MERCURY AND METAL TESTING IS OFTEN PERFORMED INCORRECTLY, CAUSING FALSE HIGH RESULTS, FRIGHTENING PEOPLE UNNECESSARILY INTO INAPPROPRIATE CHELATION.
 

Please read the documents  linked below, in detail. Follow the other links to various webpages.

The most accurate test for mercury and other toxic metals is on blood, not urine.

You can now receive a confidential test from a very high quality laboratory without a doctor's order -- get the virtually any kind of laboratory test at your own request. Available in most cities in the USA.

Confidential Laboratory Testing

Mercury Information

Mercury Testing

Two further links of interest below:

http://www.rochester.edu/pr/releases/med/mercury.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12767734&dopt=Abstract

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Mercury Detoxification

       A false notion is commonly held that toxins are always toxic at any level. That is only true if the levels of a toxin in the body (or a group of toxins) exceed the threshold for toxicity. There always exists a low-level threshold of tolerance below which every potential toxin is non-toxic—even for mercury. That is true for all toxins, not just toxic metals, as well as for nuclear and cosmic radiation. It’s a fundamental principle in toxicology.

          The "linear-toxic-effect-no-threshold" notion is untrue. Potentially toxic metals have always existed in the human body at low levels. They are widespread in the earth's crust, in food, in air, and in water, and always have been, even before industrial pollution increased the exposure in densely populated areas. Every human that ever lived has been exposed to some low level of virtually every metallic toxin. The only limitation in detection has been the sensitivity of instruments used for measurement. In recent years technology has advanced to the point that extremely low levels (parts per billion, and even parts per trillion) can now be detected. This has sometimes caused unjustified fear of toxic metals, even among some health care practitioners. Mercury is being blamed for a wide variety of diseases and chronic conditions for which is plays no role (also other low-level metals).

          It is necessary to determine if levels measured are above the threshold for toxicity or below the threshold of tolerance. Laboratories used by some practitioners may confuse the facts by setting reference ranges on their report forms in a potentially deceptive manner, such that a high proportion of patients tested erroneeously appear to be  “toxic.” The presence of very low levels of toxic metals does not necessarily mean that they are toxic. Symptoms of metal toxicity are so non-specific and non-diagnostic that almost anyone with any chronic illness will experience symptoms could also occur from toxic metals. That can be misleading and when low levels are detected, can lead to the false impression that a diagnosis of metal toxicity has been missed.

          Mercury toxicity, as well as toxicity from other metals is potentially a very serious problem. Toxicity certainly does occur. Industrial pollution has greatly increased exposure in recent times. Here we are merely trying here to cut through recent unscientific hysteria and determine accurately whether or not metal toxicity is really a problem for a specific patient, and if treatment with a chelator is indicated for a specific patient for that reason.

      In testing hundreds of patients over the years we have occasionally found truly toxic levels of metals. But not often, when tested and interpreted properly.

     The half-life of mercury in the human body is three months or less, with no treatment at all, once the source of excessive exposure has been eliminated. That fact is often ignored. Mercury chelators merely speed up a process that occurs naturally with no treatment.  The body slowly eliminates most other toxic metals in time.

          Scientific research has shown that once a source of mercury exposure is eliminated, half of the remaining mercury in the body is excreted naturally in less than 3 months, with no treatment whatsoever. In other words, without a source of continuing exposure, the remaining mercury is lost naturally in urine, feces, hair, skin, sweat, bile, etc.  After one year 95 percent or more of the mercury is gone, even with no treatment!

     Low levels of mercury are safe and some level of mercury has always been present in everyone on earth, without exception, and always has been. There exists a threshold level below which mercury is well tolerated without toxic effects. Low levels of mercury are normally found in food and water because it is widely distributed in the earth’s crust in tiny amounts.
 
          Recent advances in laboratory science make it possible to now measure mercury in everyone alive. The limiting factor is the sensitivity these new high-tech instruments. This is resulting in widespread misunderstanding, fear and even exploitation.

          Some laboratories used report mercury as being in the toxic range, even when levels are quite safe and far below a toxic threshold. Deceptive report forms are used. By administering DMSA or DMPS before collecting urine, excretion increases and everyone tested may appear toxic if the result is interpreted in comparison to non-provoked urine.
   
