Heavy Metal Toxicity and Chelation

Living a life of constant pain, agony, misery, suffering, and torment is no fun. I've seen over 30 doctors and there is no known reason why. In my own studies I've come across chelation before, but my metals level tested low so I ignored it. In the search for a solution, I've come across it again. Just because tests may not show high metal levels in the blood doesn't mean that various tissues, organs, and the brain are also low. Lead and mercury will mostly be focused on in this paper, but it is also generic enough to apply to other toxic metals (such as arsenic).

Also note that toxicity testing doesn't always return what one would think. The most common tests are blood, urine, and hair. While it is possible to show metal poisonings directly from these, it isn't often the case if the metals are already bound up in other tissues. Metal poisoning can show up as a pattern of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. This isn't intuitively obvious, but the metals do react with/poison various tissues and organs of the body causing them to do abnormal things. Some tests have the person take high dosages of a chelator and then take the test. This will show a positive poison mark every time and may not be very safe. The better way is to start mild chelation and to take the test every few months or so. There should be a direct correlation to metals excretion and chelation drug dosage levels. Once the metals excretion start tapering off, the treatment is coming to a finish.

Everyone is different. Some people naturally absorb poisons better than others. Some people naturally clear poisons better than others. Some people have better diets and clear faster than others. Some people live/work in a toxic environment and pick up more poisons than others. Some people will respond to the poisons more than others. Some people will respond to treatments better than others. Once in the body, some tissues absorb better than others. Once in the body, some poisons will from stronger chemical bonds than others... and so on. There are many combinations just from the natural population deviation alone. This means that on the bad side, some people could be very sensitive and develop problems far easier from metal poisonings. These variables alone are enough to cause confusion in the medical community and give chelation a bad rap, let alone the poor training doctors usually receive.

There are a few certain truths, though, about lead, mercury, and other heavy metals that cannot be denied. Those who deny them need to shut up and go back to school. This may sound harsh, but I can't believe what I've heard from certain places and advertisers.

  1. From inorganic to organic, heavy metals still remain heavy metals. When they undergo a chemical reaction (bond with some other atoms), they do NOT undergo a nuclear reaction (fission or fusion to become a new atom). If they underwent a nuclear reaction, there would be radiation and a lot of heat (as in cancer and fire/cooking). The heavy metal just remains in a different form.
  2. Most heavy metals are poisonous in ALL forms (especially mercury). Some forms move easier and are more active than others (volatile organics). This doesn't change the fact that build up is still bad and poisonous. Example: Mercury is a neuro toxin in any form. The only thing that differs among the forms is how fast it reacts. Mercury is also known to cross the blood-brain barrier and build up.
  3. Most heavy metal danger levels often start in the low microgram range. Most over the counter and prescription drugs start in the low to mid milligram range. For those who have trouble with math, 1 microgram is 1000 times smaller than 1 milligram. As a comparison, city tap water tolerances are often rated in the low parts per billion for these. It doesn't take much to be toxic.
  4. Heavy metals (especially lead and mercury) are often a cumulative poison. Low exposure a single time may not do anything. Low and constant exposure over a long period of time can be very detrimental. Any net-gain over time is bad. Even if there is exposure and the gain is maintaining the level, that is still bad.
  5. The FDA and EPA consider heavy metals (especially lead and mercury) to be highly toxic and to have no place or usage in the human body. They only have established exposure levels that are tolerable in nature. Many have rightfully question the current established exposure levels. If you want to see panic and men in bunny suits, go to a big government building, "accidentally" break a fluorescent light bulb, and yell "OMG, mercury poisoning"!

Heavy metal poisoning usually has definite symptoms in itself but has also been linked to other diseases. It all depends on where the poison goes, how long it stays, and how it builds up. Everyone is different. Many esoteric problems can show up from a slow and long term poisoning. If removed soon enough, only mild damage might occur. If left too long, there is a real danger of permanent damage. Some of these diseases have better scientific data than others to back them up. The main problem is keeping track of the poisons that usually aren't kept track of. Some of these diseases listed will have multiple and/or combination causes. Claims made so far: autism, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy (brain damage), sleep disorders (as a form of neuro toxin), short and long term memory problems, mental deterioration, Alzheimer's, chronic pain, and central nervous system damage.

