HEAVY METAL TESTING HAIR / URINE / BLOOD PRACTITIONER MANUAL NutriPATH Pty. Ltd. 18a Harker Street, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia Phone: 1300 688 522 (Australia) +613 9880 2900 (International) Fax: +613 9880 2999 Web: www.nutripath.com.au V2.0 2 Contents HEAVY METALS & MINERALS ANALYSES ......................................................................................... 5 HAIR, BLOOD OR URINE ANALYSIS .................................................................................................. 8 Which Test is Best? ...................................................................................................................... 8 HAIR ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................. 8 URINE / BLOOD ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 10 ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF METAL AND/OR MINERAL ANALYSIS .............................. 11 HAIR ........................................................................................................................................... 11 Some points to consider with HMA results ......................................................................... 12 URINE ......................................................................................................................................... 13 BLOOD ........................................................................................................................................ 14 Some Points to Consider With Heavy Metal Testing .......................................................... 14 ANALYTES TESTED BY NUTRIPATH ................................................................................................. 17 NUTRIPATH TESTS .......................................................................................................................... 18 TOXIC METALS ................................................................................................................................ 19 ALUMINIUM (Al) ........................................................................................................................ 19 ANTIMONY (Sb) ......................................................................................................................... 19 ARSENIC (As) .............................................................................................................................. 21 BARIUM (Ba) .............................................................................................................................. 22 BERYLLIUM (Be) ......................................................................................................................... 23 BISMUTH (Bi) ............................................................................................................................. 24 BORON (B) ................................................................................................................................. 24 CADMIUM (Cd) .......................................................................................................................... 24 LEAD (Pb) ................................................................................................................................... 25 LITHIUM (Li) ............................................................................................................................... 26 MERCURY (Hg) ........................................................................................................................... 27 NICKEL (Ni) ................................................................................................................................. 28 3 PALLADIUM (Pd) ........................................................................................................................ 29 PLATINUM (Pt) ........................................................................................................................... 29 SILVER (Ag) ................................................................................................................................. 29 STRONTIUM (Sr) ........................................................................................................................ 30 THALLIUM (Tl) ............................................................................................................................ 30 TIN (Sn)....................................................................................................................................... 30 TUNGSTEN (W) .......................................................................................................................... 31 URANIUM (U)............................................................................................................................. 31 MINERALS ....................................................................................................................................... 33 CALCIUM (Ca) ............................................................................................................................ 33 CHROMIUM (Cr) ........................................................................................................................ 34 COBALT (Co) ............................................................................................................................... 34 COPPER (Cu)............................................................................................................................... 35 IRON (Fe) .................................................................................................................................... 36 MAGNESIUM (Mg) ..................................................................................................................... 36 MANGANESE (Mn)..................................................................................................................... 37 MOLYBDENUM (Mo) ................................................................................................................. 38 SODIUM (Na) ............................................................................................................................. 39 SELENIUM (Se) ........................................................................................................................... 39 VANADIUM (V) .......................................................................................................................... 40 ZINC (Zn) .................................................................................................................................... 40 RELATED TESTS ............................................................................................................................... 42 POINTS OF INTEREST ...................................................................................................................... 44 ARTICLES ......................................................................................................................................... 47 4 HEAVY METALS & MINERALS ANALYSES Dietary elements (commonly known as dietary minerals or mineral nutrients) are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen present in common organic molecules. Chemical elements in order of abundance in the human body include the seven major dietary elements calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, sodium, chlorine and magnesium. Important trace or minor dietary elements include iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, iodine and selenium. Trace and essential elements are vital for nearly all of the chemical reactions in the body. With the enormous amounts of toxic metals in the environment and the widespread nutrient mineral insufficiencies of the modern diet, assessing patients for element imbalances and excesses is an increasingly important tool. Heavy metal toxicity can also lead to numerous health conditions including those affecting the various body systems - cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, musculo-skeletal, integumentary and nervous systems. Mechanisms of toxicity include antagonism of mineral balance, alterations in enzyme activity, changes in neuronal membrane potential, increased oxidation and affects on the immune system. The term ‘heavy metals’ is loosely defined: it is related to the periodic table of elements and refers to a variety of elements with high density or metallic properties. These elements are found naturally throughout the environment and are also used by industries to manufacture a wide range of common products. Some of them, such as iron, copper, selenium, molybdenum and zinc, are required in trace amounts by the body for normal function but can be toxic at higher levels. Significant concentrations of any of the heavy metals can be irritating or damaging to the body and can contaminate soil, air, food and water, persisting indefinitely in the environment. Because they are a source of potential injury, the term ‘heavy metals’ is frequently used interchangeably with the term ‘toxic metals’. The signs and symptoms that a person may experience depend upon the type of metal, its form, the quantity, the length of exposure, the type of exposure, the age of the person and the person's general state of health. Some metals are much more toxic than others, and one form of a metal may be more harmful than other forms,