The Hazards of Heavy Metal Contamination

5 Hazardous Heavy Metal InfoGraphic

All of our EDTA Chelation products here at Chelation Health Products are designed with the goal to detoxify our client’s bodies from the toxins introduced by heavy metals, into their system. With that in mind we’ve decided to provide a brief review to outline the hazards associated with heavy metals, and the potential harm they can cause to our bodies.

What Heavy Metals Are We Talking About?

Heavy metals have been used around the globe for a variety of purposes, for thousands of years. Although the effects of heavy metals have been warned against for decades, exposure to heavy metals is still an issue, and in many cases, it may even be increasing!

We can find toxic heavy metals just about anywhere we look, including in materials used in construction, paints, water systems, dental work, our food, our daily supplements, and much more.

The main threats to human health from heavy metals are associated with exposure to the following heavy metals:

  • Lead
    • Typically, as a society our exposure to lead comes from two distinct areas, food & air. Emissions from burning crude oil over the past 100+ years has resulted in ambient air pollution and large increases of lead particles in our air. Although the amount of lead emission has dramatically declined over the past two decades there has not been a total phasing out of lead in fuels. Additionally, we are exposed to lead in the form of lead-based paints, and lead used in food containers, specifically in glazed food containers. (Could leach lead into our food)
  • Cadmium
    • Our societal exposure to Cadmium compounds typically comes through re-chargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, cigarette smoke, and food intake (absorbed into food via soil). Over the past Century Cadmium emissions have greatly increased, mostly because we rarely recycle these products, and often dump them together with our regular household trash, seeping into soil and food sources as well. Cigarette smoking is also a leading source of cadmium exposure.
  • Aluminum
    • Aluminum is abundant in today’s environment and toxic in excessive quantities, being mostly absorbed through the skin, lungs and intestinal tract. It can be found in antacids, antiperspirants, beverage and food cans, food wrapping, baking powder, buffered aspirin. City water supplies, cookware, utensils, cosmetics, foil, and more!
  • Mercury
    • Our exposure to Mercury is more well documented, and primarily found in food (fish), and through vapors in the air. It is also found in dental amalgams. For fish we see higher levels in sharks, swordfish, and tuna and we also should be wary of fish found in polluted waters. Many people are also exposed when mercury vapors are released into the air around them, happening in workspaces such as dental office, smelting operations, and other manufacturing plants where mercury is released or spilled. Methylmercury can also be passed along through fetal development.
  • Arsenic
    • Arsenic exposure has been associated mostly with food and water intake within a range of populations. Groundwater runoff from industrial plants can contaminate drinking water, soil can be contaminated from contaminated water, and even preserved wood can be a cause of arsenic exposure. Food grown in contaminated soil can also be a cause of Arsenic exposure.

What Harmful Effect Can These Heavy Metals Have?

Lead

Exposure to high levels of lead has been linked to a wide range of health issues. According to the CDC, “Within our bodies, lead is absorbed and stored in our bones, blood, and tissues. It does not stay there permanently, rather it is stored there as a source of continual internal exposure. As we age, our bones demineralize, and the internal exposures may increase as a result of larger releases of lead from the bone tissue.”

They also warn that people with prolonged exposure may be at risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, reduced fertility, brain damage in fetal development, and may have the following additional symptoms:

Additionally, the CDC warns that a person who is exposed to lead or high levels of lead overtime may have the following Symptoms:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Constipated
  • Depressed
  • Distracted
  • Forgetful
  • Irritable
  • Nauseous/Sick

Cadmium

According to the CDC they have labeled Cadmium as a “Probable Carcinogen” having effects on the Cardiovascular (Heart and Blood Vessels), Developmental (effects during periods when organs are developing) , Gastrointestinal (Digestive), Neurological (Nervous System), Renal (Urinary System or Kidneys), Reproductive (Producing Children), Respiratory (From the Nose to the Lungs) systems.

They go on to say “When eaten, large amounts of cadmium can severely irritate the stomach and cause vomiting and diarrhea. Breathing high levels of cadmium damages people’s lungs and can cause death. Exposure to low levels of cadmium in air, food, water, and particularly in tobacco smoke over time may build up cadmium in the kidneys and cause kidney disease and fragile bones. Cadmium is considered a cancer-causing agent.”

Aluminum

Aluminum is so dangerous because it is so rampant around us in the world today. We see it everywhere and our bodies absorb it through a variety of different manners. Its toxicity seems to affect the bones, kidneys, stomach, and even the brain! It has been linked to neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, dementia, and bone disease such as osteoporosis.

Mercury

The affects of Mercury on the human body differ on the type of Mercury exposure. According to the CDC, “Large amounts of methylmercury eaten over weeks to months have caused damage to the nervous system. Infants born to women who were poisoned with methylmercury had developmental abnormalities and cerebral palsy.” They go on to indicate when inorganic Mercury is eaten in large amounts is can cause irritation and corrosion to the digestive system, and even neurological disturbances, memory issues, and kidney abnormalities. Additionally, Mercury vapors are associated with severe lung damage as well.

Arsenic

One of the more prominent heavy metals in news recently, the CDC warns “Unusually large doses of inorganic arsenic can cause symptoms ranging from nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea to dehydration and shock. Long-term exposure to high levels of inorganic arsenic in drinking water is associated with certain medical conditions. These conditions include skin disorders, an increased risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, and several types of cancer. Inorganic arsenic and arsenic compounds are considered to be cancer-causing chemicals.”

How To Protect Yourself

With all the harmful effects of heavy metals and with the prevalence of these metals in our daily lives, it’s no wonder you’re probably thinking about how to protect yourself and cleanse your body of these harmful toxins.

Luckily there are partners out there like us to help you detox safely, affordably, and effectively!

Learn more about how to protect yourself and detoxify your body from harmful heavy metals at Chelation Health Products.