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Poisons > Mercury Removal Advice
12 Points on
Mercury
Toxicity | Mercury Removal Advice |
Treatment of Autism
Mercury
is a toxic metal widely occurring in the biosphere
which presents hazards associated with both ingestion
and inhalation. Mercury has no essential function
within the body.
Pesticides,
large fish, and mercury dental filings are the most
potent sources of mercury. The amount of mercury
found in fish is directly proportional to the size of
the fish, with the largest and most long lived fish
(eg sharks) accruing huge amounts of mercury by the
end of their lives. Mercury tends to enter rivers,
lakes, and the oceans through industrial discharges
and volcanoes. It settles in bacteria which are eaten
by algae; algae are eaten by small fish; small fish
are eaten by large fish, and so on up the chain. Each
step concentrates the amount of mercury present in
each animal.
Mercury
has also been used as an antiseptic and pesticide.
Many commercial preparations have contained the
inorganic mercury salt calomel (mercurous chloride),
including over the counter laxative preparations and
some cosmetics. It has also been used to treat grain
seed, as a pesticide.
The
largest source of mercury for most people in the
Western World is from Amalgam (silver) dental
fillings. Amalgam fillings were developed by a
British chemist in 18 I 9 and were originally made
from filing down silver coins and mixing the filings
with mercury to make a paste or pliable mass. Modern
amalgam is made from a mix of copper, tin, zinc,
silver, with 50% mercury. Mercury fillings have a
life expectancy of 10 years, due to the highly
corrosive conditions of the mouth. An electrical
current tends to exist between the mentals in the
amalgam and saliva. This electrical current is
actually a chemical reaction between the amalgam and
saliva, and leads to a loss of mercury from the
amalgam as a vapour, where it is inhaled. The normal
chewing of food also causes the abrading of amalgam
from the fillings, leading to the ingestion of small
particles of mercury. Natural endogenous bacteria of
the mouth and gut are able to convert inorganic
mercury into organic mercury through methylation
(adding a methyl group to the mercury element) and so
forming methyl mercury.
The World
Health Organisation states that the largest estimated
average daily intake and retention of mercury and
mercury compounds in the general population is from
dental amalgam fillings. The estimated daily intake
of mercury from dental amalgams is 3.8 - 2l mcg per
day.
Mercury
can be found in a two main forms, inorganic and
organic. Inorganic mercury is very toxic to humans,
but not nearly as toxic as organic mercury such as
methyl mercury. Methyl mercury is a form of mercury
which has been bound to a simple organic carbon
group. This makes it permeable to membranes and
encourages its movement into brain tissue. About 10%
of mercury ingested accumulates in the brain.
Mercury
has an affinity for organic sulphur compounds called
thiols, which are essential components of enzyme
systems. Mercury will irreversibly bind to these
thiol groups, and inhibit their function in enzymatic
reactions. Thiols are also involved in protein
formation and help stabilise protein structure.
Mercury is then able to cause the denatutration of
protein structures, particularly in the brain. It can
also form a hapten with the protein it is bound to,
causing the immune system to recognise that protein
as foreign and destroying it at all opportunities.
This leads to beginning of autoimmune disorders.
Mercury
toxicity can be manifest in many forms. In acute
organic mercury toxicity symptoms include loss of
co-ordination, intellectual ability, vision, and
hearing. Organic mercury can produce redness,
irritation, and blistering of the skin. Chronic
exposure to mercury can produce the following
symptoms: fatigue, loss of energy, weakness, oedema,
pallor, inappropriate chilliness or excessive warmth,
excessive perspiration without fever, fainting,
blurred vision, headache, anxiety, irritability,
hostility, aggression, insomnia, restlessness,
decreased concentration, grogginess, depression, and
thoughts of suicide.
In
attempting to reverse the problem of mercury toxicity
it is important to realise that the mercury
contamination must be removed, whether this be the
cessation of using cosmetics, eating fish, or having
your dental amalgams removed. It is also important to
supplement those nutrients most effected by mercury
as this appears to one way of reducing the effects of
chronic exposure.
As
mercury will attach to sulphur amino acids in protein
it is important to supplement with nutrients to
encourage mercury elimination.
Glutathione (USH)
Glutathione is an important antioxidant amino acid
which protects against mercury toxicity. Glutathione
is a tripeptide, made from the combination of three
amino acids; L-glycine, L-glutaniic acid, and
L-cysteine. Studies have shown that GSH levels are
decreased during cases of mercury toxicity. It is
interesting to note that GSH deficiency resulting
from genetic errors mimic the acute mercury toxicity
effects of Minamata disease. Without adequate OSH,
mercury from the environment cannot be detoxified and
eliminated.
N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC)
This compound has been used clinically as it is able
to act as a precursor to L-cysteine, cystine,
L-methionine, Glutathione (USH), and mixed
di-sulphides. It stimulates the body to produce large
amounts of cysteine and GSH thus augmenting plasma
and red blood cell contents of both cysteine and
Glutathione. In experiments where animals were
exposed to mercury vapour, NAC treatment increased
animal survival time and decreased the mercury levels
in blood, lung, and kidney tissues from these
animals.
L-Methionine
L-rnethionine is an essential sulphur containing
amino acid. It is used by the body to produce
cysteine, cystathionine, glutathione, and taurine.
