Mercury

The Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland was a grim reflection of environmental diseases in the workplace. The term "mad hatter" dates from the 19th century, when felt hat makers showed personality changes, nervousness, trembling, and even dementia - all of them the effects of mercury poisoning resulting from their exposure to mercury salts during the production process of hat felt.

Mercury is a neurotoxin, meaning it affects the nervous system. Mercury is acutely hazardous as a vapour and in the form of its water-soluble salts, which corrode membranes of the body. Chronic mercury poisoning, which occurs when small amounts of the metal or its fat-soluble salts, particularly methyl mercury, are repeatedly ingested over long periods of time, causes irreversible brain, liver, and kidney damage. Because of increasing water pollution, significant quantities of mercury have been found in some species of fish - particularly predatory fish at the top of the food chain, such as tuna and swordfish.

It is important to appreciate that mercury is a fat-soluble metal. That is, it is stored in the body's fat. The brain contains 60 percent fat and therefore is a common site for mercury storage. Mercury easily passes the blood-brain barrier into the brain and is stored in the phospholipids (fats).

Mercury poisoning from eating fish contaminated with mercury (and other toxins) is a modern problem. The majority of our rivers and all the northern oceans (some experts now say all the oceans) are heavily contaminated with industrial releases of mercury. This is absorbed by all fish and other sea life. The plankton and tiny fish fry (1) are consumed by small fish (2) who absorb the mercury into their flesh. Bigger, predator fish (3), like tuna and salmon, eat the small fish and again absorb all the mercury collected by the small fish. So that by the time that we (4) eat tuna, swordfish, salmon, sea bass or any of the other predator fish, we will be consuming an abnormally high mercury load.

For a number of years, dental professionals have been aware that the mercury in dental amalgams can gently leach out from the fillings into the body. A growing number of dentists and dental surgeons are trying to overcome this problem by replacing the amalgam with new, high-tech fillings. The trouble is that there really is no substitute for the 'good old amalgam'. The new types of filling are much more expensive, are not as tough, and have to be replaced every 4 or 5 years. So amalgams are here to stay for many more years.

Most fillings will last a person's lifetime but during that time infinitesimal quantities of mercury can leach out of the fillings, enter your body system, and accumulate to hazardous levels. Mercury is a deadly poison and many illnesses can result from too much mercury in the body cells.

If you are exposed to any form of mercury repeatedly or for an extended period, chronic mercury poisoning can result. Health effects include nervous system effects, kidney damage, and birth defects. There are several symptoms:

  • Gingivitis: The gums become soft and spongy, the teeth get loose, sores may develop, and there may be increased salivation.

  • Mood and mental changes: People with chronic mercury poisoning often also have wide mood swings, becoming irritable, frightened, depressed, or excited very quickly for no apparent reason. Such people may become extremely upset at any criticism, lose all self-confidence, and become apathetic. Hallucinations, memory loss, and inability to concentrate can occur.

  • Nerve damage: It may start with a fine tremor (shaking) of the hand, loss of sensitivity in hands and feet, difficulty in walking, or slurred speech. Tremors may also occur in the tongue and eyelids. Eventually this can progress to trouble balancing and walking. It has even caused paralysis and death in rare cases.

If you want to know more about Mercury poisoning in fish or the possible connection between mercury and autism, we suggest you visit the excellent website run by Dr. Joseph Mercola at www.mercola.com. His weekly newsletter is full of interesting observations about today's medical practices. Use the search facility on his website to hunt down articles on mercury and other toxic metals.

Sources and their effects are listed below.

Sources:Effects:
Adhesives, air conditioner filters, algaecides, antiseptics, battery manufacture, body powders, broken thermometers, burning newspapers & building materials, calomel lotions, cereals, congenital intoxication, cosmetics, dental amalgams, diuretics, fabric softeners, felt, floor waxes, fungicides, germicides, grains, industrial waste, insecticides, laxatives, lumber, manufacture of paper & chlorine, medications, mercurochrome, paints, paper products, pesticides, photoengraving, polluted water, psoriasis ointment, seafoods (especially tuna &swordfish), sewage disposal, skin lightening creams, soft contact lens solution, suppositories, tanning leather, tattooing, water (contaminated), wood preservatives.
Adrenal dysfunction, allergy, alopoecia, anorexia, anxiety, birth defects, blushing, brain damage, cataracts, cerebral palsy, poor co-ordination/jerky movements, deafness, depression, dermatitis, discouragement, dizziness, drowsiness, eczema, emotional disturbances, excess saliva, fatigue, gum bleeding and soreness, headaches (band type), hearing loss, hyperactivity, hypothyroidism, forgetfulness, immune dysfunction, insomnia, irritability, joint pain, kidney damage, loss of self-control, memory loss, mental retardation, metallic taste, migraines, nervousness, nerve fibre degeneration, numbness, pain in limbs, rashes, retinitis, schizophrenia, shyness, speech disorders, suicidal tendencies, tingling, tremors (eyelids, lips, tongue, fingers, extremities), vision loss, weakness.

The Humifulvate® chelate in Humet®-R has a natural ionic affinity to toxic metals. The chelate surrounds the metal and removes it. For more information, see elsewhere in our Science Section.

The web site of the British Society for Mercury Free Dentistry:

     www.mercuryfreedentistry.org.uk

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