THE HEAVY METAL HAZARD

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THE HEAVY METAL HAZARD

 

Some metals are naturally found in the body and are essential to human health.

Iron, for example, prevents anemia, and zinc is a cofactor in over 100 enzyme

reactions. They normally occur at low concentrations and are known as trace

metals. In high doses, they may be toxic to the body or produce deficiencies in

other trace metals; for example, high levels of zinc can result in a deficiency

of copper, another metal required by the body.

 

Heavy or toxic metals are trace metals with a density at least five times that

of water. As such, they are stable elements (meaning they cannot be metabolized

by the body) and bio-accumulative (passed up the food chain to humans). These

include: mercury, nickel, lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum, platinum, and copper

(the metallic form versus the ionic form required by the body).1Heavy metals

have no function in the body and can be highly toxic.

 

Once liberated into the environment through the air, drinking water, food, or

countless human-made chemicals and products, heavy metals are taken into the

body via inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption.2 If heavy metals enter and

accumulate in body tissues faster than the body's detoxification pathways can

dispose of them, a gradual buildup of these toxins will occur.3

High-concentration exposure is not necessary to produce a state of toxicity in

the body, as heavy metals accumulate in body tissues and, over time, can reach

toxic concentration levels.

 

Heavy metal exposure is not an entirely modern phenomenon: historians have cited

the contamination of wine and grape drinks by lead-lined jugs and cooking pots

as a contributing factor in the " decline and fall " of the Roman Empire;4 and the

Mad Hatter character in Alice in Wonderland was likely modeled after

nineteenth-century hat makers who used mercury to stiffen hat material and

frequently became psychotic from mercury toxicity.

 

Human exposure to heavy metals has risen dramatically in the last 50 years,

however, as a result of an exponential increase in the use of heavy metals in

industrial processes and products. Today, chronic exposure comes from

mercury-amalgam dental fillings, lead in paint and tap water, chemical residues

in processed foods, and " personal care " products (cosmetics, shampoo and other

hair products, mouthwash, toothpaste, soap). In today's industrial society,

there is no escaping exposure to toxic chemicals and metals.

 

In addition to the hazards at home and outdoors, many occupations involve daily

heavy metal exposure. Over 50 professions entail exposure to mercury alone.

These include physicians, pharmaceutical workers, any dental occupation,

laboratory workers, hairdressers, painters, printers, welders, metalworkers,

cosmetic workers, battery makers, engravers, photographers, visual artists, and

potters.5

 

The Effects of Heavy Metal Toxicity

 

Studies confirm that heavy metals can directly influence behavior by impairing

mental and neurological function, influencing neurotransmitter production and

utilization, and altering numerous metabolic body processes. Systems in which

toxic metal elements can induce impairment and dysfunction include the blood and

cardiovascular, detoxification pathways (colon, liver, kidneys, skin), endocrine

(hormonal), energy production pathways, enzymatic, gastrointestinal, immune,

nervous (central and peripheral), reproductive, and urinary.6

 

Breathing heavy metal particles, even at levels well below those considered

nontoxic, can have serious health effects. Virtually all aspects of animal and

human immune system function are compromised by the inhalation of heavy metal

particulates.7 In addition, toxic metals can increase allergic reactions, cause

genetic mutation, compete with " good " trace metals for biochemical bond sites,

and act as antibiotics, killing both harmful and beneficial bacteria.8

 

Much of the damage produced by toxic metals stems from the proliferation of

oxidative free radicals they cause. A free radical is an energetically

unbalanced molecule, composed of an unpaired electron, that " steals " an electron

from another molecule to restore its balance. Free radicals result naturally

when cell molecules react with oxygen (oxidation) but, with a heavy toxic load

or existing antioxidant deficiencies, uncontrolled free-radical production

occurs. Unchecked, free radicals can cause tissue damage throughout the body;

free-radical damage underlies all degenerative diseases. Antioxidants such as

vitamins A, C, and E curtail free-radical activity.

 

Heavy metals can also increase the acidity of the blood. The body draws calcium

from the bones to help restore the proper blood pH. Further, toxic metals set up

conditions that lead to inflammation in arteries and tissues, causing more

calcium to be drawn to the area as a buffer. The calcium coats the inflamed

areas in the blood vessels like a bandage, patching up one problem but creating

another, namely the hardening of the artery walls and progressive blockage of

the arteries. Without replenishment of calcium, the constant removal of this

important mineral from the bones will result in osteoporosis (loss of bone

density leading to brittle bones).

