Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements in the earth. They're employed in a variety of current applications, including agriculture, medicine, and manufacturing.
Some are even found naturally in your body. Zinc, iron, and copper, for example, are required for normal physiological function as long as dangerous quantities are not present.
Heavy metal poisoning happens when your body's soft tissues absorb an excessive amount of a certain metal.
The following are the most common metals that the human body may absorb in hazardous amounts:
- Mercury
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Arsenic
High amounts of these metals may be present in food, air, or water pollution, as well as medicine, food containers with inadequate coating, industrial exposure, or lead-based paint.
Heavy metal poisoning is quite uncommon in the United States. It only happens after you've been exposed to a considerable amount of heavy metal for an extended length of time. However, the prevalence of over-the-counter (OTC) treatments claiming to cleanse your body of heavy metals might make it appear more frequent than it is.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HEAVY METAL POISONING?
The symptoms of heavy metal poisoning differ depending on the element.
General symptoms
Among the most common signs of heavy metal poisoning are:
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- breathing difficulty
- Tingling sensations in your hands and feet
- Stomach pain
- Vomiting
- Chills
- Weakness
Children who have been exposed to heavy metals may have strangely formed or weaker bones. Pregnant women may potentially miscarry or birth early.
Metal-related symptoms
Additional symptoms can be caused by some forms of heavy metal toxicity. Here are some of the symptoms associated with some of the more frequent forms.
Symptoms of mercury poisoning include:
- A lack of cohesion
- Changes in vision
- Walking difficulties
- Muscle weakness
- Issues with hearing and speech
- Harm to the nerves in your hands and face
Symptoms of lead poisoning include:
- Constipation
- Abrasive behavior
- Fatigue
- Loss of memory
- Appetite loss
- Anemia
- Headaches
- Sleep issues
- Irritability
- Elevated blood pressure
- Absence of developmental skills in children
Symptoms of arsenic poisoning include:
- Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
- Skin that is red or swollen
- Lesions or warts that appear on your skin
- Strange heartbeat
- Muscle cramps
Cadmium poisoning symptoms include:
- Fever
- Breathing difficulties
- Muscular ache
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF METAL POISONING?
Heavy metals may enter your body in a variety of ways. You might consume them through your food or absorb them through your skin, for example.
Here's how you might be exposed to heavy metals. Keep in mind that heavy metal poisoning is caused by prolonged or regular exposure to heavy metals. Heavy metal toxicity will not result from infrequent exposure.
Arsenic
- Consuming tainted seafood or algae
- Consuming tainted water
- Working near a hazardous waste disposal facility
- Living in a location with large concentrations of rocks, water, and dirt
- Eating pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides
Cadmium
- Operating in an industrial environment, particularly one where ore is processed or melted
- Welding on cadmium-containing alloys or utilizing silver solders
- Cigarette smoke inhalation
Lead
- Living in a house with a lot of lead-based paint
- Carrying out industrial construction, radiator repair, or smelting activities
- Being in shooting ranges
- Using kohl cosmetics
- Using foreign digestion aids, calcium supplements, kohl, surma, kajal, or progressive hair dyes
- Utilizing progressive hair dyes, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working on changing this
Mercury
- Mercury mining, production, or transportation
- Mining and refinement of gold and silver ores
- Ingesting tainted seafood or water
- Mirrors, X-ray equipment, incandescent lights, and vacuum pumps
While heavy metal toxicity may affect anybody, children are especially sensitive to lead poisoning. Lead paint is sometimes found in older dwellings. A youngster may be exposed if they touch a lead-painted wall before touching their lips, for example. Because their brains are still developing, this can result in brain damage.
Nonetheless, the National Organization for Rare Disorders reports that the number of children with potentially hazardous lead levels has decreased by 85 percent in the previous 20 years.
HOW CAN I TELL IF I HAVE HEAVY METAL POISONING?
A simple blood test known as a heavy metals panel or heavy metal toxicity test may typically be used by doctors to screen for heavy metal poisoning.
To do the test, they will take a little blood sample and look for heavy metals. If you experience heavy metal poisoning symptoms but your blood test only indicates low levels, your doctor may recommend further testing.
These might include:
- Kidney function tests
- Fingernail analysis
- Electroardiograms
- Liver function tests
- Urine analysis
- Hair analysis
- X-rays
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR METAL POISONING?
For moderate instances of heavy metal poisoning, simply avoiding heavy metal exposure may be sufficient to alleviate the illness. Depending on the underlying reason, this might include taking time from work or modifying your diet.
Your doctor can provide you with more precise advice on how to decrease your exposure.
Chelation therapy is the usual treatment for more severe instances. This entails administering medicine, either as a pill or as an injection, that binds to heavy metals in your body.
These drugs are known as chelators. Chelators aid in the removal of metals from your body by binding to them.
DO I NEED TO DO A HEAVY METAL DETOX?
The Internet is rife with detox kits and cleaning programs that claim to rid your body of heavy metals.
While these may appear to be a safer and less expensive alternative to seeing a doctor, they have not been authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration. And the majority of them have not been tested for safety or efficacy.
Furthermore, several of these products can cause a variety of additional problems, including:
- Reactions to allergens
- Mineral shortages
- Birth defects
- Kidney damage
Heavy metal poisoning can have long-term health consequences if left untreated. Working closely with a doctor is essential to ensuring that you are following the best effective treatment plan for your specific requirements.
CONCLUSION
Heavy metal poisoning is uncommon in the United States, although chelation therapy is typically a successful cure.
If you are concerned about heavy metal poisoning, there are a few things you may take to decrease your exposure:
- Ensure that your workplaces adhere to OSHA guidelines.
- Limit your eating of fish that have been shown to have high amounts of mercury.
- If your home was constructed before 1978, have it tested for lead.
- Purchase vitamins and spices only from reputable, high-quality vendors.