Acute mercury poisoning
Mercury poisoning differs from the other forms of metal poisoning in that it causes neurological symptoms rather than digestive disorders. The source of mercury poisoning is primarily contamination of food by polluted water containing mercuric compounds from industrial waste or organic mercury contained in some fungicides. Food or feed grains treated with mercury-containing fungicides are a potential source for transmission of the metal through both animal and cereal foods. The onset time is one week or more, at which time the symptoms of numbness, weakness of the legs, spastic paralysis and impaired vision are noted. Blindness and coma are extreme symptoms of the poisoning.
Chronic mercury poisoning
The symptoms of low-level, chronic mercury exposure and toxicity can be very general and difficult to diagnose based on symptoms alone. In addition, individuals show varying levels of sensitivity to the presence of mercury: amalgam removal may be very important in the recovery process of one person, while for another it may be best to leave the amalgams in place.
Mercury is usually targeted because it is the most common toxicity that most people have – for example, amalgams in teeth contain over 50% mercury. The remainder is made up of silver and sometimes tin, aluminum and other metals. The mercury escapes the amalgam as a vapor and is breathed into the body of the person carrying the amalgam.
Elemental and inorganic mercury exposure can come from amalgam fillings, burning of coal and medical wastes, and environmental and occupational exposures. While these forms of mercury are toxic, they pale in comparison to the toxicity of methylmercury. Methylmercury is formed through microbial action from inorganic mercury that has deposited in the oceans and lakes and bioaccumulates through the food chain in ever increasing concentrations through the large predatory fish. Seafood contamination is a significant source of organic mercury and a serious concern worldwide.
Two scientists completed a study that involved taking measurements of mercury in cicadas, particularly in areas where there were power plants. Their goal was to use their method as a type of indicator that the soil they were in would become polluted. Researchers cautioned people against eating any kind of insect like cicadas, which surprisingly were the carriers of heavy metals. Further investigations have been initiated to determine whether the mercury concentration in the cicadas came from man-made factors or occurred from natural sources such as soil.
There is a web site that you can access calledGotMercury.org. They have a simple, yet handy, calculator that you can use to estimate your mercury risk based upon your weight and current fish consumption.
Signs, symptoms & indicators of Mercury Toxicity / Amalgam Illness
Poor balance
Frequent/occasional/regular painful urge to defecate
Heart racing/palpitations
Weak appetite
Showers cause fatigue
Constant fatigue
Poor bodily coordination
Fatigue on light exertion
(Frequent) cervical node swelling
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck have been associated with known mercury toxicity. Other sites reported include in front of the ear, under the jaw, and on the back of the neck.
Vision disturbances
Intermittent blurred distance vision is a sign of mercury toxicity.
Bulging eyes
Marked proptosis (bug eyes), or eye changes typical of hyperthyroidism have been associated with mercury toxicity.
Dark spots on gums
A swollen tongue
Metallic taste in mouth
Coated tongue
Cold sores
Abnormal tastes in mouth
Mouth soreness
Gums that bleed easily
Low body temperature
Impatient/hostile disposition
Moodiness
Irritability
Short-term memory failure
Periods of confusion/disorientation
Being easily excitable
Nervous excitability can be a symptom of mercury toxicity.
Trouble concentrating
Being an antisocial person
Tender muscles
Moving white lines across nails
All heavy metals cause Mees’ lines on the nails. These usually begin a few months after significant exposure starts and may be useful in identifying the source of exposure – dental amalgams or some unrecognized source – if you remember when they started.
Unexplained missed periods
Joint pain/swelling/stiffness
Diminished perspiration
Conditions that suggest Mercury Toxicity / Amalgam Illness
Cardiomyopathy
Mercury levels in the heart tissue of individuals who died from Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy (IDCM) were found to be on average 22,000 times higher than in individuals who died of other forms of heart disease. [J Amer Coll Cardiology v33(6) pp.1578-1583,1999]
Weakened Immune System
In vitro studies suggest that even low, environmentally relevant exposure levels of mercury, which are not toxic, still contribute to immune dysfunction by interfering with proper lymphocyte functioning. [Scand J Immunol 50(3): pp.233-241]
Elevated Total Cholesterol
Elevated total cholesterol greater than 270mg may be associated with mercury toxicity.
Poor Memory
Short term memory loss is initially the most common complaint associated with mercury toxicity.