 

Current studies indicate that even minute levels of toxic elements have negative

health consequences, however, these vary from person to person. Nutritional

status, metabolic rate, the integrity of detoxification pathways (ability to

detoxify toxic substances), and the mode and degree of heavy metal exposure all

affect how an individual responds. Children and the elderly, whose immune

systems are either underdeveloped or age-compromised, are more vulnerable to

toxicity.9

 

Common Heavy Metals: Sources and Specific Effects

 

Aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel are the most prevalent

heavy metals. The specific sources of exposure, body tissues in which the metal

tends to be deposited, and health effects of each metal are identified below.

 

1. Aluminum

 

Sources of exposure: Aluminum cookware, aluminum foil, antacids,

antiperspirants, baking powder (aluminum containing), buffered aspirin, canned

acidic foods, food additives, lipstick, medications and drugs (anti-diarrheal

agents, hemorrhoid medications, vaginal douches), processed cheese, " softened "

water, and tap water.

 

Target tissues: Bones, brain, kidneys, and stomach.

 

Signs and Symptoms: Colic, dementia, esophagitis, gastroenteritis, kidney

damage, liver dysfunction, loss of appetite, loss of balance, muscle pain,

psychosis, shortness of breath, and weakness.

 

Among the patients I see in my practice, the highest aluminum exposure is most

frequently due to the chronic consumption of aluminum-containing antacid

products. Research shows that aluminum builds up in the body over time; thus,

the health hazard to older people is greater.

 

D.R. McLaughlin, M.D., F.R.C.P. ©, professor of physiology and medicine and

director of the Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the

University of Toronto, states, " Concentrations of aluminum that are toxic to

many biochemical processes are found in at least ten human neurological

conditions. " 10 Recent studies suggest that aluminum contributes to neurological

disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, senile and presenile

dementia, clumsiness of movements, staggering when walking, and inability to

pronounce words properly.11 Behavioral difficulties among schoolchildren have

also been correlated with elevated levels of aluminum and other neurotoxic heavy

metals.26a

 

2. Arsenic

 

Sources of exposure: Air pollution, antibiotics given to commercial livestock,

certain marine plants, chemical processing, coal-fired power plants, defoliants,

drinking water, drying agents for cotton, fish, herbicides, insecticides, meats

(from commercially raised poultry and cattle), metal ore smelting, pesticides,

seafood (fish, mussels, oysters), specialty glass, and wood preservatives.

 

Target tissues: Most organs of the body, especially the gastrointestinal system,

lungs, and skin.

 

Signs and Symptoms: Abdominal pain, burning of the mouth and throat, cancer

(especially lung and skin), coma, diarrhea, nausea, neuritis, peripheral

vascular problems, skin lesions, and vascular collapse.

 

The greatest dangers from chronic arsenic exposure are lung and skin cancers and

gradual poisoning, most frequently from living near metal smelting plants or

arsenic factories.

 

3. Cadmium

 

Sources of exposure: Air pollution, art supplies, bone meal, cigarette smoke,

food (coffee, fruits, grains, and vegetables grown in cadmium-laden soil, meats

[kidneys, liver, poultry], or refined foods), freshwater fish, fungicides,

highway dusts, incinerators, mining, nickel-cadmium batteries, oxide dusts,

paints, phosphate fertilizers, power plants, seafood (crab, flounder, mussels,

oysters, scallops), sewage sludge, " softened " water, smelting plants, tobacco

and tobacco smoke, and welding fumes.

 

Target tissues: Appetite and pain centers (in brain), brain, heart and blood

vessels, kidneys, and lungs.

 

Signs and Symptoms: Anemia, dry and scaly skin, emphysema, fatigue, hair loss,

heart disease, depressed immune system response, hypertension, joint pain,

kidney stones or damage, liver dysfunction or damage, loss of appetite, loss of

sense of smell, lung cancer, pain in the back and legs, and yellow teeth.

 

Current studies are attempting to determine if cadmium-induced bone and kidney

damage can be prevented (or made less likely) by adequate calcium, protein

(amino acids), vitamin D, and zinc in the diet.12

 

4. Lead

 

Sources of exposure: Air pollution, ammunition (shot and bullets), bathtubs

(cast iron, porcelain, steel), batteries, canned foods, ceramics, chemical

fertilizers, cosmetics, dolomite, dust, foods grown around industrial areas,

gasoline, hair dyes and rinses, leaded glass, newsprint and colored

advertisements, paints, pesticides, pewter, pottery, rubber toys, soft coal,

soil, solder, tap water, tobacco smoke, and vinyl 'mini-blinds'.

