It’s not uncommon in this day and age to hear the topic of heavy metals discussed in more and more conversations. With heavy metals found in the foods we eat, the drinks we consume, the products we use, the supplements we take, and even the air we breathe, it’s no wonder they are at the top of the concerns list.
Heavy metal toxicity can wreak havoc on one's health. Overexposure to heavy metals can cause stress in the human body, leading to various health issues ranging from mild to chronic. However, the blanket negative connotation of heavy metals doesn’t consider the fact that the human body needs certain heavy metals. Nor does it consider other factors, such as carbon bonding, oxidation state, pH, and sourcing.
What Are Heavy Metals?
Heavy metal is a broad term used to describe any naturally occurring metallic element with a relatively high density and atomic weight. This includes aluminum, arsenic, barium, bismuth, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, silver, thallium, and zinc.
The Fear Surrounding Heavy Metals
The fear surrounding overexposure to heavy metals often leads to the belief that all heavy metals are harmful. However, the age-old saying, “All things in moderation, including moderation,” is particularly relevant here. It's not about avoiding heavy metals altogether, but about understanding the balance required for optimal health.
The truth is that the human body needs certain heavy metals in different ratios and forms to function. For instance, iron and zinc are both required in small concentrations for overall health. Metals are minerals, and the body needs essential bioavailable minerals to maintain health.
When we consume plant-based, organically bound heavy metals that have gone through specific microbial processes, they are no longer toxic. The body’s terrain, how it processes a metal or mineral, and whether the minerals and metals exist as inorganic or organic compounds considerably impact how the metal will affect the body.
How Are Heavy Metals Classified?
For the most part, heavy metals exist in two different forms: organic and inorganic. This can further be broken down into essential or nonessential. However, these terms' definitions aren’t as straightforward as one might assume.
Organic and essential do not necessarily mean “safe,” nor does inorganic and nonessential mean “unsafe.” The oxidation state of a metal determines whether it is toxic or non-toxic to the human body.
For instance, consuming the iron found in spinach is safe because the metal is bound to the carbons and hydrogens also contained in spinach. Metals that are not bound to carbons and hydrogens are considered inorganic. When these metals enter the body, they become ions and actively try to steal electrons from healthy cells, causing damage to our systems.
Governmental Guidelines and Standards for Heavy Metals
Everything grown in the ground contains some level of heavy metals. Therefore, all herbs, fruits, and vegetables naturally contain heavy metals. Because of this, there are different heavy metal standards for all food, water, and supplements.
The food we eat and the water we drink are the highest sources of heavy metals. For food, the FDA has set an interim reference level (IRL) for lead at <12.5 mcg per day (<0.0125 mg/d) for adults. Because we consume more water than food, the FDA has enforced standards for water. Furthermore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set the standards for bottled water at 0.005 mg/l.
Guidelines and Standards for Heavy Metals in Supplements
The FDA takes a different stance on supplements, stating that every company must establish its own guidelines to “ensure the quality of the dietary supplement.”
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) publishes a more stringent global guideline for food and supplement companies, placing lead at <10 mcg per day (<0.01mg/d) for adults. However, not every supplement company follows the NSF. The most common mistake supplement manufacturers make is testing supplements against water standards, which differ from supplement standards.
What Makes a Heavy Metal Toxic?
When it comes to the heavy metals found in supplements, a complex number of factors determines whether a heavy metal is toxic.
The heavy metal’s source
When looking at heavy metals, consider their source before concluding if they’re toxic. Plants absorb inorganic heavy metals and minerals from the soil through their root systems and convert them to bioavailable minerals. Once this microbial process occurs, the heavy metals become soluble and can be utilized in the body to help with optimal functionality.
The oxidation state of the heavy metal
The oxidation state refers to the number of electrons that can be donated at any given time, and this factor determines whether the heavy metal is toxic or non-toxic to the human body. Oxidation state indicates whether a metal is reactive and creates reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body. Therefore, it’s essential to examine a metal's oxidative state and see if it is attached to anything. If it’s not, it’s free-floating and toxic.
