cysteine. As methionine is the precursor for the manufacture of
cysteine in the body, extra supplementation of this critical amino
acid should increase available cysteine. Animal studies have shown
that methionine protects rats from the toxic effects of lead and
mercury. Chelating agents such as DMSA (dimercapto succinic acid)
and DMPS (dimercapto-propane sulfonic acid) bind to cysteine for
excretion. L-cysteine bound to mercury (L-penicillamine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine,
DMSA and glutathione complexed with methylmercury) resembles the L-methionine
molecule and can cross the blood brain barrier. L-methionine
inhibits the transport of these complexes into the brain. Methionine
increases the bioavailability of glutathione. Most of the cysteine
required for the resynthesis of glutathione must originate from
methionine and not from cysteine generated by the catabolism of
glutathione.
Patients taking
only D-L-methionine increased mercury excretion in the urine by 60%
over the excretion rate before taking the methionine. Lead excretion
was also increased. The L-form is rapidly metabolized by the liver
and does not offer a sustained antioxidant level. Over half of the
D-form is slowly metabolized by the same pathways as excess L, and
acts identical to L as an antioxidant. The benefit of the D-L form
of methionine is the D form provides sustained blood levels allowing
he L-form to be converted to other sulfur antioxidants. Babies need
22 mg/Kg body weight of methionine on a daily basis while adults
need 10 mg/Kg of body weight daily.
N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine
(NAC): NAC forms L-cysteine, cystine, L-methionine, glutathione (GSH),
and mixed di-sulfides. Stimulates the body to produce large amounts
of cysteine and glutathione, thus greatly augmenting plasma and red
blood cell content of both cysteine and glutathione;
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM): MSM, like fresh garlic, provides a
bioavailable dietary source of sulfur. MSM exerts a direct
beneficial effect in ameliorating a variety of allergic responsees
and pain associated with systemic inflammatory disorders.
Spain Madrid
Slovenia Ljubljana
Andorra Andorra la Vella
Hungary, Budapest,
Traralgon, Victoria,
Madagascar, Antananarivo,
West Covina California USA
Libya Tripoli
Liberia Monrovia
Newcastle Australia
