How to Detoxify Mercury From Your Body

From the 18th through the 20th centuries, mercury was used widely in thermometers, light bulbs, vaccines, topical antiseptics and dental fillings. These uses have been phased out as the toxicity of mercury has become more widely understood. Regulations in the U.S. and abroad limit occupational exposure to mercury and manage environmental contamination by mercury from industrial output, primarily coal power plants. Unfortunately, large amounts of organic mercury compounds have contaminated many lakes and rivers, and have already entered the food chain, with the greatest amounts concentrated in certain species of fish and shellfish. Mercury is highly toxic by ingestion or inhalation, and mercury poisoning symptoms include peripheral neuropathy, skin discoloration, hypersalivation, high blood pressure, loss of hair, teeth and nails, rashes, muscle weakness, kidney dysfunction, emotional instability, memory impairment and insomnia. There have also been studies linking mercury to autism in children.

Instructions

• 1

  Avoid sources of contamination. It's futile to begin detoxifying mercury from your body without first eliminating exposure to the toxin. For some, this could mean having mercury amalgam dental fillings removed and replaced. Anyone who lives in a highly polluted area or near a contaminated body of water should consider relocating. If vaccines must be administered, use only thimerosal-free vaccines. For most, however, avoiding mercury contamination depends on limiting consumption of seafood linked to salt water, especially shrimp, scallops, lobster, albacore tuna, orange roughy, bluefish, grouper, marlin, sea bass, shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel. Pregnant women and those with acute mercury poisoning should avoid seafood entirely.

• 2

  Undergo medical chelation therapy. Chelation is a process in which reactive substances are introduced to the body to bind with harmful toxins, pulling them out of deep tissues and into the bloodstream where they can be eliminated. To detoxify mercury from the body, the common medical chelators are DMPS (2,3 dimercaptopropane sulfonate) and DMSA (meso-2,3 dimercaptosuccinic acid), which remove loosely bound mercury, and Lipoic acid, which can remove tightly bound mercury in the brain. These chemicals are administered via injections and suppositories, or transdermally. Though medical chelation is a proven method for heavy-metal detoxification, it can be a costly, lengthy process of several years and can potentially have dangerous side effects, particularly on the kidneys. Thus, chelation must be supervised closely by medical professionals.

• 3

  Use natural chelators in conjunction with medical chelation. Garlic and cilantro are widely recognized as the best natural chelating substances for detoxification. To be effective, organic varieties should be taken raw in the largest doses that can be comfortably consumed. At least two to three cloves of garlic daily are required, and they should be finely chopped or crushed just prior to eating. Cilantro is well suited to preparation in raw juices and green drinks, as well as salads and pesto dishes. Milk thistle is also a recognized natural chelator.

• 4

  Get adequate protein. Doctors suggest a high-protein diet during a heavy-metal detox because of the ability of some amino acids to transfer metals and facilitate detoxification. The most highly recommended source is chlorella, a single-celled species of blue-green algae that when dried consists of about 45 percent protein. Chlorella has been shown effective in dioxin detoxification and treatment for radiation exposure. It is also associated with the reduction of high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, accelerated wound healing and enhanced immune function.

• 5

  Take your vitamins (and minerals). Adequate daily intake of magnesium, sodium, zinc and other minerals is essential to metal detoxification, because some minerals are lost in the detoxification process, and others, in abundance, facilitate the chelation process. Vitamins, especially the antioxidants C and E, can reduce the chance of side effects.

• 6

  Stay regular. Chelation only gets mercury away from delicate tissues--it must still be eliminated from the body. As much as 90 percent of chelated mercury is passed through the stool. Thus, it is essential to stay regular and maintain two or even three bowel movements every day during detoxification. If this is proving to be a challenge, natural laxatives such as psyllium can ease the way.