Heavy Metal Testing
Why test for heavy metals?
Heavy metals toxicity caused by increasing levels of pollution and use of chemicals in industry is a growing threat to our health and development of our children. High levels of toxic metals deposited in body tissues and subsequently in the brain, may cause significant developmental and neurological damage.
Accumulations of toxins can occur in the human body in response to occupational exposures or to environmental exposures from toxic release in air, soil, or industrial waste systems. These sources include:
Metal refining
Alloying
Plating and parts manufacturing in aerospace and machine tool industries
Fabrication of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies
Electronics and computer manufacturing
According to the EPA, the US has the largest electronics (including computer) workforce in the world. Exposures to the measured elements can occur in other occupations as well, including:
Welding and metal shaping
Plumbing
Oil refining
Military or police service (with weapons use)
Handling of disposal of wastes
Manufacturing of pigments and coatings
Petrochemical production
Heavy Metal Testing Offered At Hope Chiropractic & Wellness Center
Hair Analysis
We offer heavy metal testing through hair analysis with Great Plains Laboratory. A Metals Hair Test is ideal for checking current exposure to toxic metals. Hair provides important information that can assist the practitioner with an early diagnosis of physiological disorders associated with aberrations in essential and toxic element metabolism.
Toxic elements may be 200-300 times more highly concentrated in hair than in blood or urine. Therefore, hair is the tissue of choice for detection of recent exposure to elements such as arsenic, aluminum, cadmium, lead, antimony, and mercury. The CDC acknowledges the value of hair mercury levels as a maternal and infant marker for exposure to neurotoxic methylmercury from fish.
Urine Testing
Our Toxic Element Clearance Profile from Genova Diagnostics Laboratory is a toxic exposure test which measures urinary excretion of a diverse range of potentially harmful elements. Both well-known toxins such as lead and mercury, and new technology toxins such as niobium are assessed in this toxic element test.
The Toxic Element Clearance Profile offers an advanced, comprehensive assessment of toxic and potentially toxic elements excreted in the urine. In addition to measuring classic elemental toxins, this profile includes elements used in medical, aerospace, nuclear, and high-tech electronic industries. Use of these potential toxins is increasing because of their growing commercial, industrial, and medical applications.
It tests for the following toxins:
Aluminum, Cesium, Gadolinium, Gallium, Nickel, Niobium, Platinum, Rubidium, Thallium, Thorium, Tin, Tungsten, Uranium, Sulfur, Heavy Metals (Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Bismuth, Mercury), Cadmium, and Lead
Blood Testing
Red blood cells and whole blood toxic element levels are good indicators of the toxic elements aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. The Genova Diagnostics Toxic Elements Profile blood is an especially accurate way of determining whole body status of potassium and selenium. Metal testing in the blood generally reflects increased or recent exposure to toxic elements.
Interested in Heavy Metal testing but not sure if it's the right step for you? Click the link below to fill out our interest form and we will be happy to answer any questions you have!