June
2002
Letter from Dr. Janson: Unbelievable
Ads
Toxic Metals
Heavy Metals and Disease
Treating Toxic Metals
Ask Dr. J: Dizziness
In the Health News
Recipe of the Month: Almond
Sauce for the Grill
References
Letter
from Dr. Janson: Unbelievable Ads
Dear Friends,
I just returned from a meeting of the American
College for Advancement in Medicine, the best
place for doctors to keep up with the latest
innovative medical treatments and confirm the
value of those they may be already using. Doctors
who practice complementary and alternative medicine
(CAM) are often told that they are not practicing
scientific medicine, but the research and clinical
presenters at these meetings are top scientists
giving a clear scientific basis for many such
practices.
However, my colleagues and I are also exposed
to many heavily advertised dietary supplement
products, medical devices, and treatments that
have little or no scientific justification.
I am concerned that many such poorly supported
treatments are also hyped to the public. It
disturbs me because they give the rest of CAM
a bad name. I receive their flyers myself at
meetings and through promotional mail (junk
mail often has a very professional appearance).
Don’t believe everything you see. I have been
appalled by miracle cure claims, such as those
for calcium from coral. It is hyped as a cure
or preventive for 200 diseases, including cancer,
diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, hypertension,
eczema, heart disease, and many more (yes, “many
more” are the exact words on one website!,
after listing 19 others, and on another website
it is touted as an antibiotic and antioxidant
— utilizing all of the recent buzz words
for health). I don’t believe it, and neither
should you.
I could say the same for growth hormone pills
(the documented benefit from GH is from the
injectable form), graviola (maybe a delicious
fruit, but not documented for heart conditions,
coughs, difficult childbirth, asthma, hypertension,
and more, for which claims are made), noni juice
(very few studies; all based on injections in
mice, or in test tubes), and dehydrated fruits
and vegetables, sold at a high price. Be skeptical
if there are no human trials or reasonable extrapolations
to humans.
While these products may have nutritious components,
it is not at all clear that they are equal to
or worth more than fresh foods. For calcium
products derived from coral, I am not at all
convinced of their safety because of the possible
heavy metal contamination of any natural calcium
supplement from the sea. Just because something
has traditional uses, or comes from the Brazilian
rain forest, the Peruvian Andes, or the South
Pacific islands, this does not in itself justify
flamboyant claims.
Sometimes the hype is simply for sexual enhancement
or weight loss, or it might be for brain function
or age reduction. Don’t be taken in by unjustified
claims, but don’t think that this is representative
of most of CAM therapies. The science may someday
find that these substances indeed have value,
although it is unlikely that it will be for
all they claim. But right now, stay with what
is based on science.
We are all exposed to toxic heavy metals at
every stage of life, and it is a serious problem,
but you can do something about it. Lead, mercury,
aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, and others are widespread
in the environment, and common practices in
all societies add to the exposure.
Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the
earth’s crust. Cooking acidic foods in aluminum
pots and pans increases the body burden. It
is present in water due to acid rain, it is
used as a precipitant to clarify municipal water
supplies, and it is present in drugs, such as
Maalox.
While lead is no longer used in house paints,
residues in older houses still pose a risk from
paint chips and dust. Other sources of lead
include drinking water, contaminated soil with
residues from leaded gasoline, various foods,
and industrial exposures.
Mercury (as methyl mercury) is a serious toxin,
with human exposure from dental amalgams, large
fish (such as tuna, swordfish, and bluefish),
industrial waste through incineration, vaccines
and drugs preserved with thimerosal, as well
as some contact lens solutions. It is also found
in fungicides, and some paints. If you have
dental amalgam fillings, chewing releases mercury
vapor, which you then inhale or swallow.
We are exposed to cadmium through cigarette
smoke, refined white flour, water supplies,
and coal burning, as well as some dental amalgams,
and nickel-cadmium batteries.
Heavy metals are particularly dangerous for
children, as they absorb toxins more readily,
and their nervous systems are especially vulnerable.
However, adults are also affected by toxic metals,
which are nerve poisons, and cause enzyme disruption,
brain abnormalities, kidney impairment, and
other health problems.
In children, mercury is associated with developmental
and behavioral problems. While some of these
exposures are inevitable, the large majority
can be reduced by changes in public policy,
industrial cleanup, and changes in immunization
and dental care (mercury-free fillings, and
vaccines that are free of thimerosal). Careful
dietary choices will also help reduce exposure
to numerous toxins.
Toxicity starts early, as mercury and lead pass
through the placenta to the developing fetus,
and are also present in breast milk. While most
damaging during fetal development and in childhood,
these toxins exert their effects throughout
life, and are suspect in numerous diseases and
functional decline.
Toxic metals have been linked to decreased
immune function, auto-immune disorders, depletion
of antioxidants, disruption of neuronal function,
Alzheimer’s-like lesions in the brain, interference
with energy production, and platelet abnormalities.
Lead and cadmium are associated with the development
of hypertension and kidney disease. Lead increases
the risk of stroke, and even low levels can
impair neuromuscular control and manual dexterity,
slow reaction time, and decrease intellectual
ability. It also interferes with enzymes that
protect against free radicals, resulting in
increased oxidative damage. Cadmium is not only
a carcinogen, but it enhances the growth and
spread of already-established tumors.
Mercury causes so much damage that it is amazing
that it is put directly into our teeth and used
as a vaccine preservative and administered to
children by health practitioners. It is suspected
in neurological diseases (such as ALS, MS, and
Parkinson’s disease), liver and gastrointestinal
damage, chromosome abnormalities and even depression
and headaches. The association with autism and
other childhood behavior and mental disorders
is increasingly clear.