As a side warning, children are often more at risk from heavy metal poisonings than adults. Children are still developing and growing while adult bodies are mostly maintaining. If something gets screwed up in the "building phase" it could easily have long term permanent consequences. Children also have less body weight when compared to adults. An exposure level for an adult might not do anything, while the same exposure level to a much lighter child could cause an illness.

What to do about it? PROPER chelation therapy may show improvements, but it is not always the miracle cure it is touted to be. Improper chelation can and has killed people. Improper chelation can make the sickness worse. Even proper chelation can make it worse for awhile. Why? It is stirring up the poison(s) and making them active enough again for removal. With stirred up poisons, it shouldn't be surprising that the condition gets worse. Regardless, it is better to have the poisons removed (maybe at a slower rate) than leave them in. The key to proper chelation is to keep the chelator chemicals high enough in the blood serum levels to mop up and flush out any poisons that do come along before they bond or react with other body tissues. Even with the poisons gone, it is still likely there has been permanent bodily damage done. That is why it is important to seek treatment sooner than later.

BEFORE starting ANY chelation therapy, remove the source of the toxins. This includes environmental (like from a broken fluorescent bulb or lead paint on walls), mercury dental amalgams (mercury is a poison in ANY form), thimerosal/thiomersal (medical shots, IV's, allergy shots, vaccines), and many others. If the source of the poison is combined with a chelator, the effects of the poison get enhanced. So many advertisers fail to mention this obvious thing, and it irritates me to no end. For some poisonings, it is recommended to wait a few months before starting brain chelation.

Chelators act almost like a solvent and can spread the poisoning around easier (makes the metals more mobile). Chelators have an affinity for certain heavy metals and can start moving them around. Once a chelator grabs a metal, it may also drop it (and then grab another one). It may drop it somewhere that isn't very desirable. Some chelators can cross the blood/brain barrier and carry the poison into the brain (which is why I mentioned the brain-wait statement before). The key is to have enough of the chelator CONSISTENTLY in the blood to pick it up again so it is far more likely to be removed (the mop-up statement from before). This is why I say just starting a random chelation therapy without any long term plan can make the poisoning worse. Randomly starting and stopping chelations will just move the poisons around and damage other tissues. Too much of a chelator can cause concentrated amounts of poisons in the blood and damage the kidneys and liver.

Some chelators work better than others. Some hold on to the metal longer than others. When a chelator grabs the metal, it is temporarily inert and safe. Some can cross the blood/brain barrier, some can't. This is often why a blood chelator is given before a brain one. If the blood poison levels are higher than the brain level poisons, those poisons will migrate to the lower poison density level (brain in this case). Single high dosages of chelators are dangerous. They just stir up the poison and drop it again. Consistent levels are needed to flush the poison out (the previous mop-up statement).

Not all chelators are safe. Not all chelators work for all heavy metals. The gamble is that it is safer to use the chelator than to leave the poison in. Not all herbal and OTC chelators are safe or even work as advertised (remember fen-phen? it played a role in killing one of my friends). Some chelators block calcium and sodium usage (actually bond to them) and prevent bodily usage. This has caused heart problems and death in a few people. A proper on-then-off protocol allows for the body to rebalance the chemicals with minimal heavy metal redeposition. Vitamin and mineral supplements should still be taken as a precautionary method.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid is a natural chelator that is fairly cheap and easy to obtain OTC. It isn't the fastest (which might be a good thing), but it is a natural body chemical and almost in the vitamin class. It has very little side effects and is known to block neuropathy pain as an added benefit. It will also cross the blood/brain barrier for neurological poisonings.

Blood and brain poison equilibrium levels. This is often presented as a confusing topic but really isn't. Think of it as a U shaped tube partially filled with water. Mark one side as "blood" and the other side as "brain" (or maybe another organ). With gravity pulling equally on both sides of the U shaped tube, the water will self level itself on both sides. Take a straw and suck out water from one side, and the water from the other side will come back over to relevel itself (forming an equilibrium). Poisons in the blood and brain/other organs will eventually make a similar equilibrium. Blood flows around the entire body. If the poison is higher in the blood, the various organs and brain will absorb more poison until an equilibrium. If the poison is lower in the blood, the blood will leach out poisons of the various organs and brain (at least some of the time) in a similar manner. This is why blood poisoning levels need to be low before brain chelation starts (by using a blood chelator).

