Toxic Metals and Thyroid Health
The world exposes us to chemicals and pollutants that don’t belong in our bodies, including heavy metals such as mercury, aluminum, lead and cadmium that embed into fatty organ tissue (e.g. thyroid, liver, adrenals and brain) and persistent organic pollutants (POP) such as PCB (a broad class of industrial chemicals) that are known to disrupt the endocrine system. Symptoms of metal toxicity include headache; neurological problems—nerve pain, trembling, visual disturbances, vertigo, neuropathy; nausea; skin rash (contact dermatitis, irritation, hives); seizures; fatigue; digestive difficulties; suppression of immune system (autoimmunity); difficulty breathing; fever and chills; and muscle aches.
To reduce the levels of toxic metals in the tissues, it’s important to take the obvious steps and minimize our everyday exposure to them. For example, with mercury, you can try to limit overconsumption of larger, fatty fish, be wary toward certain vaccines (i.e. the flu vaccine) and consider replacing dental amalgams at an appropriate time. Because cigarettes are a source of heavy metals, if we smoke or live with someone that smokes cigarettes, then this needs to be addressed. Drinking water is a common source of different heavy metals, which is why we want to avoid drinking tap water, or at the very least get it tested to detect the amount of heavy metals.
Mercury is toxic because it has the potential to bind to any molecule which contains sulfur. When mercury does this, it will prevent certain enzymes from doing their job. For example, mercury can bind to the cells of the thyroid gland. When this occurs, it can potentially lead to hypothyroidism by interfering with some of the minerals that are required to produce thyroid hormone. It can also affect the conversion of T4 to T3, and while most cases of hypothyroidism probably aren’t caused by mercury toxicity, this needs to be considered for anyone trying to restore their thyroid health naturally. In addition to the thyroid gland, mercury can affect other glands and organs of the body because it travels largely undisturbed throughout the vascular and lymphatic systems.
To truly detoxify the body, toxins have to be moved from storage sites in fat cells and other tissues of the body into metabolically active pathways. They travel through the lymph system and blood to the liver, where they are chemically altered to something the body can get rid of, and then moved through the bile into the digestive system, where they are eventually eliminated in the stool. All of that needs to happen rather seamlessly. Some therapies such as colonics, lymphatic massage, infrared detox and others can be useful, but most are used out of context. For example, fat cells are not just a place of stored fuel; fat (safely) stores toxins. When we lose weight and burn off fat, these toxins are released into the bloodstream. It has been shown that weight loss can increase the levels of pesticides in the blood and decreases levels of active T3. As such, detoxification should always be a consideration with weight-loss programs. This is especially true if there is a history of hypothyroidism symptoms.
Doug Pucci, DC, DPSc, FAAIM, regularly offers in-office seminars presenting the latest science and clinical data on neurotoxic illness, hormone imbalances and chronic disease. He provides nutrition, bioresonance testing and FCT remedies, comprehensive testing for health biomarkers, brain and body care and more. For more information, call 201-261-5430 or visit GetWell-Now.com.
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