heavy metals

benefits of heavy metals testing and detox

Benefits of Heavy Metals Tests

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There are many benefits of doing heavy metal tests that can be applied for a wide variety of health concerns. These tests provide good information about various heavy metals and the potential health implications they cause or contribute to. Also, with many heavy metal tests like hair analysis certain mineral levels are also being looked at to see if deficiencies are occurring that could also worsen the situation. Finally, hair analysis heavy metal testing as looks at the pattern of mineral distribution and can provide some clues as to the likelihood of heavy metal problems. There are a number of heavy metal tests that are commonly done, and the benefits of these heavy metals tests always depends on how each test is being used.

Benefits of Heavy Metal Tests – Hair Analysis

The benefits of heavy metal tests, specifically hair analysis is important to understand with regards to detection of various heavy metals. Hair analysis, aka. Hair Metals or Hair Metal Analysis is an excellent test to perform as a general screening tool for heavy metal exposure. Hair is a medium that registers stored heavy metals in the body, and upon attempted excretion of these metals it shows up normal, high or very high depending on accumulation of that particular heavy metal overtime. For example, chronic exposure to metals like arsenic or lead are often seen elevated on hair testing, when compared to blood testing where the levels may not appear at all. The reason is hair analysis is able to pick up on stored levels of heavy metals overtime instead of just an acute exposure which may only show in the blood stream for a short while, i.e. a few days to a week. A hair analysis is a preferred screening test for anyone wanting to assess heavy metal exposure that has occurred over time.

Benefits of Heavy Metals Tests – Urine Testing

The benefits of heavy metal tests, specifically urine testing, aka, urine metal testing is important to understand with regards to detection and measurement of excreted heavy metals overtime. Urine metal testing is often used when an individual is undergoing heavy metal detoxification therapy to measure how much metal is being excreted. Often when a baseline urine metal test is done, unless there has been recent exposure to a heavy metal, the levels on excretion are quite low. However, when a specific detoxification medication is used prior to the urine metal test it will show elevated excretion of a particular metal like lead, arsenic or mercury.

Benefits of Heavy Metal Tests – Blood Testing

The benefit of heavy metal tests, specifically blood testing has a limited role in the detection of heavy metals unless exposure levels are quite high and currently occurring. For example, children are often tested for lead and mercury in the blood and the reports come back low or non-existent. The blood report is then read as negative and the parent told heavy metals are not an issue. However, when the blood results are cross checked with a hair analysis, aka. hair metal test one will see high levels of certain metals like lead and/or mercury. The reason is blood levels do not register elevated metals for very long unless the exposure to the specific metal is still ongoing. Once the exposure has occurred the metal is normally cleared from the blood fairly quickly. Often, the metal is taken into the tissues of the body and stored there. Therefore, blood testing often reports false negatives.

Summary of Benefits of Heavy Metal Tests

The benefits of heavy metal tests are important to recognize as their value is immeasurable when heavy metal exposure is suspected. Toxic metals cause serious damage within the body and can affect every organ system causing and/or contributing to brain, nervous system, immune, cardiovascular and hormone problems. Hair metal analysis is excellent for all around assessment of past exposure to heavy metals. Blood testing is worthwhile for recent exposure to various metals like lead and mercury, and urine testing is best used as a baseline prior to heavy metal detoxification or as a way to track metal excretion when undergoing heavy metal detoxification therapy. The benefits of heavy metal tests unfortunately are not regularly appreciated by traditional medicine practitioner, but are often seen as a vital tool in the practices of integrative medicine doctors.

 

Recommended: Heavy Metals Detox

heavy metals toxicity symptoms mercury

Heavy Metals Toxicity Symptoms

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Heavy metals are a group of metals that can be toxic in varying amounts, and are toxic by their individual nature. For example, tin and nickel can be toxic in the human body in high amounts, but their overall toxicity is much less than a heavy metal like mercury or lead. It will take much less mercury or lead to cause heavy metal toxicity symptoms than tin or nickel. There are many different heavy metal toxicity symptoms that can trigger long-standing illness. For example, irritability and volatility of mood can be a sign of mercury toxicity. Unfortunately, these symptoms are not specific heavy metal toxicity symptoms for mercury. Mercury toxicity is also known for many neurological symptoms such as weakness, numbness, headaches, memory deficits, and if very serious dementia.

Heavy Metals Toxicity Symptoms Vary By Metals

Lead is another toxic metal that often give certain heavy metal toxicity symptoms. Some of the symptoms of lead are similar to mercury in that they alter the brain and nervous system, but often gives specific issues of attention and focusing problems. Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been strongly linked to lead exposure, and any child who exhibits attention deficit and/or hyperactivity should be checked for lead levels. Blood testing for lead is quite common, but hair analysis testing is also accurate as well. In fact, hair testing may be preferred as it is indicative of storage of lead in the body long-term, whereas blood testing may only be indicative of recent exposure. After the exposure is gone blood lead levels can dissipate quite quickly. This too is the case with mercury and other heavy metals.

Arsenic is another heavy metal associated with marker heavy metal toxicity symptoms. Arsenic is commonly found in various rice and chicken products. It is also used in pesticides and herbicides sprayed on farms which makes it associated with ground water contamination. Arsenic, like lead and mercury, can lead to nervous system problems as well such as attention, hyperness, and poor cognitive function, but can also create problems metabolically leading to fatigue, weakness, and anemia.

Unsure? A Heavy Metals Lab Test Can Tell You

It is very important for anyone suffering with various heavy metal toxicity symptoms described in this short article to be tested for heavy metals. Hair analysis testing is the preferred method at first as a general screen for prolonged heavy metal exposure. Blood testing can be done, but often it doesn’t stay elevated for very long after acute exposure. Either way the presence of heavy metal toxicity symptoms warrants laboratory assessment.

 

Recommended: Toxic Lead Levels in Children

Porphyrins Profile Test Video Image

Porphyrins Profile Test Video

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Get The Porphyrins Profile Test Here.

Porphyrins Profile – For Porphyrins Analysis

The Porphyrin Profile Test is an important test with respects to overall heavy metal assessment. Used along with a Hair Analysis, aka. Hair Toxic Metals and Elements it provides detailed information about the toxicity at the cellular level with respects to heavy metals such as Arsenic, Lead, Mercury, etc. The Porphyrin Profile Test is a urine test that is collected at home. Each porphyrin on the Porphyrin Profile when elevated is suggestive of some type of environment insult effecting its production. The porphyrins in general are very sensitive to the presence of heavy metals.

Porphyrins are a chain biochemical reaction that occurs in the mitochondria of the cells. They produce a chemical called Heme which is used by the body to produce hemoglobin to carry oxygen. Heme is also used by the liver to aide in detoxification, and heme is also used in the brain to help remove toxins like mercury. Through the Porphyrin Profile Test you are able to assess whether one or a group of porphyrins are elevated which can indicate a toxic load of heavy metals in the cells.

A normal Porphyrin Profile Test doesn’t necessarily rule out the presence of heavy metals (which can then be cross checked with the Hair Analysis), but it helps to show that major toxicity is not likely occurring at the cellular level.

The Porphyrin Profile Test is a useful way to monitor heavy metal detoxification therapy overtime as well, particularly if an initial Porphyrin Profile Test was positive. Therefore, the Porphyrin Profile Test should be considered a baseline test, along with a Hair Analysis to check for cellular reactions to heavy metals, and determine the extent of toxicity that may be occurring.