Heavy metal detox

How to Eliminate Toxic Heavy Metals

It is astonishing at first to realize that we live with a multitude of them, that we house just as many in us, and that they tend to stay in us.

Dr. Willem is writing a book on the subject, the first to be surprised to "contain" a crowd of undesirable substances with certainly harmful repercussions.¹

How do we ingest metals, you might ask? 

Through food (certain pesticides), non-natural cosmetic products, household products, certain coatings, certain protections, polluted air, certain fish (think mercury), etc. Terrible what we do to our planet and our health with all this!

What impact can these metals have while cohabiting in our metabolism? 

• Neurotoxic impact (aluminum, mercury, lead). 
• Digestive, fertility disorders (arsenic).
• Respiratory (chromium, nickel).
• Irritation and pain, dizziness and nausea (copper).

Infrared Sauna

Infrared sauna seems to me like such a pleasant way to eliminate them² and also benefit from effects on the skin, stress, relaxation, and anti-aging.

Foods

Certain foods support the general daily elimination of toxic substances: psyllium fiber (as in our Essential Fibers), Miso³, Spirulina⁴ and Chlorella⁵ (as in the Complete).

Fiber⁶ and probiotics⁷ can also help eliminate heavy metals.

Supplements

Now, know that some of your supplements—to enjoy them even more—can play an important role, for example:

• B12: arsenic⁸
• Selenium: arsenic, cadmium, mercury⁹, lead

Heavy Metals and Health Risks

-(according to the French Environmental Health Association)¹⁰ 

• Antimony: irritant to the skin, mucous membranes, and digestive system if ingested.
• Arsenic: carcinogenic, endocrine disruptor.
• Cadmium : highly toxic, bone disorders, carcinogenic.
• Chromium : cancers, gastrointestinal disorders, hematological disorders.
• Copper : hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic, irritant, reprotoxic.
• Lead: lead poisoning, lower IQ, anemia, behavioral disorders, kidney problems, hearing loss.
• Mercury : toxic to the respiratory tract, kidneys, and brain, toxic to the fetus.
• Nickel: highly allergenic, certain compounds are carcinogenic.
• Selenium: nausea, diarrhea, weakened nails, hair loss, fatigue.
• Tellurium: irritant, digestive disorders, drowsiness, headaches, liver and central nervous system damage.
• Thallium: neurotoxic.

Effect of environmental contaminants on the immune system according to the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec.¹¹ 

Neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders in children and exposure to arsenic, cadmium, and manganese: literature review and meta-analysis.¹² 
 

Melatonin and Aluminum Toxicity

Here are articles linking melatonin and aluminum toxicity, but they are all on animals: melatonin before or during exposure to aluminum could reduce its toxic effects (oxidative stress, inflammation...). Melatonin would therefore have a preventive or protective effect, and it would reduce the accumulation of aluminum in organs when administered simultaneously.^13-14-15-16

References

1-      WILLEM, Jean-Pierre. 2014. Les dégâts des métaux lourds, Éditeur Guy Trédaniel, 268 p. 

2-      Sears, M. E., et al. "Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in Sweat: A Systematic Review", Journal of Environmental Public Health, published online February 22, 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224050148_Arsenic_Cadmium_Lead_and_Mercury_in_Sweat_A_Systematic_Review

3-      William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi. (2001). The Book of Miso, Ten Speed Press; Revised edition, 280 p.

4-      Bhattacharya S. The Role of Spirulina (Arthrospira) in the Mitigation of Heavy-Metal Toxicity: An Appraisal. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol. 2020;39(2):149-157. doi: 10.1615/JEnvironPatholToxicolOncol.2020034375. PMID: 32749124. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32749124/

5-      Shim, J.-Y., Shin, H.-S., Han, J.-G., Park, H.-S., Lim, B.-L., Chung, K.-W., & Om, A.-S. (2008). Protective effects of Chlorella vulgaris on liver toxicity in cadmium-administered rats. Journal of Medicinal Food, 11(3), 479–485. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18800895/

6-      Yao M, Shao X, Wei Y, Zhang X, Wang H, Xu F. Dietary fiber ameliorates lead-induced gut microbiota disturbance and alleviates neuroinflammation. J Sci Food Agric. 2022 Dec;102(15):6795-6803. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.12074. Epub 2022 Jun 30. PMID: 35704270. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35704270/

7-      Abdel-Megeed RM. Probiotics: a Promising Generation of Heavy Metal Detoxification. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2021 Jun;199(6):2406-2413. doi: 10.1007/s12011-020-02350-1. Epub 2020 Aug 21. PMID: 32821997. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32821997/

8-   Mukherjee S, Das D, Mukherjee M, Das AS, Mitra C. Synergistic effect of folic acid and vitamin B12 in ameliorating arsenic-induced oxidative damage in pancreatic tissue of rat. J Nutr Biochem. 2006 May;17(5):319-27. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2005.08.003. Epub 2005 Sep 15. PMID: 16214333.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16214333/

9-   Li YF, Dong Z, Chen C, Li B, Gao Y, Qu L, Wang T, Fu X, Zhao Y, Chai Z. Organic selenium supplementation increases mercury excretion and decreases oxidative damage in long-term mercury-exposed residents from Wanshan, China. Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Oct 16;46(20):11313-8. doi: 10.1021/es302241v. Epub 2012 Oct 3. PMID: 23033886. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23033886/

10-   https://www.asef-asso.fr/production/les-metaux-lourds-la-synthese-de-lasef/

11-   https://www.inspq.qc.ca/es/node/1129 

12-   https://www.inspq.qc.ca/bise/les-troubles-neurodeveloppementaux-et-comportementaux-chez-les-enfants-et-l-exposition-l-arsenic-au-cadmium-et-au-manganese-revue-de-litterature-et-meta-analyse 

13-   Allagui, M. S., Feriani, A., Saoudi, M., Badraoui, R., Bouoni, Z., Ncir, R., Murat, J. C., & Elfeki, A. (2014). Effects of melatonin on aluminium-induced neurobehavioral and neurochemical changes in aging rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 70, 84–93. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24727051/

14-   Al-Olayan, E. M., El-Khadragy, M. F., & Abdel Moneim, A. E. (2015). The protective properties of melatonin against aluminium-induced neuronal injury. International Journal of Experimental Pathology, 96(3), 196–202. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25891353/

15-   Muselin, F., Dumitrescu, E., Cristina, R., Doma, A., & Trif, A. (2015). Protective effect of melatonin on aluminum accumulation in some organs of rats. Journal of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, 41(1), 26–30. https://doi.org/10.16988/iuvfd.2015.88209

16-   Sadek, K. M., Lebda, M. A., & Abouzed, T. K. (2019). The possible neuroprotective effects of melatonin in aluminum chloride-induced neurotoxicity via antioxidant pathway and Nrf2 signaling apart from metal chelation. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26(9), 9174–9183. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30719664/

The information in this article is published for purely informational purposes and cannot be considered personalized medical advice. No treatment should be undertaken based solely on the content of this article, and the reader is strongly recommended to consult healthcare professionals for any questions regarding their health and well-being. None of the information or products mentioned on this site are intended to diagnose or treat a disease.