Mercury is able to bind to methionine and inhibit it
being used in the production of cysteine and
glutathione. The addition of methionine to the diet
will increase the levels of cysteine and glutathione
in the body.
Methylsulfonylmethane
(MSM)
This compound is a natural dietary sulphur compound
that provides bioavailable sulphur. This product can
provide sulphur to cysteine and methionine. MSM is a
completely natural form of organic sulphur found in
all living organisms and is completely free of odour
or aftertaste. Mercury's great affinity for the
sulphur molecule makes MSM a valuable, readily
available, source of dietary sulphur. Sulphur
labelled MSM has been found to be incorporated into
protein cysteine residues throughout the body. MSM
has also been shown to exert a beneficial effect in
ameliorating a variety of allergic responses and pain
associated with systemic inflammatory disorders. MSM
is therefore a valuable adjunct in helping to offset
the toxic effects of mercury exposure.
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
Pyridoxine is critically involved in the metabolism
of sulphur amino acids, and is especially critical in
the conversion of one amino acid to another. Vitamin
B6 is needed in the metabolic processes that convert
methionine to cysteine and cysteine to glutathione.
Therefore an adequate intake of Vitamin B6 will help
insure the body has the necessary nutrients to
produce cysteine and convert it to additional
glutathione.
Zinc
Mercury is able to compete with and displace zinc in
a number of biological systems. Thus mercury causes
zinc deficiencies in various tissues, such as the
brain. Zinc stimulates the production of
metallothionein in the body, which is one way the
body detoxifies the effects of mercury.
Metallothionein is very rich in cysteine.
Supplemental zinc is therefore vital in any mercury
elimination programme.
Ascorbic
Acid (Vitamin C)
Prolonged exposure to mercury tends to depress the
adrenal ascorbic acid content. Providing vitamin C
should help restore and/or maintain adequate adrenal
levels of this critical nutrient, thus offsetting the
depletion of this chemical due to stresses caused by
chronic inhalation of mercury vapour.
Thiamine
(Vitamin B 1)
B group vitamins are involved in energy metabolism,
supporting the systems which protect against free
radicals. Vitamin B I also contains a sulphur group
and has been used in the treatment of mercury
poisoning. Vitamin B 1 has a rapid turnover in the
brain and the levels are reduced by mercury exposure
through mercury oxidising thiamine to thiochrome in
the brain. Symptoms of vitamin BI deficiency and
mercury poisoning are very similar.
Selenium
This essential mineral is able to bind to mercury and
is able to cause a redistribution of tissue mercury.
It is therefore able to precipitate the excretion of
some mercury from the body.
Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin BS)
Vitamin B5 is a major constituent of the adrenal
glands and may be involved in how the body handles
stress. The physiologically active form of calcium
pantothenate is coenzyme A. Scientific evidence
demonstrates that mercury can inhibit or suppress
coenzyme A. Coenzyme A and adrenal function is
necessary during the replacement of amalgams.
Garlic
Garlic is a powerful herb which has been used for
centuries as an immune stimulant and as an antiseptic
agent. Garlic's powerful actions come from its
sulphur containing constituents, including allicin
(dially disulphide-oxide), Aillin (S-ally cysteine
sulphoxide), and Diallydisulphide. These compounds
are quite capable of binding to and eliminating
mercury as a normal part of their physiological
action.
Other Nutrients
A number of other nutrients help support. These
include magnesium and potassium, both of which are
essential for correct cellular function and both of
which are depleted in the presence of mercury. Rutin
is able to bind to mercury and may help in its
elimination. The mineral chromium is able to aid in
adrenal function, so supports the function of Vitamin
C, Vitamin B5 and Vitamin B6. Fatigue is a common
symptom of symptom of mercury toxicity and one that
can be alleviated with the aid of Ginkgo
Biloba, Cats Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) and coenzyme Q 1O. All of
these nutrients are capable of increasing energy
levels in the body, allowing the patient to feel
increased vigour.
References
Godfrey, M., Campbell, N. (1994) Conformation of
mercury retention and toxicity using 2,3-dimercapto-
1-propane-suiphonic acid sodium salt (DMPS). Journal
of Advancement in Medicine, 7(1): 19-30.
Huggins, H. (1990) It's All In Your Head. USA:
Life Sciences Press.
Zift, S. (1 985) The Toxic Time Bomb. Wellingborough,
UK: Thorsons Publishers Ltd.
Zift, S., Zift, M., Hanson, M. (1993) Dental
Mercury Detox. Orlando, USA: Bio-Probe Inc.
Ziff, S., Zift, M. (1993) Dentistry Without
Mercury. Orlando, USA; Bio-Probe Inc.
Dunne, K. (1990) Nutrition Almanac, 3rd Ed. New
York USA. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company.
Murray, M. (1996) Encyclopaedia of Nutritional
Supplements. Rocklin, USA: Prima Publishing.
Hughes, B., Lawson, L. (1991) Antimicrobial effects
of Allium sativum L. (garlic), Allium
ampeloprasum L. (Elephant Garlic), and Allium
cepa L. (Onion), garlic compounds and commercial
garlic supplement products. Phytotherapy Research, 5:154-158.
12 Points on
Mercury
Toxicity | Mercury Removal Advice |
Treatment of Autism |
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