In a very interesting study published on April 3, 2009 in the journal called Environmental Health, researchers describe that older women with high concentrations of lead have an increased risk for death especially from cardiovascular disease. This study was done over a 12 year time period, and the cutoff levels for the amount of lead in the blood was determined to be 8 micrograms. The results of the study showed that those with blood lead concentrations higher than 8 had an increased risk for mortality, and were three times more likely to die from heart disease than those with levels below eight.
When we truly understand how heavy metals are tested in the body this becomes even more significant. For example, a blood level for any heavy metal only describes recent exposure within the past 30 days or so. One day the level might be low next day or week later the level might be high. A blood test is not the best for assessing total body burden of heavy metals. It only takes a few seconds for the blood to fill out the tube that is sent to the lab, and that small amount of blood is never an assessment of what's in your cells or deeper into the bone. So there are many people who show small amounts of metals on a blood screening but have a great deal more in their cells and in the bone. I think this study is important in its message, but would be far more worrisome if your testing was done after a chelation .
In my office when we test for heavy metals, we can initially screened for them in the blood. The next step is to do a urine sample before chelation, and then a 24 hour urine collection after chelation. This is by far the most thorough and most accurate approach. In many thousands of patients in over 20 years of my practice, I typically see a little bit of metals show up in the blood, but a great deal more show in the urine.
I believe it is absolutely imperative that men and women are tested for heavy metals in blood and urine. If you look at the articles on my website that are specific to heavy metals, you can see the association with a wide range of horrible chronic diseases. In most cases these diseases are on the rise, it is important to look for the cause way before the disease begins to damage the body.
Please feel free to go to my website at www.drcal.net
Best Regards,
CC
