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Healthy Living

What Are the Dangers of Heavy Metals to Your Body

By March 14, 2023March 17th, 2023No Comments

While some heavy metals, such as calcium, zinc, and magnesium, are essential for human health and play important roles in biological processes, others can be highly toxic.

The bigger problem is that we can be more susceptible to toxic metals than we think. How? These elements are everywhere in our living environment.

And they “get under our skin” invisibly and silently.

What are heavy metals, and how dangerous are they to the human body?

 

What Are Heavy Metals? How to Do a Detox With Chelation Therapy, Hyperthermia, and Ozone Therapy

What Are Heavy Metals?

Heavy metals are a group of elements with a high atomic weight, including lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium.

Exposure to toxic heavy metals can cause various medical conditions, including kidney and liver damage, neurological disorders, cancer, and even death.

The most common toxic heavy metals are:

Type of metal Source of metal
Lead Lead pipes, batteries, paint, gasoline, and building materials
Mercury Batteries, seafood, topical antiseptics, dental amalgam fillings, thermometers, and lightbulbs
Arsenic Topical creams, polluted water, seafood, algae, pesticides, fungicides, and insecticides
Cadmium Cigarette smoke, metal plating, batteries
Thallium Rodenticides, pesticides, fireworks

 

What Causes Heavy Metal Poisoning?

Heavy metal poisoning happens when your body absorbs the microscopic metal molecules after exposure. They then attach to your cells and stop them from carrying out their duties, resulting in symptoms that, if left untreated, might be fatal.

Ready for the worse part?

Heavy metal poisoning is one of the most ignored and underestimated conditions among people, especially those over 40. This increased susceptibility is why the acceptable limit for heavy metals in the United States used to be 40, and now 20 ppm.

Why?

Heavy metals are everywhere, and we can be exposed to them without realizing it. Many of the daily activities that we carry out can increase the risk of heavy metal toxicity, such as drinking water from unsafe sources, using batteries and gasoline, working with metal-based building materials, and even smoking.

That’s right, smoking!

Cigarettes contain heavy metals, such as cadmium and lead, and the body can absorb them through inhalation. Also, some leisure hobbies, such as pottery-making or jewelry-making, can increase the risk of heavy metal exposure.

 

How Dangerous Is Heavy Metal Poisoning?

Young-woman-suffering-from-heart-attack-at-home-How-Dangerous-Is-Heavy-Metal-Poisoning

Exposure to toxic heavy metals can be hazardous. So what if these invisible, quiet, and pervasive particles invade our systems, such as the heart or brain?

 

The Heart

Heavy metal poisoning poses a significant danger to the human heart. The toxicity of heavy metals can damage the heart muscles and impair their ability to pump blood.

The two main mechanisms by which heavy metals can cause harm to the heart are through their direct toxic effects on the cardiac muscle cells and by promoting atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque within the arteries.

Also, heavy metals can cause clogs within the blood vessels, restricting the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the heart and other vital organs. These effects can lead to various heart conditions, including heart attacks, heart failure, and hypertension.

 

The Brain

Heavy metal poisoning can cause significant damage to the human brain. When heavy metals are absorbed into the body, they can spread across systems, including the brain.

At high levels of accumulation, heavy metals can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, a protective mechanism of the brain, causing dysfunction of the nerves and leading to cognitive impairment.

Heavy metal toxicity can also impair memory, concentration, and learning ability, especially in children and pregnant women. Also, it has been linked to neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

 

The Kidney

Heavy metal poisoning can also cause substantial damage to the kidneys, the main organs responsible for filtering and eliminating toxins from the body.

On top of that, heavy metals can also specifically target the kidneys, resulting in severe renal damage and chronic kidney diseases, such as kidney failure or cirrhosis.

This phenomenon is caused by the accumulation of heavy metals in the kidneys if exposure exceeds the organ’s ability to detoxify. As a result, heavy metal toxicity can impair kidney function, leading to proteinuria, hematuria, and decreased urine output.

 

The Bone

Heavy metal poisoning can cause damage to the bones, even at low concentrations.

Heavy metals absorbed into the bones can disrupt bone metabolism by inhibiting bone formation, eventually leading to bone loss.

Heavy metals can also exert an anabolic effect on bone tissue, increasing the risk of fractures and skeletal deformities. In aquatic environments, heavy metal pollutants are among the leading causes of human bone diseases, such as osteoporosis.

 

Symptoms of Heavy Metal Poisoning

Senior-man-with-stomach-pain-Symptoms-of-Heavy-Metal-Poisoning

The symptoms of heavy metal poisoning can vary depending on the type and level of exposure to the heavy metal. Possible symptoms include:

  • Abdominal pain and cramping
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue or muscle weakness
  • Joint pain
  • Tremors
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Anemia
  • Skin rashes and discoloration
  • Metallic taste in the mouth
  • Changes in vision and hearing
  • Cognitive impairment, including memory loss and difficulty concentrating
  • Developmental delays and learning disabilities in children

 

If you suspect heavy metal poisoning, it is vital to seek medical attention immediately.

 

Heavy Metals Detoxification

There are several strategies for detoxifying the body from heavy metal poisoning, with chelation therapy being the most common.

 

Chelation Therapy

Chelation therapy involves administering a drug that helps the body eliminate heavy metals through the excretory system. The drug is administered intravenously and binds to the metal molecules, preventing them from spreading across various systems.

The bound molecules are then accumulated in the excretory system and eliminated from the body. Thus, chelation therapy is considered a safe and effective treatment option for heavy metal poisoning and is commonly used to treat lead poisoning.

 

Hyperthermia and Ozone Therapy

Another strategy for detoxifying the body from heavy metal poisoning is hyperthermia and ozone therapy. Hyperthermia involves exposing the body to high temperatures, which stimulates the body’s natural detoxification mechanisms.

Ozone therapy, on the other hand, works by introducing ozone into the body, improving tissue circulation and oxygenation. Both of these mechanisms can help improve the effectiveness of chelation therapy, making them an adjunct treatment option that promotes overall wellness and mental vitality.

 

Diet and Lifestyle Changes

In addition to the strategies above, we can make several lifestyle changes to reduce our exposure to heavy metals.

These include avoiding processed foods, using natural cleaning products, and reducing exposure to industrial pollutants. Eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and minerals can also help support the body’s detoxification processes.

 

Bottom Line

In conclusion, monitoring exposure to heavy metals through the safe consumption of food, water, and other products is vital to prevent potential health risks.

Meanwhile, if heavy metal poisoning occurs, detoxifying the body with chelation therapy and combining hyperthermia and ozone therapy are effective strategies.

Stay vigilant and keep yourself safe from heavy metal poisoning!

 

Yunique Medical provides FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE for optimized health and performance. We offer customized, scientifically advanced treatments to create a new state of human thriving. Why be ordinary when you can be optimal?

HUMAN 2.0 begins here!

Contact us to schedule your FREE consultation at one of our three locations in Florida – Ocala, Fruitland Park (The Villages), and Daytona. 

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