Hypoglycemia
Heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, lead and thallium poison the glucose metabolizing catalysts, thus reducing the flow of energy throughout the body. It is interesting to note that the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning are similar to symptoms associated with hypoglycemia i.e. hyperactivity, mood swings, manic depressive behavior, poor concentration and impulsive and unpredictable behavior.
Muscle Cramps / Twitching
Unusual tics or twitching of facial muscles have been associated with mercury toxicity, as well as with muscle cramps in cases of high occupational exposure to mercury.
Kidney Weakness / Disease
Kidney disease, including kidney failure, is a possible symptom of mercury toxicity. A yearly or more frequent mercury detox program is advised as long as this is a suspected or confirmed problem.
Low Back Pain / Problems
Mercury toxicity can cause low back pain when it is stored in the sensory ganglia near the low back.
Increased Risk of Alzheimer's / Dementia
Part of the increase in the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease may be due to mercury exposure from mercury amalgam fillings, especially those high in copper content. [Environ Contam Toxicol 2001;67. pp.800 806]
Night Sweats
This symptom may be one of many associated with mercury toxicity.
Dry skin
Exceptionally dry skin has been associated with mercury toxicity.
Male Hair Loss
Mercury toxicity can cause hair loss.
Female Hair Loss
Mercury toxicity can cause hair loss.
Being free of mercury toxicity
Bulging eyes from hyperthyroidism
Marked proptosis (bug eyes), or eye changes typical of hyperthyroidism have been associated with mercury toxicity.
Nasal congestion
Mild nasal congestion / stuffy nose can be a sign of mercury toxicity.
Female Infertility
Researchers in Hong Kong compared mercury levels in fertile and infertile couples. The results were as follows:
Fertile men 15% with high mercury, Infertile men 35% with high mercury
Fertile women 3.8% with high mercury, Infertile women 23% with high mercury
So for infertile men, the chance of mercury toxicity over fertile men was 2.3 times higher and for women, 6 times higher.
They recorded how much seafood the couples consumed and found that those eating more seafood tended to have higher blood mercury levels. [Fertility and Sterility, 78: 2, August 2002, pp. 426-428]
Risk factors for Mercury Toxicity / Amalgam Illness
Early/delayed/late puberty onset
Late/delayed/early puberty onset
Bruxism (Clenching/Grinding Teeth)
People with mercury amalgam fillings who grind their teeth or chew gum can suffer additional mercury release.
Heavy metal detoxification use
Eating/little mercury contaminated fish
Counter Indicators
Not eating mercury containing fish
(Much) past amalgam filling removal
Having amalgam fillings
Poorly-removed amalgams
Counter Indicators
Carefully-removed amalgams
Not having any/having amalgam fillings
Absence of short-term memory loss
History of tender muscles
Mercury Toxicity / Amalgam Illness can lead to
Cardiomyopathy
Mercury levels in the heart tissue of individuals who died from Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy (IDCM) were found to be on average 22,000 times higher than in individuals who died of other forms of heart disease. [J Amer Coll Cardiology v33(6) pp.1578-1583,1999]
Schizophrenia
Mercury toxicity can cause mental symptoms like shyness, irritability, apathy and depression, psychosis, mental deterioration, and anorexia.
Recommendations for Mercury Toxicity / Amalgam Illness
Cysteine / N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC)
The ability of NAC to enhance methylmercury excretion when given orally, its relatively low toxicity, and its wide availability in the clinical setting indicate that it may be an ideal therapeutic agent for use in methylmercury poisoning. [Environ Health Perspectives, 1998, 106(5): pp.267-71] Earlier concerns over NAC causing mercury to accumulate in the brain and kidneys, as can occur with L-cysteine, now appear to be unfounded. The initial concerns were opinions only, based on L-cysteine research, not NAC research. Still, some clinicians feel that symptom worsening occurs with the use of large doses of NAC (over 300mg per day), especially if they already have elevated levels of L-cysteine. If L-cysteine levels are elevated, cystiene containing products like protein powders should be avoided.
Glutathione
One of the body’s normal mechanisms for dealing with heavy metals involves glutathione and normal levels of this protein should thus be ensured. The rate-limiting precursors are the amino acids cysteine (or N-acetyl-cysteine) and glutamine.
Chlorella / Algae Products
Using large doses of chlorella facilitates fecal mercury excretion. After the intestinal mercury burden is lowered by other means, mercury will more readily migrate into the intestine from other body tissues where chlorella will aid in its removal.
