With all of the toxins in our world today, heavy metal toxicity seems to be epidemic. This post is our story about how we learned that we seemed to have heavy metal poisoning and what we did about it.
One thing I never really thought I would deal with is Heavy Metal Poisoning.
We've dealt with a bunch of health issues in our family from autism to candida to thyroid disease to adrenal fatigue.
Just the concept of heavy metal toxicity sounds alarmist, doesn't it?
I almost can't believe myself that I am writing that title.
But then–life has a way of teaching us lessons that we really didn't want to learn.
Metal poisoning is one of them for me.
I Was Wrong
In my younger, more naive days, I used to think things like:
- life threatening food allergies were all in someone's head
- autism and Asperger's were just being over-diagnosed
- heavy metal poisoning or chronic fatigue was an excuse for someone who just was feeling tired and didn't eat well or something and really had something else wrong with them
It's hard for me to admit that, but it's true.
There's something about younger, full of energy years that makes one think that these things just aren't real.
But they are.
I found out the hard way.
I've shared a lot with you all already about autism and Asperger's, like in the following posts:
And though I haven't shared our whole story about life threatening food allergies, believe me—they are real.
I'll share more in the future.
But heavy metal toxicity? That's just a little too weird to be true, right?
Well, I'm going to share with you just a little bit today about our path with heavy metals, with more to come.
When my oldest son was born, we knew he was very sensitive. His poor little body was covered (literally) with horrible eczema at 3 months.
I went to great lengths to continue to breastfeed, including doing trials to figure out what he was allergic to and adjusting my diet accordingly.
But when his health took another big downturn at age 6, we knew our work with him needed to go beyond food elimination.
Heavy Metal Toxicity in Our Family–the Beginning
My son was super anxious and had obsessive behaviors that were almost impossible to handle.
Basically we were trapped in our home for a year. And mom went into overdrive trying to figure out what was wrong with him.
Finally, we arrived at a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome (a form of autism) for my son, and I ended up with candida and adrenal burnout (see my post on a test for adrenal fatigue).
That's when the visits with alternative practitioners and the heavy metal questions began.
There's a lot of info about heavy metals and health issues on the internet.
Some of them are fascinating.
Did you know, for example, that:
- Babies with autism have less mercury in their hair than neuro-typical babies. This seems to be due to the fact that the babies with autism don't detox the mercury so it is staying in their bodies. Source
- Aluminum is used in medicine in many ways, typically as a preservative
Possible Results of Heavy Metal Toxicity
According to the CDC and WHO, there are many reasons to be concerned about exposure to heavy metals. Following are some possible health concerns that can result:
Our Heavy Metal Poisoning Evidence
When I was starting my health path, I started talking with a man who had overcome mercury poisoning. I considered doing chelation therapy, but was concerned about the health problems that I had heard can be connected to this.
He recommended several immune boosting supplements as well as liquid zeolite (a supplement that makes a small cage to trap toxins and heavy metals and the releases them in your urine) to remove toxins and metals from my body.
So, on his recommendation, I tried some of these things in addition to purified liquid zeolite drops in my water as a detox supplement.
What happened to me was, well — very interesting.
This might qualify as the current expression “TMI” for “too much information”, but in the interest of sharing what I think is important health information with my readers, here goes.
I first tried a normal dose of the zeolite in each glass of water, but it was too much for me, apparently. I had fatigue that was like a cloud in my brain.
So, assuming I was having a herxheimer reaction (detox symptoms such as flu-like symptoms, fatigue, headache, or uneasiness, that occur when toxins are flooding your body faster than you can deal with them), I cut back to 1 drop per glass of water. If you'd like more information on what a herxheimer reaction is, or how to manage one, you can see this post on candida die off.
I tolerated that dose. And my urine smelled.
Like metal. For over 2 months.
Now I had to rethink what I originally thought about heavy metal poisoning.
My husband started taking the liquid zeolite as well.
As for his urine–well–he now describes it as “glow-in-the-dark Mountain Dew” (not that we ever drink that stuff, mind you :-)).
At that point, I was introduced to a Nutritional Balancing practitioner whom I mentioned in my post on Adrenal Fatigue.
We didn't get much progress with this method or this practitioner, but this particular situation was very interesting.
I mentioned my husband's urine color to her and she replied that cadmium is bright yellow, but she said that it was uncommon for cadmium to be released this easily.