 

Target tissues: Bones, brain, heart, kidneys, liver, nervous system, and

pancreas.

 

Signs and Symptoms: Abdominal pain, anemia, anorexia, anxiety, bone pain, brain

damage, confusion, constipation, convulsions, dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue,

headaches, hypertension, inability to concentrate, indigestion, irritability,

loss of appetite, loss of muscle coordination, memory difficulties, miscarriage,

muscle pain, pallor, tremors, vomiting, and weakness.

 

The toxicity of lead is widely acknowledged. The greatest risk for harm, even

with only minute or short-term exposure, is to infants, young children, and

pregnant women. A federal study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDCP) in 1984 estimated that three to four million American children

have an unacceptably high level of lead in their blood. Dr. Suzanne Binder, a

CDCP official, stated, " Many people believed that when lead paint was banned

from housing [in 1978], and lead was cut from gasoline [in the late 1970s],

lead-poisoning problems disappeared, but they're wrong. We know that throughout

the country children of all races, and ethnicities and income levels are being

affected by lead [already in the environment]. " 13 In their book, 'Toxic Metal

Syndrome', Dr.'s R. Casdorph and M. Walker report that over 4 million tons of

lead is mined each year and existing environmental lead levels are at least 500

times greater than pre-historic levels.

 

In 1989, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that more than

one million elementary schools, high schools, and colleges are still using

lead-lined water storage tanks or lead-containing components in their drinking

fountains.14 The EPA estimates that drinking water accounts for approximately

20% of young children's lead exposure.15 Other common sources are lead paint

residue in older buildings (as in inner cities) and living in proximity to

industrial areas or other sources of toxic chemical exposure, such as commercial

agricultural land. All children born in the U.S. today have measurable traces of

pesticides, a source of heavy metals and chlorine-based chemicals, in their

tissues.16

 

Lead is a known neurotoxin (kills brain cells), and excessive blood lead levels

in children have been linked to learning disabilities, attention deficit

disorder (ADD), hyperactivity syndromes, and reduced intelligence and school

achievement scores.17

 

5. Mercury

 

Sources of exposure: Air pollution, batteries, cosmetics, dental amalgams,

diuretics (mercurial), electrical devices and relays, explosives, foods

(grains), fungicides, fluorescent lights, freshwater fish (especially large

bass, pike, and trout), insecticides, mining, paints, pesticides, petroleum

products, saltwater fish (especially large halibut, shrimp, snapper, and

swordfish), shellfish, and tap water.

 

Target tissues: Appetite and pain centers in the brain, cell membranes, kidneys,

and nervous system (central and peripheral).

 

Signs and Symptoms: Abnormal nervous and physical development (fetal and

childhood), anemia, anorexia, anxiety, blood changes, blindness, blue line on

gums, colitis, depression, dermatitis, difficulty chewing and swallowing,

dizziness, drowsiness, emotional instability, fatigue, fever, hallucinations,

headache, hearing loss, hypertension, inflamed gums, insomnia, kidney damage or

failure, loss of appetite and sense of smell, loss of muscle coordination,

memory loss, metallic taste in mouth, nerve damage, numbness, psychosis,

salivation, stomatitis, tremors, vision impairment, vomiting, weakness, and

weight loss.

 

The primary source of exposure to mercury is " silver " dental fillings

(approximately 50% mercury when placed); over 225 million Americans have these

fillings in their teeth.18 Mercury fillings release microscopic particles and

vapors of mercury every time a person chews. Vapors are inhaled while particles

are absorbed by tooth roots, mucous membranes of the mouth and gums, and the

stomach lining.

 

In people with mercury amalgam fillings, measurements of the mercury level in

the mouth ranges between 20 and 400 mcg/m3. Keep in mind that this is continuous

exposure. The National Institute of Occupation Safety and Health places the safe

limit of environmental exposure to mercury at 20 mcg/m3, but that is assuming a

weekly exposure of 40 hours (the work week) and the mercury involved is outside

the body.19 The Environmental Protection Agency's allowable limit for continuous

mercury exposure is 1 mcg/m3 but, again, that is based on mercury sources

outside the body.20 Neither figure addresses 24-hour-a-day exposure from mercury

in one's mouth.