In one study, when mice fed methylmercury were given chlorella, they excreted approximately twice the amount of mercury in their urine and feces as mice not treated with chlorella. The majority of mercury is removed through your stool.
Dental Metal Removal
Dental amalgam removal is an important first step in reducing your ongoing exposure to mercury.
High/Increased Fiber Diet
Sodium alginate as well as other gel-forming fibers have been shown to inhibit heavy metal uptake in the gut.
High/Increased Protein Diet
See the link between Heavy Metal Toxicity and Increased / High Protein Diet. A low carbohydrate diet is recommended.
Grain-free / Low Starch Diet
See the link between Heavy Metal Toxicity and Increased / High Protein Diet.
Cilantro
Cilantro may help mobilize heavy metals from the brain and central nervous system.
Increased Fish Consumption
There is increasing concern over fish which are being found to contain significant levels of mercury. These potentially dangerous levels are coming from fish eating smaller fish – methyl mercury bio-accumulates over time. The large predator fish, such as swordfish/marlin, ahi (yellow fin tuna), king mackerel, shark (often sold as imitation crab), and tilefish have the highest accumulations because they are at the top of the food chain (well, almost!). Many people who consume significant amounts of these fish are showing very elevated levels of mercury in their hair. The FDA is currently recommending most other fish as safe for consumption at amounts of 1kg per week or less.
Mercury enters the environment naturally and through industrial pollution. Cutting back on seafood is a way of cutting down on blood mercury levels, but the benefits of seafood, including omega-3 fatty acids and selenium, should be balanced against the mercury risk.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended reference dose, or level below which exposures are considered harmless, of mercury in the blood is 5.8 micrograms per liter. The average level of mercury in the women’s blood in this particular study, was about one microgram per liter, well below the reference dose.
However, about 8% of the women had levels that above the reference dose. Further, women who ate at least three servings of fish during the 30 days prior to the study had mercury levels of close to two micrograms per liter – four times higher than those of women who did not eat fish.
Adult women had three times higher blood mercury levels than children, partly because adults tend to eat more fish than children, according to researchers.
Fish such as haddock, tilapia, salmon, cod, pollock and sole, as well as most shellfish tend to be relatively low in methylmercury, according to researchers. [JAMA April 2, 2003;289: pp.1667-1674]
Test Hair Analysis
Hair analysis is a reasonable and inexpensive first step toward diagnosing heavy metal toxicity.
Selenium
Selenium is able to combine with metals such as cadmium and mercury to reduce their toxicity.
Molybdenum
Molybdenum may be useful in the treatment of certain cardiovascular conditions, asthma, allergies and mercury toxicity.
Sulfur
Mobilization AND excretion are required for mercury detoxification. Consuming foods high in sulfur such as garlic, onions, beans, and eggs or supplemental sulfur in the form of MSM can help move mercury around but it is only bound loosely and caution is advised. There have been reported cases of reversible cataract development from individuals mobilizing mercury without excreting it. Consult a qualified doctor for a detoxification protocol appropriate for you.
Alpha Lipoic Acid
Sources of sulfur such as alpha lipoic acid, MSM and garlic are helpful for protection against heavy metals in general and specifically useful in mercury toxicity. Alpha lipoic acid should not be used alone, as it only mobilizes mercury with a weak bond. Without additional chelators present, such as DMPS or DMSA, the mercury may just redistribute elsewhere in the body instead of being removed.
Key
| Weak or unproven link |
| Strong or generally accepted link |
| Proven definite or direct link |
| Strongly counter-indicative |
| Very strongly or absolutely counter-indicative |
| May do some good |
| Likely to help |
| Highly recommended |
| May have adverse consequences |
Glossary
Acute
An illness or symptom of sudden onset, which generally has a short duration.
Chronic
Usually Chronic illness: Illness extending over a long period of time.
Lymph Nodes
Small, bean-shaped nodes at various points throughout the body that function to filter the lymph fluid and attempt to destroy the microorganisms and abnormal cells which collect there. The most common locations are the neck (both sides and front), armpit and groin, but also under the jaw and behind the ears. Swollen or painful lymph nodes generally result from localized or systemic infection, abscess formation, or malignancy. Other causes of enlarged lymph nodes are extremely rare. Physical examination for lymph nodes includes pressing on them to check for size, texture, warmth, tenderness and mobility. Most lymph nodes can not be felt until they become swollen, and then will only be tender when pressed or massaged. A lymph node that is painful even without touching indicates greater swelling. Lymph nodes can usually be distinguished from other growths because they generally feel small, smooth, round or oval-shaped and somewhat mobile when attempts are made to push them sideways. Because less fat covers the lymph nodes in children, they are easier to feel, even when they are not busy filtering germs or making antibodies. Children’s nodes enlarge faster, get bigger in response to an infection and stay swollen longer than an adult's.
