What does Toxic burden actually mean to my child?
What does that long list of heavy metals in the red zone actually look like when it comes to symptoms?
One study ( Maedica (Bucur). 2012 Jan; 7(1): 38–48. ‘Toxic Metals and Essential Elements in Hair and Severity of Symptoms among Children with Autism’
Eleonor BLAUROCK-BUSCH,a Omnia R. AMIN,b Hani H. DESSOKI,c and Thanaa RABAHd) clearly found a link between the severity of autism symptoms and amounts of metal in hair trace mineral analysis. The researchers also found correlation between certain types of behavioural and cognitive dysfunction and specific metal toxicities.
Elevated hair concentrations were noted for aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, antimony, nickel, lead and vanadium.
Hair levels of calcium, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, zinc and selenium were considered deficient.
The findings included:
Significant positive correlation between lead = impaired verbal communication and general impression, cognitive ability, learning and behavioral disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, impulsivity, and inability to inhibit inappropriate responding
Significant positive correlation between mercury = impaired object use and auditory response.
Significant positive correlation between Nickel = auditory response, increased fear and nervousness, impaired non-verbal communication
Significant positive correlation between uranium = impaired verbal communication
Significant positive correlation between Chromium = taste/small impairment, impaired verbal communication and general impression
Significant negative correlation between zinc = low zinc was associated with increased fear and nervousness response and impaired verbal communication
Significant negative correlation between lithium = impairment in relation to people, emotion, adaptation to changes, visual response
Significant negative correlation between molybdenum = impaired general impression and verbal communication
Significant negative correlation between selenium = impaired adaptability to change
Because build up of toxic metals affects trace mineral absorption and use in the body, the interaction between essential minerals and elements and toxic metals has a significant impact on toxicity effects.
Cadmium, lead, mercury and aluminum may all interact metabolically with nutritionally essential minerals. Iron deficiency increases absorption of cadmium, lead and aluminum. Lead interacts with calcium and can take up more space in a calcium deficient system. Cadmium and aluminum also interact with calcium and can infringe into bone matter. Lead replaces zinc on hem enzyme and cadmium can also replace zinc, although no metal has a more deleterious effect on zinc than mercury. Selenium deficiency is also results in a higher toxic effect of mercury exposure. Low zinc and high copper levels are a frequent mineral/metal imbalance pattern found in the test samples of children on the spectrum.
This kind of research is invaluable in clinical practice. Clear indications of build up of toxic metals in the system, whether via blood, urine, hair or bio-resonance testing can give us a clear idea of where we need to focus our attention. Bio-resonance screening provides an added dimension of prioritising results, giving insight into which are causing most stress and dysfunction in the system, and combined with detailed case taking that clarifies the patient’s main symptom picture and current treatment focus, this can give a precision focus to protocols on which toxin layer should be addressed first.