 

Hal Huggins, D.D.S., a specialist in the effect of mercury amalgams on health,

reports that 90% of the 7,000 patients he tested showed immune system reactivity

from exposure to low levels of mercury. In 1984, the American Dental Association

(ADA), without providing scientific evidence, claimed that only 5% of the U.S.

population is reactive to mercury exposure, and that this figure is

insignificant. Meanwhile, the ADA mandates that dentists alert all dental

personnel to the potential hazards of inhaling mercury vapors.21 The

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) goes further, instructing dentists to

treat mercury amalgam as a toxic material while handling before insertion, and

as toxic waste after removal.22

 

Mark S. Hulet, D.D.S., who conducts research on amalgam fillings, wrote a

pamphlet for his patients, in which he cites five categories of pathological

reaction to mercury fillings, as identified by dentists, doctors, and

toxicologists. The categories are:

 

-Neurological: emotional manifestations (depression, suicidal impulses,

irritability, inability to cope) and motor symptoms (muscle spasms, facial tics,

seizures, multiple sclerosis)

 

-Cardiovascular problems: nonspecific chest pain, accelerated heart beat

 

- Collagen diseases: arthritis, bursitis, scleroderma, systemic lupus

erythematosis

 

-Immune system diseases: compromised immunity

 

-Allergies: Airborne allergies, food allergies, and " universal " reactors.

 

One of the keys to mercury's effects on health may be its ability to block the

functioning of manganese, a key mineral required for physiological reactions in

all five categories, notes Dr. Hulet.23

 

6. Nickel

 

Sources of exposure: Appliances, buttons, ceramics, cocoa, cold-wave hair

permanent, cooking utensils, cosmetics, coins, dental materials, food

(chocolate, hydrogenated oils, nuts, food grown near industrial areas), hair

spray, industrial waste, jewelry, medical implants, metal refineries, metal

tools, nickel-cadmium batteries, orthodontic appliances, shampoo, solid-waste

incinerators, stainless steel kitchen utensils, tap water, tobacco and tobacco

smoke, water faucets and pipes, and zippers.

 

Target tissues: Areas of skin exposure, larynx (voice box), lungs, and nasal

passages.

 

Signs and Symptoms: Apathy, blue-colored lips, cancer (especially lung, nasal,

and larynx), contact dermatitis, diarrhea, fever, headaches, dizziness,

gingivitis, insomnia, nausea, rapid heart rate, skin rashes (redness, itching,

blisters), shortness of breath, stomatitis, and vomiting.

 

7Casdorph, H., M.D., and Walker, M., D.P.M. Toxic Metal Syndrome (Garden City

Park, NY) Avery Publishing, 1995), 95. 8Kellas, B., Ph.D., and Dworkin, A., N.D.

Surviving the vomiting.

 

The greatest danger from chronic nickel exposure is lung, nasal, or larynx

cancers, and gradual poisoning from accidental or chronic low-level exposure,

the risk of which is greatest for those living near metal smelting plants, solid

waste incinerators, or old nickel refineries.24

 

How Can We Protect Ourselves from Heavy Metals?

 

Logic dictates that, once the potential harm from heavy metals is understood,

their production and use should be phased out and toxic storage heavily

regulated. As is obvious from the list of exposure sources above, logic is not

the guiding principle here, except in the case of lead, the use of which has

been curtailed.

 

Even if all heavy metal production were to stop today, however, enough heavy

metals have been released into our environment to cause chronic poisoning and

numerous neurological diseases for generations to come. There are presently

600,000 toxic waste contamination sites in the United States alone, according to

the U.S. Congressional Office of Technology Assessment. Of these, less than 900

have been proposed by the EPA for Superfund cleanup and approximately 19,000

others are under review. While some of these toxic messes were likely caused by

accidents or ignorance, the majority came from illegal dumping by hazardous

product or waste distributors, manufacturers, transportation companies, or waste

management companies.25 Such practices have not ceased, as focus on profit

continues to override concerns about health, the environment, and a more

promising future for all of our children.

 

With the government doing little or moving very slowly to protect the public

from the hazards of heavy metals, it is up to individuals to take measures to

protect themselves. According to conventional medicine, there is nothing a

person can do to address aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, or nickel

exposure, aside from avoiding known sources. Given the prevalence of these

toxins in our lives, this is impossible.

 

Fortunately, there is a way to get these harmful substances out of the body.

Intravenous and oral chelation, detoxification protocols, and specific

nutritional therapies can remove heavy metals and chemical toxins and reduce the

toxic load our bodies endure on a daily basis.

 

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