| Mercury - A Dangerous Toxin Mercury is a very | | | | disease. Changes, or damage, to DNA can be |
| dangerous poison. Basically, there are three forms | | | | passed on to subsequent generations, so any |
| of mercury: metallic, inorganic and organic. | | | | children you have after the damage can inherit |
| Although there is considerable debate as to which | | | | the problem or risk it produces.The heart is |
| form is the most harmful, there is abundant | | | | especially sensitive to mercury toxicity. One study |
| evidence that indicates the inorganic form (also | | | | of people with an often fatal disorder called |
| called ionic mercury) is the most dangerous. Ionic | | | | idiopathic cardiomyopathy found that their heart |
| mercury is also the most difficult to remove from | | | | muscle contained a level of mercury that was |
| the body and in particular from the brain. | | | | 22,000 times higher than that seen in hearts of |
| Fortunately, few people are exposed to ionic | | | | other people the same age. This disorder causes |
| mercury directly - most exposure is indirect. | | | | heart failure and people with the problem can |
| Unfortunately, a number of studies have shown | | | | require a heart transplant. The elderly with |
| that the other two forms are converted into ionic | | | | pre-existing heart disease, who receive yearly flu |
| mercury within the tissues, especially in the brain. | | | | vaccines, are particularly at risk as the flu |
| Therefore, any and all mercury exposure should | | | | vaccines still contain mercury.The brain is another |
| be regarded as basically having the same | | | | organ that is particularly sensitive to the |
| potential.Many people have suffered and died | | | | accumulation of mercury. Most of us have heard |
| from mercury poisoning. The following are two | | | | the old saying mad as a hatter. This saying |
| incidents of mercury poisoning that gained the | | | | originated from the felt hat industry during the |
| attention of the media: * Mercury was dumped | | | | 17th through the 19th centuries. It was commonly |
| into Minamata bay in Japan from 1932-1968. Over | | | | observed that people who worked in the industry |
| 5,000 people suffered from mercury poisoning | | | | walked as if they were drunk. They were also |
| and 456 died. Children were born severely | | | | quite irritable and exhibited bizarre behavior. It was |
| deformed and mentally retarded. * In 1971 50,000 | | | | discovered that a form of mercury used in the |
| people in Iraq were poisoned and 5,000 died after | | | | manufacture of felt hats was to blame.Mercury |
| they ate bread contaminated with mercury. | | | | can alter how the brain functions, particularly the |
| Although these were dramatic and tragic events | | | | memory, concentration, motor control and |
| the largest sources of mercury poisoning are: * | | | | behavior. Depression, memory loss, moodiness, |
| Dental fillings * Contaminated fish * Vaccines * | | | | irritability, a lack of interest in events, a desire to |
| House paint Almost 50% of dental fillings are the | | | | be alone, shyness and outbursts of anger are all |
| metallic form of mercury. The American Dental | | | | signs of mercury poisoning. Low doses of |
| Society, until just recently, covered up the | | | | mercury, even for short periods, can cause |
| evidence that the mercury was released in vapor | | | | changes to brainwaves observed on an |
| form and that 80% of that mercury vapor was | | | | electrocortigram.High mercury levels in the brain, |
| absorbed into the body. Several studies have | | | | blood or spinal fluid has been found in people with |
| shown that blood levels of mercury rise several | | | | neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer s |
| times when people with amalgam fillings chew or | | | | and Parkinson s disease and Lou Gehrig s disease. |
| drink hot liquids. This is significant. Consider that in | | | | Studies have found that people with Alzheimer s |
| 1990, the EPA outlawed the use of mercury-filled | | | | disease have blood mercury levels twice as high |
| interior latex paint because studies found that | | | | as those who were free of the disease. This |
| people living in houses covered in this paint had | | | | would also explain the 10-times increase in |
| dangerously high mercury levels in their bodies. | | | | Alzheimer s disease observed in elderly people |
| The Occupational Safety and Health Administration | | | | who get annual flu vaccines for five years. |