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Carbon molecule bonding
When a plant-derived heavy metal is attached to a carbon molecule, the metal is considered organic, essential, and non-toxic for the body to process. A carbon molecule bond is much safer and more stable than an ionic bond. An ionic bond can be separated and converted into dangerous free ions seeking to steal healthy cells' electrons.
The pH of the heavy metal
Metals become more or less reactive depending on the pH of their environment. The body can tolerate a metal better at a lower pH than at a higher pH. Furthermore, a lower pH may help the body metabolize heavy metals better and can sometimes help to alter the oxidation.
Why the Body Needs the Right Forms of Heavy Metals
The right forms of heavy metals help support the human body in optimal functioning. Because metals are critical for vital body functions, the correct distribution of metals within cells, organs, and tissues must be regularly maintained.
Again, it’s not only heavy metal deficiency or overload that causes health symptoms but rather the nuances of how they are formed and structured. When considering a supplement, it’s important to verify how reactive the metals contained are, if and how the metals are bonded to a carbon, whether or not the pH is low, and if the metal is plant-based.
Essential Metals for the Human Body
Calcium
Activates enzymes throughout the body
Allows nerves to send messages
Assists in blood clotting
Builds teeth and bones
Helps regulate blood pressure
Promotes muscle contractions
Cobalt
Helps make red blood cells
Maintains the nervous system
Works as an essential component of vitamin B12 production
Copper
Assists with metabolizing fuel
Cleans up free radicals
Helps make red blood cells
Regulates neurotransmitters
Iron
Activates certain enzymes
Helps make hemoglobin and myoglobin
Makes amino acids, collagen, hormones, and neurotransmitters
Manganese
Helps form bones
Helps metabolize amino acids, carbohydrates, and cholesterol
Nickel
Breaks down urea to prevent urea toxicity
Enhances the activity of hormones
Metabolizes lipids
Prevents iron deficiency
Potassium
Balances fluids in the body
Helps to maintain a steady heartbeat
Makes muscles contract
May benefit bones and blood pressure
Sodium
Balances fluids in the body
Helps send nerve impulses
Helps make muscles contract
Zinc
Bolsters the immune system
Helps blood clot
Helps make proteins and DNA
Helps wound healing and cell division
Panic over Prop 65
Passed in 1986, Proposition 65 requires businesses to inform California residents about potential exposures to chemicals that cause birth defects, cancer, or other reproductive harm. This proposition was initially created to rein in industrial pollution of drinking water. Under fear of litigation, many companies place this label on everything, regardless of the product, making it essentially meaningless.
This mass labeling has caused an uptick in heavy metal toxicity concerns. However, this label can be misleading. The label only shows that a potentially toxic heavy metal was present at the time of testing. It doesn’t consider the state of the metal or how the body will process it. Nor does it ask, “Is this a plant-derived metal bound to a carbon?”
The CellCore Bioscience Promise
Heavy metals exist for a reason, and making the blanket statement that all heavy metals are bad is erroneous. Multiple factors, including carbon bonding, oxidation state, pH, and sourcing, must all be involved in that determination.
Because most of CellCore’s products promote drainage, detoxification, and support the body at the cellular level, they make it their mission only to provide products that give people what they need on their health journey. At Cellcore, toxicity is never an option.
If you have concerns or confusion regarding heavy metal toxicity, especially while undergoing a detox protocol, we’d love to help you address these concerns. If you’re looking to add drainage, detox, and overall wellness support to your daily routine, we encourage you to view the product line-up offered by CellCore Bioscience at the link below!
Notice of Disclaimer:
We are doctors of upper cervical chiropractic, but we are NOT necessarily YOUR doctors. All content and information on this website is for informational and educational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice, and reading or interacting with this site does not establish any form of patient-doctor relationship. Although we strive to provide accurate information, the information presented here is not intended as a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in your particular area of need before making medical decisions.
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