For decades, many people have been aware of the dangers of lead paint, have carefully measured the amount of tuna that they eat because of its high mercury content, and have avoided using deodorants laden with aluminum. Hence, they feel safe from heavy metal poisoning. But are they?
A 2022 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that half of the U.S. population—up to 170 million Americans—may be suffering from lead poisoning because of exposure during their childhood.
Those suffering from heavy metal poisoning rarely experience severe outward symptoms. Rather, the toxins from heavy metal exposure work more like a “silent killer” that surfaces in the form of diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke.
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A 2018 review published in the British Medical Journal found clear associations between an increased risk of CHD and CVD and exposure to arsenic, cadmium, copper, and lead.
People with lead poisoning may experience headaches, constipation, fatigue, stomach cramps, muscle or joint pain, or trouble sleeping. They may also suffer irritability and loss of sex drive, but many won’t feel sick at all.
Common symptoms can also include low body temperature, dehydration, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, numbness or a prickly sensation in the hands and feet, and a scratchy throat.
Unless one is aware that they’ve been exposed to lead, these symptoms, especially if only a few are present at a time, may not directly shout out heavy metal toxicity. The symptoms also vary in intensity depending on the level of exposure.
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Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury are human carcinogens. A paper submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2004 raised concerns about aluminum, antimony, barium, beryllium, silver, strontium, and thallium.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer also expressed concern in a 2012 evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans, and research published in Molecular, Clinical, and Environmental Toxicology considers the five priority metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and mercury) to be systemic toxicants that pose a risk to public health.
Natural Antidotes Against Toxins
As with all toxins, avoiding exposure is the first line of defense. Regular detoxification, especially after known exposure, may help to halt the development of disease.Beyond enhancing the body’s natural detoxification processes by eating well, exercising, and sweating, we can also detoxify our bodies through chelation, a natural bonding process between organic ions and metals. Although chelation therapy is a conventional treatment for heavy metal toxicity, it can cost more than $5,000 and usually isn’t covered by health insurance. It also comes with its own risks and potential side effects, as mentioned in a 2015 paper, Dietary Strategies for the Treatment of Cadmium and Lead Toxicity, in which researchers studied inexpensive dietary strategies for the prevention and treatment of heavy metal toxicity.
Two additional studies, published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Pollution Research International in 2019 and 2020, affirm dietary and nutritional approaches to improve detoxification after exposure.
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This path is easily available, affordable, and has little or no side effects compared to the classic metal chelators used to treat heavy metal toxicity. The authors of the 2019 study warn that typical metal chelators can redistribute some heavy metals to the brain. In this case, neurotoxicity may increase, essential metals may be lost (e.g., copper and zinc), and serious side effects such as damage to the liver (hepatotoxicity) may occur.
The Best Counter-Defense: Antioxidant-Rich Food
Many of our biological processes function with the help of heavy metals such as iron, copper, and zinc. However, excess generates free radicals that lead to oxidative stress. According to a 2010 study in Pharmacognosy Reviews, this can “adversely alter lipids, proteins, and DNA and trigger a number of human diseases.”The scientists of the 2020 study see fruits and vegetables with a high antioxidant content as natural antidotes.
“Synthetic chelators impart a major drawback of removing essential metals required for normal body function, along with the toxic [ones]. Natural antioxidants are bestowed with scavenging and chelation properties and can be [alternatives] for synthetic chelating agents. [This] can combat HM toxicity-related illness,” the study reads.
Wholesome, unprocessed foods should always be our go-to. A 2010 study in Nutrition Journal examined more than 3,100 foods, herbs, spices, and supplements for their power to protect cells from free radicals and for their antioxidant potency.
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The comprehensive research resulted in a 138-page index of foods, including breakfast cereals, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, dairy products, fruits and berries, vegetables, meat and fish, plant medicine, vitamins, and supplements.
A study published in 2021 in the International Journal of Food Properties confirms the 2010 findings and hails antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables as highly effective health promoters capable of chelating heavy metals.
Research published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences confirms that dietary antioxidants can help the body recover from metal intoxication. As these toxins cause oxidative stress in the body—and therefore complications that range from physiological and biochemical to behavioral dysfunctions—vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices are our natural helpers.
Simply put, the research published in Nutrients recommends tomatoes, berries, onions, garlic, and grapes as dietary strategies for the treatment of toxicity from some heavy metals.
Herbal Remedies and Supplements as a Solution
Plant-based or traditionally sourced medicines are relatively inexpensive, have little to no side effects, and seem to be very effective. Herbs and spices have been used for the treatment of various maladies, including detoxification, for centuries. Modern studies support their efficacy.Story continues below advertisement
Comprehensive research in the use of natural remedies published in the Journal of King Saud University—Science in 2022 states that “experimentally induced heavy metal toxicity in laboratory animals was significantly reduced using a variety of medicinal herbs and natural products.”
A paper published in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Toxicology summarizes a review of preclinical studies between 1998 and 2018 that found that “27 medicinal plants and 27 natural products exhibited significant mitigation from mercury toxicity in experimental animals.” The extensive review includes herbs that we often use daily, such as garlic, ginger, and turmeric.
Turmeric is hailed as a preventative for liver damage, inflammation, DNA damage, and cell death in another study researching oxidative stress caused by lead exposure, as well as copper and arsenic toxicity.
Research published in the Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences found vitamin E as “beneficial in reducing and slowing progressive kidney diseases that are significantly accelerated by oxidative stress.”
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“Vitamin E therapy may also be effective in reducing cardiovascular disease associated with chronic renal failure and the uremia state,” the study reads.
A 2020 study in rabbits that suffered from cardiac toxicity shows that vitamin C may play a protective role against the effects of some poisonous metals.
Another study looked at detoxing cadmium in rabbits using vitamin C, vitamin B (complex), and honey. The researchers showed that animals suffering from the toxic effects of cadmium poisoning recovered most effectively with honey treatment. The vitamin complex also decreased harmful effects.
Royal jelly, a secretion from honey bees used to feed larvae and adult queens, seems to be another antidote for cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity. Researchers of the 2019 study found royal jelly to create oxidant/antioxidant balance and prevent inflammation and cell death (apoptosis). They see royal jelly as a “potent agent for renal protection against Cd-induced nephrotoxicity.”
Antioxidant-Rich Cooking
There are literally thousands of vegetables, fruits and berries, herbs, spices, and antioxidant-rich beverages. Utilizing them in recipes can be multifaceted and delicious. You can be creative.Story continues below advertisement
Many recipes contain several of these well-studied ingredients and offer a delicious dinner that’s high in antioxidants, neuroprotective, and reduces depression, anxiety, and memory impairments caused by heavy metal toxicity.
Seeking out such recipes will help us counteract the heavy metals that we may be exposed to daily.
Be vigilant, research heavy metal levels in your local area, have foresight, and eat healthy, antioxidant-rich foods.
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