My scientific recommendation for bodily lead removal is... there really isn't one. Honestly ingesting other metals does nothing to stop lead ingestion. The only fix is to ensure water and food is not contaminated by being harsh on landlords and etc. doctors will use chelators to treat poisoning, but even that has its limits.
2
Calcium supplements are made in a variety of forms. Calcium carbonate, for example, is the cheapest and most common, and won't work as a lead antagonist. The studies mentioned in the article don't say what form of calcium they used.
1
The emphasis should be on the dairy. There are numerous reports from the journal (NEJM) that milk prevents lead toxicity in lead mill workers. This has been known since the 1800's. I am sure there are multiple mechanisms at work in milk (protein and mineral based). Got Milk?
http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM187710040971401
http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM187710040971401
Vitamin C is a simplified sugar with double OH axils on one side. The reason why vitamin C is called 'antioxidants' is because it releases 2'OH' from the double OH axils to trap a free radical "O" to produce O2 and H2O. This helps mitochondria and cells from oxidative damages leading to their deaths and inflammation. When a mercury molecule is in the cell, mitochondria take in mercury to convert as water-soluble compound. In this process, mitochondria weaken if vitamin C or any other antioxidants do not offer "O". At the same time, vitamin C attaches to the toxic mercury molecule since it gave up 2"OH" to make a new water-soluble chemical as vitamin C is water-soluble simple sugar. This is the reason why CDC recommends fruits to the children suffering from mercury poisoning. However, It is not only children in Flint but also everybody that carry mercury and other harmful metals/minerals/chemicals. As I mentioned, up to certain point, our bodies can detoxify with chemicals like glutathione and vitamin C to deliver the toxins to liver. However, if we are not feeding nutrients such as sulfur-source foods or vitamin C everyday, our metabolism will become poorer and we encounter so many chronical medical conditions at some point. And, we don't know why.
This article is not only poorly written, it serves no purpose. Are you suggesting the people of Flint that are currently trying anything and everything to improve the health of their children that are at increased risk for lead poisoning or have already been diagnosed with lead toxicity stop encouraging their kids to stop consuming healthy foods high in Vitamin C, iron and calcium? That's exactly what will happen if someone (parents) were to just simply read the title of this article. Also, think about proof reading as I'm sure the sentence that says "But a search of the literature, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, found only one study to show that dietary calcium helped reduce lead more than a placebo, and no studies to show that dietary calcium or vitamin C provide such a benefit" meant to say iron helped reduce lead more than a placebo...
2
How in the world do you conclude that from the study and this article? No one is saying don't suggest a healthy diet for kids; this study only points out that the CDC, and doctors, who suggest iron, calcium and C fortified foods don't seem to help with lowering an EBLL. That's all the research says. My lord
Almost everybody knows that liver and kidney are involved in detoxification. However these organs do not have hands reaching toxins in every organ including brain or nerve system. Vitamin C, metallothionein, glutathione, selenometheonine are the ones that biochemically attach to toxins and deliver them as water-soluble compound to livers. (Source: Dr. Russell Jaffe) Therefore, we need to intake nutrients for the production of these chemicals and vitamin C. Even educated doctors don't understand the simple biochemical process that double OH axial of vitamin C releases OH and connect to a toxic metal molecule. Mega dosage of vitamin C is not dangerous or waste of money, it is the matter of water-intake. Except most of the Alzheimer's patients, vitamin C can stay in the cells in large quantity in order (1) to protect mitochondria from free radicals, (2) to repair short-circuited mitochondria or (3) to help cells in producing glutathione in 2:1 ratio, or (4) to connect to toxins and deliver to livers.
I think CDC is right.
I think CDC is right.
5
Inconveniently, all these foods are fairly expensive, and the populations impacted in Flint are mostly not wealthy, so how much good such a recommendation does is questionable. Especially since none of this actually works.
There are lots of unsubstantiated ideas about vitamins and nutrition, and even this brief article has served to bring some of them out of the weeds. There is no scientific basis for most of them. Let the buyer beware.
There are lots of unsubstantiated ideas about vitamins and nutrition, and even this brief article has served to bring some of them out of the weeds. There is no scientific basis for most of them. Let the buyer beware.
Calcium compete with Lead for deposition in bone.
Kids with elevated Lead levels also tend to have Iron deficiency anemia.
Ca + Fe are unlikely to lower blood Pb levels.
