Heavy Metal Treatment | Symptoms of Toxicity
What Heavy Metals Do People Unknowingly Ingest?
Heavy metals include lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, aluminum, nickel, and many others. You are probably ingesting heavy metals on a regular basis without knowing it. From the “silver” fillings in your teeth and the swordfish steak on your dinner menu (both sources of mercury) to the lead pipes in your house that supply your drinking water, heavy metals are all around you.
Prevalent Toxic Heavy Metals Found Today are:
- Lead, commonly used in paints until 1978, is still found in the wall paint coatings in many homes. Children may pick at old paint chips while playing; sanding off old paint also releases lead-containing particles. Lead pipes, still present in many households, allow the metal to leach into drinking water, rendering the water toxic. Paint-glazed china may yet be another source of lead.
- Mercury is a heavy metal found in some fish, especially tuna, King Mackerel, orange roughy, swordfish, halibut, cod, catfish, and sea bass. It is also found in the silver-colored amalgam fillings used for cavities; over time, these fillings release toxic mercury into your body. Each amalgam filling can exude 17 ugs of mercury vapor per day. This can have an accumulative effect over time.
- Cadmium, another heavy metal, is often used as a paint pigment, though now its use is declining. Still, McDonald’s recently recalled twelve million “Shrek” drinking glasses because they had cadmium-containing paint. Aside from paint, a major cause of environmental cadmium exposure is cigarette smoke.
- Arsenic occurs naturally in the earth, sometimes seeping into groundwater. Arsenic compounds are used as wood preservatives, insecticides, and herbicides. They are also commonly used in animal feed. Recent studies have shown high levels of Arsenic in rice.
- Gadolinium is a heavy metal contrast used intravenously for radiology studies such as CT scans and MRIs. Gadolinium toxicity can cause encephalitis, tinnitus, and major brain fog, and confusion.
Heavy Metal Burden or Heavy Metal Overload
Acute exposure to large doses of heavy metals is known as heavy metal toxicity. This exposure often causes severe symptoms requiring hospitalization and detoxification treatment (in the form of chelation therapy). However, gradual exposure to heavy metals occurs over many years and is insidious. Because heavy metals are large they are not excreted through skin pores. Without chelation therapy, they accumulate in fat cells, tissues, and organs. This prolonged exposure and accumulation cause an overload and a heavy metal burden. The toxic burden of heavy metals can be considered cumulative poisoning.
Heavy Metal Toxicity Symptoms
The symptoms of heavy metal burden may resemble those of other common disorders, so they may often be overlooked. But if you have any of the following symptoms on an ongoing basis, the heavy metal burden should seriously be considered as a root cause:
- Digestive disorders (abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, gas, bloating, and constipation)
- Headaches, muscle aches (Fibromyalgia), fatigue, thyroid, and adrenal disorders
- Hair loss and brittle nails
- Skin rashes and dermatitis
- Metallic taste
- Attention Deficit Disorder
- Depression and mood swings, anxiety, confusion, memory problems and brain fog, and sleep disorders
Diagnosing Heavy Metals| Treatment for Your Immune System
Dr. Lalezar conducts a six-hour urine toxicology screening after administering DMPS (dimercaptopropanesulfonic acid) as a provocative chelating agent, which binds to mercury and tin. DMPS is followed by an infusion of Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that supports the liver and enhances detoxification. Glutathione also prevents the redistribution of heavy metals and makes DMPS treatment more effective.
EDTA is a provoking agent that is used to measure aluminum, lead, cadmium, nickel, and gadolinium. EDTA is followed by an infusion of Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that supports the liver and enhances detoxification.
The amounts of heavy metals present in the urine are then measured. This is one of the most useful diagnostic tests for evaluating heavy metal burden. It measures the number of hidden metals stored in fat cells.
Often patients ask about a hair analysis or a blood test for measuring heavy metals. These measures are not an accurate indicator of what is stored at a cellular level. The blood and hair tests only indicate what has been excreted into the blood or hair, not what is stored at a cellular level.
Heavy Metal Treatment Approach
At the Health and Vitality Center, Dr. Lalezar, well-known for educating the public on the dangers of heavy metal burden, will use intravenously-administered chelating agents such as DMPS or EDTA, which bind to heavy metals, forming a water-soluble complex that is eliminated harmlessly through the urine.
IV Glutathione is also given to enhance detoxification. Both treatments are given in our comfortable, relaxing infusion room. During your IV treatment, you can read, listen to music, and work on your computer.
Amalgam filling replacement: Prior to IV chelation treatments, Dr. Lalezar will refer you to a biological dentist to safely replace your silver amalgam fillings. The following protocol must be followed before the amalgams are replaced with porcelain or composites.
- Cover your mouth with a rubber dam
- Replace amalgams one quadrant at a time
- Use an oxygen mask
- Use a high-suction vacuum
Learn more about Heavy Metal Toxicity Treatments:
Dr. Shiva Lalezar will treat the underlying causes of your heavy metal toxicity. She employs an integrative approach, combining the best conventional therapies with the latest techniques and treatments in Functional Medicine for optimal results.
Call the Health & Vitality Center at 310-477-1166 or click here to schedule an appointment. We are one of the leading Functional Medicine centers in Los Angeles.
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