However, months later when we had my whole family's hair tested, guess what came up on my husband's hair test?
That's right—-CADMIUM!
I was a believer. The metals were there and they needed to come out. We literally had heavy metal toxicity. I was shocked!
I'll share more later about zeolite, what it is and how I use it now. Also, I'll share about other metals that have impacted our family.
Metal toxicity, along with many other toxic concerns, is a huge problem in today's world.
Detoxing from Heavy Metals
The CDC discusses chelation of heavy metals if there is a toxicity issue. (source) However, this should be done with caution as there can be a removal of minerals as well that can lead to health complications. (source)
There are many things that have been used to support the body to excrete heavy metals includes:
- antioxidants
- taurine
- NAC
- lipoic acid
- liposomal glutathione
- EDTA
- DMSA
- sweating (source)
Current Thoughts on Heavy Metal Detox
There are so many different thoughts on how to detox from Heavy Metals. Some people do IV chelation (I have concerns about that) and others use prescription detoxifiers.
Of course, there are varying thoughts about who needs to detox from heavy metals and who doesn't. Most mainstream sources would say that one doesn't need to do this unless facing a very serious situation.
I currently use Liquid Zeolite on an ongoing basis as an “insurance plan” to continue to keep toxins out of my body. Some say that Diatomaceous Earth can be used for this. I'm still researching this. However, again, many sources state that your body's systems can remove toxins just fine, without any assistance.
There are other ways that one might consider addressing heavy metals in the body including some food sources. (source)
Natural vs Synthetic Zeolite
I get questions now and then about what brand of zeolite to use. Please do your own research about safety, etc.
I personally prefer to use natural zeolite. From my limited research into zeolite, there are some companies marketing synthetic zeolites and saying that they are superior, but I have a concern about that. There is a study using synthetic zeolite on chickens and the results were not encouraging–reduced chicken weight and reduced bone ash, egg weight, egg production and more. We aren’t chickens, but natural is typically better. (source)
What I'm Doing Now for Heavy Metal Detox (and where is part 2?)
Since publishing this post I have continued to work on my health. I'm working with practitioners on and off and we plan to address more things, including possibly some more detox.
I didn't do a follow up post quickly to this one since things changed. I didn't feel my practitioner at the time could handle other issues that showed up and I needed other answers.
We still use zeolite and I'm working on what to do next.
But I can add that this liquid zeolite is one that I am trying out and think is working well. The company seems to have integrity, they use natural zeolite, and are well respected in the natural health community.
I'm seeing real progress in my son as well (he has Asperger's). He's noticing things too like better social interaction, emotional stability, and even better coordination–and all of this in just 1 week!
So–have you thought about heavy metal toxicity before?
What are your thoughts?
Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3654245/
Hi MS adrienne…
Are you still using the zeolite mentioned in the above link?
I heard there were concerns with the company and/or product?
As I am doing more research I am realizing that heavy metals are playing a major role in my suffering…
A few months ago I took a tiny bit of MT oil and have been horribly ill since…
It stirred up my candida and adrenal fatigue and I’ve been miserable since…
Hi there. Sorry for the delay. The one that I linked to in the post has a great reputation. I had concerns about another company that I used to use. Not sure that there was anything wrong with the product, but the manufacturer was not behaving professionally. It’s the first one that I used. If you would like to try it you are welcome–I still have quite a bit of it.
I’m so sorry you are having that issue–was that MCT oil?
Yes…MCT Oil…
(Sorry for that typo)
My theory is that it stirred up the candida which stirred up the metals which then made me feel like I was dying…
It was terrifying!
I notice now that if I chelate in some way whether it’s Diatomaceous Earth or what have you…
I begin to feel normal again…
I so appreciate your offer! Thank you!
I have plenty of MCT Oil left…
IF you like that we could trade? LOL
I have not studied the proper way / order to address these things but I know it depends on what you are doing and gut / liver support is crucial. I hope to learn more going forward. I think trading would be tough! You can reach out via email if you’d like to talk about ordering though :). I used to have it on my site but removed it due to it being a bother. Might bring it back…..once I have more things to sell like ebooks, etc.
I have learned a lot just trying to get myself out of this pit…
It’s been a journey to say the least…
Do you have an email address for the Zeolyte?