     We now recommend testing of whole blood by a reputable national reference lab, such as LabCorp or Quest Diagnostics. If urine is used it is not advisable to give a chelator first. A random non-provoked urine specimen or a simple blood test is adequate. Blood testing is preferred. Interpretation of both blood and urine specimens is explained in detail with accurate reference ranges on the link below.

Interpretation of Mercury test Results

          If you want to understand more about the scientific facts, we recommend that you go to a medical school library and read what the experts have reported in well documented scientific studies. Don’t take anyone else’s word. Read the research reports yourself and arrive at your own conclusions. Don't get caught up in fear-based hysteria.

     There even exists evidence that low levels of mercury in the body might actually be beneficial. Dr. Dennis Jones of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in Atlanta has recently presented findings at a scientific meeting from a study of 100,000 infants. All of those infants were given a mercury-containing vaccine (thiomersol). Dr. Jones reported that this very low-level of mercury exposure appeared to actually lessened the children's chances of developing neurological problems and other diseases.
 
    There are many anecdotal reports of children with autism and other disorders benefiting from the chelation of mercury, but these children are simultaneously given high-dose vitamins and special diets at the same time, both of which have been well documented to bring benefit in autism (through the research of Dr. Bernard Rimlin, a world renowned expert in the field). At this time there is no credible scientific evidence that the chelation part of the treatment is of added benefit in autism, despite what you may heae elsewhere. That hypothesis has not been supported by clinical trials at this time.

          Paradoxically, evidence has been reported that very low levels of a some toxic metals and even radiation can actually be beneficial. This is called “hormesis.”

 Click here to read more about hormesis.

 Click here for a list of published scientific references on metal toxicity

 Below are listed references in  peer-reviewed  toxicology literature:

Roels HA,Boeckx M. Ceulemans E,Lauwerys RR. Urinary excretion of mercury after occupational exposure to mercury vapor and the influence of the chelating agent mes-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). British Journal of Industrial Medicine 1991;48:247-253.

Aposhian HV, Maiorino RM, Gonzales-Romirez MC, et al. Mobilization of heavy metals by newer, therapeutically useful chelating agents. Toxicology 1995;97:23-38.

Gonzales-Ramirez D, Maiorino RM, Zuniga-Charles M, et al. Sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropane- 1-sulfonate challenge test for mercury in humans:II.Urinary mercury, porphyrins and neurobehavoral changes of dental workers in Monterrey, Mexico. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1995;272(1):264-272.

Aposhian HV. DMSA and DMPS—water soluble antidotes for heavy metal poisoning. Ann Rev Phamacol Toxocol 1983;23:193-215.

Clarkson TW. The toxicology of mercury. Critical reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences. 1997;34(3):369-403.

Young-Jin S. Mercury. In Goldfrank LR ed Toxicologic 5th Edition. 1994. Norwalk, Conn. Appleton-Century-Crofts pp 1051-1062.

Aaseth J, Friedheim EAH Treatment of methyl mercury poisoning in mice with 2,3- dimercaptosuccinic acid and other complexing thiols. Acta Toxico 1978;42:248- 252.

Aaseth J, Jacobsen D, Andersen O, Wickstrom E. Treatment of mercury and lead poisonings with dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate ( DMPS). Analyst 1995 Mar;120:853ff

Planas-Bohne F, Olinger H. The interaction of chelating agents with methyl mercuric chloride bound to erythrocytes. Biochem Pharamcol 1981;30:667-669.

Planas-Bohne F. The influence of chelating agents on the distribution and biotransformation of methylmercuric chloride in rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1981;217:500- 504.

Butterworth RF, Gonce M, Barbeau A. Accumulation and removal of Hg203 in different regions of the brain. Can J Neurol 1978;5:397-400.

Clarkson TW, Magos L, Cox C, et al. Tests of efficacy of antidotes for removal of methylmercury in human poisoning during the Iraq outbreak. J Pharamacol Exp Ther 1981; 218:74-83

Gabard B. Distribution and excretion of the mercury chelating agent sodium 2,3 imercaprtopropane-1-sulfonate in the rat. Arch Toxicol 1978;39:289-298.

Graziano JH. Antidotes in depth, 2,3-domercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA, Succimer). In Goldfrank LR. ed Toxicologic Emergencies. 5th Edition.1994. Norwalk, Conn. Appleton- Century-Crofts pp 1045-1047.