There are some special exceptions to this. The main example used is mercury poisoning. Mercury is special in that once it crosses the blood/brain barrier, it will chemically react and change in the brain. Once this reaction is done, it cannot flow out again without a brain chelator. A brain chelator can either bring in or take out and in reality, does both at the same time. If the blood mercury levels are higher, the chelator will help move mercury into the brain faster than it is being taken out. This will make the condition worse and cause brain damage. If the blood mercury levels are lower, the brain chelator will still be moving loose mercury from the blood into the brain, but it will be taking out far more than it puts in. During this time it is important to keep the chelators consistently high enough in the blood to capture any loose mercury (the previous mop-up statement).

Blood and brain specific chelators are often mixed to increase their potency. Starting treatment this way can be dangerous for reasons previously mentioned. To clear brain poisoning, this is often a very effective method. DMSA is usually the choice used for the blood side.

Some reports say that DMSA has caused mild brain damage in some test subjects. While I do not have any real proof, I do have an opinion against this finding. I believe it more likely that the doctors in charge weren't very competent (which most aren't when it comes to chelation therapy). Remember from what I've said that chelation has to be done in certain and proper orders. Remember that chelators can release the poison to do more damage. I believe it very likely that the doctors in charge of these studies released too much poison at once and made the original problem worse for a short period of time. Remember that even a blood chelator will grab and release heavy metals. Those heavy metals may be removing at the time of chelation, but it also allows them to get into the brain and central nervous system if the chelators are not properly maintained (the previous mop-up statement).

...and for this reason I say: If your doctor hasn't said what I've researched so far, FIND ANOTHER before you get into more serious problems. Also don't believe what the various "vitamin" and "health" advertisers tend to say. They want your money and often care little for your real health. There is no magical cure-all, but there is a removal with some careful research, treatment, and time. Also don't be surprised if the treatment time goes into several months. Many heavy metal poisonings do not come out easily but can still do damage when in the body. If lead gets deep into the bones (which it often replaces calcium), it could take several years to fully remove. Also remember that the damage done by the poison may be lessened when that poison is removed, but that damage may never be fully repaired (such as neurological).
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Other to randomly add...

I would like to personally call the mercury dental amalgam advocates idiots for the reasons listed above. I don't care if they're great doctors or scientists, it doesn't take a genius to know that a poison is poisonous. Mercury is a neuro toxin in ALL forms. It is not a question of "if" but "when". Low dosage, long term build up is still dangerous. Maybe a few people out of all the population can handle it, but I doubt everyone can. I personally believe there is a conspiracy to hide the poison fact so that lawyers don't go nuts on the dental companies. It isn't hard to show that the amalgams are not 100% inert. Some countries have already banned mercury amalgams to keep mercury out of the water supply and sewer system. If those amalgams were truly so inert, then those countries wouldn't care.

In the same way, thimerosal (ethyl mercury) advocates are idiots. Yes, it is a great preservative... because it is a strong neuro toxin and will kill what it comes into contact with. Thimerosal is about 49% mercury by weight. While there may only be a drop in a vial, almost half that drop is pure poison (along with other poisons... err... preservatives in the vial). Ethyl mercury has been shown to break down and be removed faster than some of the others, but that doesn't make it safe or unpoisonous. Since the brain gets nutrients from the blood and the ethyl mercury is removed through the blood, it is likely to be deposited in the brain. I can't help but wonder if this is part of the reason I have such long and negative reactions to injections... any injections.

Warning: it is dangerous to use CES, TENS, blood electrifiers, or any other electrical device designed to put energy into the human body when heavy metals poisoning is present (probably for other poisons too). When any chemical gets more energy, it becomes more chemically reactive. That can be great for the good chemicals but can greatly increase the toxicity of the bad ones.