Many thanks…
Yes, sure – wholenewmom {at} gmail {dot} com is fine or adrienne {at} wholenewmom {dot} com.
Thanks for sharing your work! This helps me narrow down how I approach treating my young children. 🙂 The comments have been most enlightening as well. I agree that the marketing hype on products is super frustrating!
Hi there,
I think we are on similar lines – dealing with leaky gut first, rebalancing microbiome, used Advanced TRS (zeolite), then made a smoothie based upon a video I found on youtube – autism ice cream detox. It includes spirulina which works with cilantro (coriander in UK) to pull out cadmium, lead, arsenic, and to some degree aluminum and mercury). We also did diatomaceous earth – see “DE Detox” video on youtube. That has had amazing results in a few weeks on my son, with all above mentioned too.
Hi there. I can’t comment about all the other things but I have heard that RNA Results is a very comparable product to TRS and is much less expensive. Might be worth looking into.
Hello, great post! I was wondering if you have researched the MTHFR genetic mutations at all and if you think that could explain why some people detox heavy metals no problem, while others of us hold onto them and need daily supplements (methyl B12 and methyl folate) in order to get them out?
I just submitted my Ancestry DNA and am eagerly awaiting the results to see if I have one or more of the mutations. I decided to start methyl folate ahead of time anyways, but I’m a little concerned because there’s all this conflicting info out there and some stuff says it can cause more problems. I also asked two doctors for a homocysteine blood test to try to evaluate if I was under-methylating but they wouldn’t help me and said I have to find a functional practitioner (hard to come by in Boston).
Also do you think the zeolite is superior to activated charcoal? My naturopath has me doing the EDTA suppositories with glutathione (from Detoxamin) with activated charcoal but I’ve been on them for two months and have been feeling some major herx-like reactions (the first 6 weeks I felt only improvement, then suddenly an onslaught of symptoms that are still ongoing).
I assumed this was either Candida flaring up suddenly or candida die-off because I also read mercury toxicity and candida go hand in hand and like compete for resources in the gut, so as the mercury gets expelled the candida can thrive temporarily.
I’m so overwhelmed with all of the research and because I’m so tired now and fog-brained it’s making me depressed and anxious. If you have any tips or suggestions I would be so seriously grateful!
I’m also on an antifungal and take milk thistle to support my liver.
Thank you! Yes, I am familiar w/ that but not as up to speed as I would like.
I have heard that if you take too much you can feel bad but that there aren’t long lasting effects, but this is not medical advice.
Have you heard about Life Extension? You can get your homocysteine tested here (this is an affiliate link): http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-5312024-10431444
I don’t have an opinion about charcoal vs zeolite. I think it would depend on the zeolite too.
From what I have heard…..there is a lot to consider with detox including liver and gut health but I am for sure no expert.
It’s a lot to consider with all of this–I know! Hang in there. I wish I knew and could advise but I don’t know! I just know that I have read a lot about people doing detox w/ preparing and ending up with worse issues…..I’m still learning!
Thank you for this article! Which liquid zeolite brand did you use? I didn’t see a link.
Hi there and you are welcome. I just put one in there and hope to add another one or more. Thanks for reading!
Hi again. I just added a link to one that I feel comfortable with now. Hope that’s helpful!
Hi. I have a question regarding the use of zeolite. I have read some, but need to research more to determine if it is appropriate in my situation.
I am interested in detox but am wary of chelation.
I would like to detox slowly, but would like to have medical support to make sure I’m doing doing it safely. I would also like for a doctor to check for deficiencies or any other concerns.
Was this recommended by a doctor and were you monitored while using it?
What kind of doctor should I look for? Thanks.
Hi there. I would recommend talking to your physician if you are concerned. My physician at the time didn’t know anything about zeolite so he wasn’t a help. I personally like functional medicine practitioners and one that is an MD as well is great.
So, have you heard of Clear Drops. It is new….it is the 1st double patented, clean Zeolite that doesn’t just work in the gut….it is proven to cross the cell membrane to remove heavy metals from the bones, brain & fatty tissue.
Formulator is Dr. Nicholas Tsirikos….
I am being tested as well & now my whole family uses it. I have mercury & cadmium in higher levels. It takes out the bad without taking out the good like chelation does. My natropath doctor now uses it in his practice.
Check it out…. ??
