Heavy Metals: know the risks, protect your family, stop stressing

View this post on Instagram

This post was collaborated with Jessica Bunkelman, FNP with Complete Renewal Health & Wellness, and is for educational purposes only. This Is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before giving supplements to yourself or your child.

How worried should we be about heavy metals?

Controversial opinion: heavy metals are a good thing to be aware of, but for most people they are not not something to stress about daily.

Heavy metals can become harmful at high levels, but it takes meaningful exposure to reach toxic levels. And our bodies actually use certain metals for essential functions, so the idea of eliminating everything isn't the goal either. Caution is key here.

The main sources to know about are:

• water

• food prep dishes

• lead paint, plumbing

• soil

• toys

• jewelry

Who is at a Higher Heavy Metal Risk?

• Children

• Workers in plumbing, painting, construction, auto repair, battery recycling, stained glass making, or bullet casting

• Low-income families, often living in older homes where lead paint or outdated plumbing may still be present

• Immigrant families, who may have higher exposure through imported goods from countries with different regulatory standards

• Those with low calcium intake, as the body absorbs more lead when calcium is lacking

• Pregnant and lactating women, whose increased calcium demands can pull calcium from the bones; and since lead is also stored in bone, it can be released into the bloodstream alongside it

Lead is the #1 heavy metal the everyday person is most at risk of developing toxicity from.

Practical ways to reduce unnecessary lead exposure

• Repaint/encapsulate surfaces in homes built before 1978 where lead paint was used

• Replace vintage/imported toys, plates, cups, and food serving dishes (anything that regularly ends up in a child's mouth) that may contain lead paint

• Discourage eating dirt, especially near older buildings or busy highways where soil contamination is more likely

The good news is that in many homes and industries, heavy metal exposure (particularly lead) has already been significantly reduced, whether through companies reformulating their products and materials or older homes having had hazardous paint and plumbing addressed over the years.

Stay Well Fed to Reduce Lead Absorption

Having food in the stomach can greatly reduce how much lead is absorbed through the digestive tract (especially foods containing calcium, iron, and zinc). Lead is generally absorbed much more efficiently on an empty stomach, particularly in children.

Signs of Heavy Metal Overload

These symptoms can be tricky to navigate, as they overlap with many other root causes, making it difficult to pinpoint what's actually going on. This is why working with a trusted provider is so important before jumping into any intense heavy metal detox protocols.

• Intense crabbiness

• Increase in crying

• Impulsivity

• Irritability

• Violence 

• Fatigue

• Difficulty falling asleep

• Difficulty staying asleep 

• Waking early 

• Speech delays

• Developmental delays 

• Poor appetite / weight loss

• Abdominal pain 

• Constipation

• Vomiting / seizures 

Put Your Focus on Your Detox Pathways

Our bodies are beautifully and wonderfully designed. This includes a highly efficient natural detox system. As long as your detox pathways are functioning well and your mineral levels are sufficient, small exposures are unlikely to be cause for concern.

Practical ways to support the body’s natural detox measures

• Aim for 1-2 bowel movements daily

• Eat enough fiber to support consistent, daily bowel movements

• Sweat regularly

• Keep your lymphatic system moving

• Keep your nervous system regulated

• Eat a well-rounded diet that includes adequate protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and key nutrients and minerals to support these processes

• Rebound on a mini trampoline to stimulate lymphatic flow

• Get daily movement in like a workout or walk to get your heart rate up

• Optimize glutathione production (it plays a central role in the body's detox process), those with MTHFR gene mutations may find this pathway is compromised and worth addressing

If you’re still stressed...TEST. DON’T STRESS!

Heavy metal testing is simple and accessible at any age, available through either a finger prick or a blood draw. Then you can know for sure, and not worry if there’s no need.

...and if you do happen to get a higher than normal test....

Tested high for heavy metals? Step 1: eliminate the culprit

• Don't change everything at once. If you overhaul multiple things simultaneously, you won't know what actually caused the problem or what changes were unnecessary.

• Start by identifying the source. If you're unsure where to begin, contact your local health department; they can help assess your home and environment, including paint, toys, soil, and more

• Helpful resources:

  • USPIRG publishes an annual report highlighting common household items with high lead levels

  • Trouble in Toyland is a resource specifically focused on identifying toys that may contain high levels of lead

    
    

Supporting the Body's Recovery from Heavy Metal Toxicity

Removing the culprit can be enough if levels are on the lower end. For higher levels, supporting the detox process is also beneficial - this is often done through chelation.

Reference ranges: 

0-5mcg/dL concerning

5-10mcg/dL big concern

10+mcg/dL alarming 

45+mcg/dL hospitalization and medical chelation therapy

If you have concerning levels, consult with your trusted provider.

Natural chelation support:

• Iron

• Vitamin C

• Multi-mineral

• Omega-3

• NAC (N-acetyl cysteine)

• Allicin (from garlic)

Homeopathy:

• Homeopathy can be helpful, working on the principle of "like cures like"

• Plumbum metallicum is the lead remedy and can help detox the system in a very gentle way

Modified citrus pectin:

• Decreases heavy metal levels in the blood

• Increases mobilization of metals into the urine

FAQ: Zeolite

Zeolites have a porous, “cage-like ”structure that can bind certain heavy metals and toxins. Lab studies have shown they can trap substances in a test tube, but most evidence suggests commonly used forms like clinoptilolite are not meaningfully absorbed into the bloodstream and are largely excreted in the stool. This means any potential binding effects would primarily occur within the digestive tract vs throughout the body.

Some zeolite sprays claim to use nanosized particles, which theoretically could be absorbed more readily because certain nanoparticles can cross biological barriers that larger particles cannot. However, most commercial products do not provide verified particle size data, the safety of nanosized zeolite is not well understood, and it remains unclear whether zeolite would effectively bind toxins once inside the body.

While zeolite might seem like a handy option in a pinch, it's not something we typically recommend (unless recommended under the guidance of your trusted provider). We'd rather focus on supporting the body's natural detox and elimination pathways overall, rather than zeroing in on metal binding alone. And since zeolite is itself a mineral, it feels a bit counterintuitive to address a mineral or heavy metal burden by adding yet another mineral-based substance into the body.