Hyperthyroidism
An abnormal condition of the thyroid gland resulting in excessive secretion of thyroid hormones characterized by an increased metabolism and weight loss.
Idiopathic
Arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause.
Angina
Angina pectoris. Severe, restricting chest pain with sensations of suffocation caused by temporary reduction of oxygen to the heart muscle through narrowed diseased coronary arteries.
Lymphocyte
A type of white blood cell found in lymph, blood, and other specialized tissue such as bone marrow and tonsils, constituting between 22 and 28 percent of all white blood cells in the blood of a normal adult human being. B- and T-lymphocytes are crucial components of the immune system. The B-lymphocytes are primarily responsible for antibody production. The T-lymphocytes are involved in the direct attack against living organisms. The helper T-lymphocyte, a subtype, is the main cell infected and destroyed by the AIDS virus.
Cholesterol
A waxy, fat-like substance manufactured in the liver and found in all tissues, it facilitates the transport and absorption of fatty acids. In foods, only animal products contain cholesterol. An excess of cholesterol in the bloodstream can contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.
Milligram
(mg): 1/1,000 of a gram by weight.
Glucose
A sugar that is the simplest form of carbohydrate. It is commonly referred to as blood sugar. The body breaks down carbohydrates in foods into glucose, which serves as the primary fuel for the muscles and the brain.
Metabolism
The chemical processes of living cells in which energy is produced in order to replace and repair tissues and maintain a healthy body. Responsible for the production of energy, biosynthesis of important substances, and degradation of various compounds.
Hypoglycemia
A condition characterized by an abnormally low blood glucose level. Severe hypoglycemia is rare and dangerous. It can be caused by medications such as insulin (diabetics are prone to hypoglycemia), severe physical exhaustion, and some illnesses.
Chronic Renal Failure
(CRF) Irreversible, progressive impaired kidney function. The early stage, when the kidneys no longer function properly but do not yet require dialysis, is known as Chronic Renal Insufficiency (CRI). CRI can be difficult to diagnose, as symptoms are not usually apparent until kidney disease has progressed significantly. Common symptoms include a frequent need to urinate and swelling, as well as possible anemia, fatigue, weakness, headaches and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, bad breath and itchy skin may develop as toxic metabolites, normally filtered out of the blood by the kidneys, build up to harmful levels. Over time (up to 10 or 20 years), CRF generally progresses from CRI to End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD, also known as Kidney Failure). Patients with ESRD no longer have kidney function adequate to sustain life and require dialysis or kidney transplantation. Without proper treatment, ESRD is fatal.
Ganglion
A group of nerve cell bodies clustered together in a uniform mass outside of but often close to the brain or spinal chord. Nerves run to or from the ganglia in passage to or from the brain to specific sites on the body.
Alzheimer's Disease
A progressive disease of the middle-aged and elderly, characterized by loss of function and death of nerve cells in several areas of the brain, leading to loss of mental functions such as memory and learning. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Copper
An essential mineral that is a component of several important enzymes in the body and is essential to good health. Copper is found in all body tissues. Copper deficiency leads to a variety of abnormalities, including anemia, skeletal defects, degeneration of the nervous system, reproductive failure, pronounced cardiovascular lesions, elevated blood cholesterol, impaired immunity and defects in the pigmentation and structure of hair. Copper is involved in iron incorporation into hemoglobin. It is also involved with vitamin C in the formation of collagen and the proper functioning in central nervous system. More than a dozen enzymes have been found to contain copper. The best studied are superoxide dismutase (SOD), cytochrome C oxidase, catalase, dopamine hydroxylase, uricase, tryptophan dioxygenase, lecithinase and other monoamine and diamine oxidases.
Anorexia Nervosa
An eating disorder characterized by excess control - a morbid fear of obesity leads the sufferer to try and limit or reduce their weight by excessive dieting, exercising, vomiting, purging and use of diuretics. Sufferers are typically more than 15% below the average weight for their height/sex/age and typically have amenorrhea (if female) or low libido (if male). 1-2% of female teenagers are anorexic.