Hi there. I haven’t heard of it. I will say, however, that from my limited research into zeolite is that there is natural and synthetic and that I don’t know what could be patented. You can clean it but it must be synthetic to be patented I would think? As such there is a study using synthetic zeolite on chickens and the results were not encouraging–reduced chicken weight and reduced bone ash, egg weight, egg production and more. We aren’t chickens, but natural is typically better. Thoughts? Here is the study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1659693
Going thru horrible detox right now on DE and homeopathic parasite and Candida…
What zeolite do you use and where can it be bought?
Thank you…
Hi there. Sorry you are dealing with this. I have been doing more research and just added the zeolite that I feel most comfortable with to this post. Hope that is helpful.
Yes it is! Thank you for the link!
Did you have asthma or shortness of breath while detoxing?
I didn’t have that. But not sure what detox you are referring to. Do you mean from zeolite?
Have you considered juicing fresh cilantro as a heavy metal set of protocol? I have read considerable amounts of anecdotal evidence supporting it’s use. One story, was especially exciting: a mother of an autistic boy was able to see significant improvement within 6 months. I’m trying to to recall the details (it was on a GAPS diet Yahoo group). The child was almost nonverbal and at 6 months was making significant strides in communication and meaningful interaction. From what I can understand, it crosses the blood brain barrier. Food from our Creator can be the most amazing thing!
Just wanted to share…
Hi there – I have heard that one should be careful b/c it can stir up metals and deposit them elsewhere. I’m very concerned about DIY detoxing without working w/ a practitioner. I have heard that leaky gut needs to be taken into consideration for sure and that you need to bind the toxins. Thanks for reading and yes, you are right about amazing.
How do you use the Zeolite and what brand to get?
Hi there. There are some links in the post to options that we have used. There are instructions on the bottle but there are varying opinions on that.
You know in your post for Shephards pie with Roasted Vegetables, you criticized people for not trusting people who don’t trust nutritional yeast. As far as I know MTHFR is less of a term used by an educated woman trying to come across as an expert, and more like a teenager slang.
I too come from the mixed world. I was a data analyst for a metro police department before I became a professional patient, interesting that food allergies are part of my big picture like you. But also like you, it doesn’t stop there.
So I will never judge how hard or how disabling your situation is and the lengths you and your family has had to endure. I can’t imagine. Please give me the same respect.
Hi there. Thanks for reading! I’m sorry but I don’t think I criticized anyone–could you show me where you thought I did that? I was just talking about some people being concerned about it and actually I think they are right.
1- you could be ultra sensitive to yeast–even inactive yeast
2- you could have MTHFR and not process synthetic folic acid (in most fortified yeast) well.
Maybe you can look it up and come back and tell me what you think about the MTHFR. Not sure what you mean by teenager slang? It stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase.
Please let me know how you think I didn’t give you respect. I’m pretty puzzled on this one. Thanks in advance.
Hi, I am wondering specifically what metals Zeolite helps remove? I have a mouth full of silver fillings and for the past year have been having health problems and every few months a new one comes along. I am now suspecting that I have mercury poisoning as I also have had a broken filling for approx 2 years. Every time I have looked at getting it fixed I have been sick prior to my appt so cancelled 3 times. My concern is their is so much conflicting information on safe removal that I am too scared to try them. Also reading some of the facebook sites shows many people are following specific protocols pretty much on their own for chelation, and what I have read is very very very scary as you can do more damage to other organs. I would be interested in finding out if you have done any research or come across anything with regard to safe Amalgam removal and safe mercury chelation? I hope you sort out all your heavy metal issues also.
Regards Mary
Hi there. Zeolite is said to remove heavy metals by trapping them in a cage due to its negative charge and their positive charge along w/ molecular size. I have heard that zeolite pulls these out to have them go to the urine. I would encourage you to do your own research, however, as I can’t make medical claims. Thank you and hope you do better! There is something called the Huggins Protocol that you could look into.
Hey Adrienne! This is fascinating. I have considered chelation for my son in the past, but after reading your article we may need to try this! We have used CBD oil but not the other products you mentioned. I am taking notes!
Hi there! I am happy to answer any questions you may have – thanks for reading!
Hello. How can I subscribe for recipes and info?
Hi there – here is one place where you can do that – thanks for reading! https://wholenewmom.com/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-essential-oils-before-you-buy/