Heavy Metals in Sports Supplements

If heavy metal toxicity is a concern for you or your family members, you want to be aware of all the possible sources of heavy metals around you. One often overlooked source is dietary supplements. While supplements in most cases have a wide range of benefits, there are also hidden risks. You will want to make sure any supplements taken by yourself or your family are safely made by reputable manufacturers. Many elements such as magnesium, calcium, and iron are essential for the body to operate properly. However, if you are already suffering from the effects of an overabundance of heavy metals in the body, heavy metal toxicity, adding more metals—even those found in supplements—could adversely affect your health. Sports supplements are an often overlooked source of unintentional, additional metals in the body.

Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements found in the soil, rocks, and minerals of our planet. Plants absorb metals from the soil or through irrigation water. We ingest metals and minerals daily since they are used in food, such as table salt (sodium chloride) and in other products such as antacids (calcium carbonate). Iron, magnesium, and other metals are required in reasonable quantities or our bodies suffer from their deficiencies. Having too much of these natural elements in the body has the opposite effect and can cause harmful side effects known as heavy metal toxicity.

Exposure

The best way to ensure you are not ingesting more heavy metals than are necessary is to review the contents of any dietary supplements you take. To limit your exposure to unnecessary heavy metals, purchase sports supplements, protein powders, and performance enhancers that have had their ingredients evaluated. Reputable manufacturers will list their ingredients on their packaging or websites so you can be certain they do not contain any unknown ingredients or unsafe levels of heavy metals. The incorporation of heavy metals into sports supplements isn’t a concern if your body has maintained healthy metal levels. For those fighting heavy metal toxicity, being aware of what metals are in any supplements you consume is crucial to managing your condition.

For more information about the effects and treatment of heavy metal toxicity, contact Chelation Health Products today!