| (OSHA) set the safety limit of mercury in the air | | | | Several studies have shown improvement in MS |
| at 50 ug per cubic meter (50 ug/m3). | | | | patients who had their amalgam fillings removed |
| Measurements of the air in the mouths of people | | | | and subsequently went through chelation to purge |
| with numerous amalgam fillings have exceeded | | | | them of mercury.What You Can Do * Try to |
| this level (reaching as high as150 ug/m3). This has | | | | avoid mercury as much as you are able, including |
| particular implications for pregnant and breast | | | | in atmospheric pollution, dental fillings, contaminated |
| feeding women.Fish and other seafood are | | | | seafood and avoid vaccines that contain mercury. |
| contaminated by waste from coal burning | | | | * If you have concerns you can have your urine, |
| furnaces and pesticides and herbicides containing | | | | hair and stool checked for mercury levels. If the |
| mercury. The sea floor also produces natural | | | | levels are high (above 10 ug/g of creatine) you |
| sources of mercury. As a result, a large number | | | | can use a chelation agent to remove the |
| of previously safe seafood are contaminated with | | | | mercury. * Perspiration removes mercury. |
| mercury. The mercury enters all sea creatures, | | | | Exercising will increase the perspiration, but a new |
| but some are more toxic than others. Fish that | | | | study found that exercise redistributes the |
| eat other fish have the highest levels and in | | | | mercury and this concentrates the mercury in the |
| general the larger the fish, the higher the | | | | brain and heart muscle. * Garlic extract neutralizes |
| concentration. Certain fish should never be eaten, | | | | much of the toxicity and removes a great deal of |
| because of their extremely high methylmercury | | | | the mercury from the brain over time. The |
| levels. These include: * shark, * swordfish, * king | | | | advantage of this natural substance over drugs is |
| mackerel and * tilefish. Select fish and other | | | | that it can be taken all the time. * A purified |
| seafood that are low in mercury, such as salmon | | | | extract of the Chlorella plant have been shown to |
| (from the Pacific) or pollock, or shrimp. However, | | | | chelate mercury, and they can be taken daily. * |
| Gulf shrimp is contaminated with a number of | | | | Vitamin and mineral supplements are useful. In |
| industrial chemicals as well as mercury, especially | | | | particular, vitamin E protects DNA against |
| since Hurricane Katrina. Although most vaccines | | | | mercury damage. Also alpha-lipoic acid, zinc and |
| had their mercury removed as of 2001, the flu | | | | selenium have proven roles. Zinc and selenium play |
| vaccines and the Rho immune globulin vaccine still | | | | a major role in protecting the brain against |
| contain mercury. Vaccines contain a special form | | | | mercury toxicity. It is thought that selenium |
| of mercury called ethylmercury, which is found | | | | protects fish from the damage caused by |
| within the preservative and antiseptic thimerosal. | | | | mercury. * You need cleanse your body of toxic |
| Recent studies have examined ethylmercury and | | | | material, including mercury, so that everything is |
| found that in fact it is much more toxic than | | | | able to work effectively.Conclusion Mercury is a |
| methylmercury (the form found in fish). In the | | | | dangerous toxin that should be avoided as much |
| brain it is readily converted to the more toxic | | | | as possible. Avoidance is not impossible but does |
| mercury ion. Vaccines containing mercury are | | | | require attention to the sources of mercury |
| strongly link to autism.Toxic Effects of | | | | discussed above. If you believe you may be |
| MercuryMercury is fat soluble and it accumulates | | | | suffering from mercury toxicity, possibly because |
| in fat containing tissues such as the brain, heart, | | | | you realize that you have had significant exposure |
| kidneys and liver. It reacts with a number of | | | | and recognize that you have several relevant |
| important structures and chemicals in the organs. | | | | symptoms, I recommend you consult a |
| Mercury concentrates in cell nucleus, and in even | | | | naturopathic doctor who will be able to assess |
| low doses it can cause damage to DNA. Damaged | | | | your condition and if necessary, order some tests |
| DNA can lead to cancer and degenerative brain | | | | and recommend appropriate treatment. |