Kids with elevated Lead levels also tend to have Iron deficiency anemia.
Ca + Fe are unlikely to lower blood Pb levels.
2
When Alzheimer's patients show heavy metal toxicity (like mercury, lead, cadmium), Dr. Dale Bredesen of UCLA, a neurologist, uses 'Chelation Therapy' to excrete toxins since toxicological damage of mitochondria is one of the major causes of Alzheimer's. (Please refer to Bredesen Protocol-Wikipedia). However Dr. Russell Jaffe, an expert on toxicology and methylation, recommends (1) eating at least one of the sulfur-source foods (like Broccoli, onions, garlic, egg and ginger) as staple, eating or taking supplement of amino acids including cysteine and glycine, and taking at least 2,000 mg of ascorbate (buffered vitamin C) daily (lots of research references he shows). Since people are contaminated with toxins, he believes that most of the people require at least 10,000-130,000 mg of ascorbate initially for detoxification because vitamin C attaches to toxins for excretion (ascorbate cleanse or ascorbate calibration protocol). Sulfur-sourced foods, cysteine and glycine are nutrients for making metallothionein, protein for detoxification, and glutathione (detoxification and antioxidant amino acids). These metallothionein and glutathione attache to toxins as water-soluble condition to be delivered to liver. Dr. Kordas and Mr. Bakalar needs to research more before writing this article.
5
The nutrients for detoxification of toxic minerals/metals/chemicals are (1) Sulfur, (2) ascorbate (vitamin C), (3) magnesium and zinc, and (4) cysteine and glycine, according to Dr. Russell Jaffe, internationally recognized authority in detoxification. CDC's recommendation of apple and steak includes all the necessary nutrients that Dr. Jaffe mentions, though he doesn't mention of iron and calcium.
Here is a clue to Alzheimers. Between 1970 and 1990 Alzheimers increased 10 fold.
"Between 1970 and 1990 Alzheimers increased 10 fold."....Your numbers would seem to be out of line. Can you provide a reference?
2
Probably the least helpful article ever on this subject. It's not that there is an exact food, or god forbid, a supplement that might help with lead removal, but a small search will yield some good possibilities. And as long as someone is writing an article on this I see no reason not to include some ideas like the ones I came across.
Garlic, cruciferous vegetables, cilantro, chlorella and pectin all yielded some positive results for removing lead and there were studies involved also. Maybe not enough to please everyone but there is no money to be made on these substances so forget about double blind placebo, whatever. But the bottom line is there is no downside to these foods and they may be quite helpful.
It's not enough that the EPA has been ineffective in many cities regarding lead in water but now with the Trump administration cutting down the EPA, I'm assuming things will only get worse so you better learn to protect yourself and not rely on articles like this one or the CDC's recommendations.
Garlic, cruciferous vegetables, cilantro, chlorella and pectin all yielded some positive results for removing lead and there were studies involved also. Maybe not enough to please everyone but there is no money to be made on these substances so forget about double blind placebo, whatever. But the bottom line is there is no downside to these foods and they may be quite helpful.
It's not enough that the EPA has been ineffective in many cities regarding lead in water but now with the Trump administration cutting down the EPA, I'm assuming things will only get worse so you better learn to protect yourself and not rely on articles like this one or the CDC's recommendations.
3
I thought chelation therapy was used in cases of lead poisoning.
see:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lead-poisoning/diagnosis-t...
see:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lead-poisoning/diagnosis-t...
3
Chelation therapy is used for high blood levels of lead, but only as a last result. Chelation itself is rather dangerous, and not something most physicians will approach lightly. It can result in kidney or liver failure, pancytopenia (low levels of all blood cells), heart dysrhythmias, seizures, brain damage or death. These negative outcomes are even more likely in young children. When I was in school, it was only recommended for children with serum lead levels above 45 micro-g/dL
Unfortunately, the only safe way to avoid high lead levels is to remove contamination from the environment.
Unfortunately, the only safe way to avoid high lead levels is to remove contamination from the environment.
8
"But a search of the literature, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, found only one study to show that dietary calcium helped reduce lead more than a placebo, and no studies to show that dietary calcium or vitamin C provide such a benefit."
Editor: was one of the "dietary calcium" mentions here supposed to be "dietary iron"?
Editor: was one of the "dietary calcium" mentions here supposed to be "dietary iron"?
1