Treatment
to Eliminate Toxins
Various health practices can help you eliminate
toxins and reduce their effects. Removal of
dental amalgams, using proper techniques to
avoid absorption during the process, will decrease
the continuing supply of toxin into your system.
Exercise and saunas to induce sweating reduce
the body burden of metal toxins. Selenium- and
sulfur-containing foods, such as cabbage-family
vegetables, onions, garlic, and eggs, help to
displace mercury, and foods high in zinc promote
lead elimination.
Dietary supplements are critical to the treatment
of metal overload. They not only promote excretion,
but they decrease the damaging effects. Extra
selenium and sulfur (in the form of methylsulfonyl
methane, or MSM, 2 to 6 gms), may be essential
in addition to food sources. Alpha lipoic acid
(200 to 1000 mg) is both a sulfur source and
an excellent antioxidant for the brain, protecting
against degenerative brain disorders.
Vitamin C (2 to 6 gms) is not only an antioxidant,
but it is also a metal chelator, binding with
metals and removing them from the system and
decreasing free-radical damage. Magnesium and
calcium in food or supplements help to block
toxic metal accumulation.
Other antioxidants work in concert with these
nutrients to protect the kidneys, brain, liver,
and other organs. They include flavonoids, carotenoids,
melatonin, vitamin E, and coenzyme Q10. Silymarin
(500 to 1000 mg of standardized extract), derived
from milk thistle, is an herbal remedy that
promotes liver detoxification and acts as a
brain antioxidant.
Finally, chelation therapy is sometimes essential
in treatment of toxic metal exposure. Intravenous
administration of EDTA, a synthetic amino acid
removes lead and cadmium. This is a safe treatment
done in a doctor’s office.
Oral treatment with DMSA (dimercapto succinic
acid) is the best treatment for mercury, and
also removes some lead. This is available by
prescription and as a dietary supplement (available
from some pharmacies and physicians).
Clearly, avoiding exposure is the best way
to decrease the damage from heavy metals, but
even after metals accumulate, you can eliminate
them and reverse some of the damage.
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Ask
Dr. J: Dizziness
Q. My friend is often dizzy; is there anything
natural that can help? B.G.., Internet
A. Many conditions may be an underlying cause
of dizziness or vertigo (as opposed to loss
of balance). Sometimes it is an inner ear problem
(Meniere’s syndrome), and this can be helped
with supplements of ginkgo biloba (120 to 240
mg of standardized extract) and timed release
niacin (250 to 500 mg; not for those with liver
problems). Sometimes dizziness can result from
hardening of the arteries to the head and neck,
reducing circulation to the brain, a condition
called transient ischemic attack, or TIA. Treatment
for the arteries includes diet (mostly vegetarian,
whole, natural foods), and exercise, as well
as vitamins C (3000 to 6000 mg) and E (400 to
800 IU), EPA and DHA from fish oil (1000 to
3000 mg of omega-3 oils), magnesium (500 to
1000 mg), alpha-lipoic acid (300 to 1000 mg),
carotenoids (25,000 IU), ginkgo biloba. I also
suggest chelation therapy.
Dizziness can be the result of drug reactions,
postural hypotension (low blood pressure when
standing suddenly), infections in the inner
ear, and metabolic disorders, such as diabetes.
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can also
cause recurrent dizzy spells. This can be managed
with a whole foods diet, eliminating refined
sugars and white flour, eating small frequent
meals, doing regular exercise, and taking supplements
of chromium (200 to 600 mcg), as well as timed
release niacin (250 to 500 mg), vitamin C, magnesium,
and B-complex. Finding the cause will help determine
the right treatments.
Mental stress is increasingly recognized as
a contributor to disease states. A recent article
published in Circulation (Rapid Access Communications,
May 21, 2002; reported in Reuters Health) shows,
that a brief three-minute stressful situation
can impair the ability of blood vessels to dilate.
This can lead to heart attacks in those with
compromised arteries. This stress decreased
the ability of the artery to respond by 50 percent,
and the effect lasted for 45 minutes. Stress
management and antioxidant protection of the
endothelium (the arterial lining cells) are
important for prevention of heart attacks or
sudden cardiac death.
Fecal bacteria contaminates most of the chicken
that you find at the market. Many of them are
human pathogens, and a majority are resistant
to antibiotics. Researchers presented their
findings at the annual meeting of the American
Society for Microbiology (Reuters Health, May
21, 2002), finding that of 253 samples, 233
were contaminated! Three quarters of the bacteria
were fecal, and five percent were related to
food spoilage. Over 90 percent were resistant
to one antibiotic, and 87 percent were resistant
to two or more. They suggest cooking chicken
until it falls off the bone — my advice
is to avoid it altogether, as well as meat,
which is also commonly contaminated.
A new study confirms the value of fish (those
containing omega-3 fatty acids) in prevention
of heart attacks. (Albert CM, et al., N Engl
J Med 2002 Apr 11;346(15):1113-8.) Sudden death
is often the first sign of heart disease, and
men with high omega-3 oils in the blood had
a 72 percent reduction in risk of sudden death.
The trick is finding clean fish that are not
contaminated with mercury, PCB’s, and other
toxins.
No need to give up on the barbecue for health.
Use a gas grill to avoid fumes, and you can
skewer fresh vegetables (such as peppers, zucchini,
mushrooms, onions, and garlic) interspersed
with chunks of tofu, tempeh, or fresh fish (for
those omega-3 oils, choose wild salmon from
Alaska or bluefish from clean waters —
not the Northeast). Drizzle this spicy almond
sauce over them: combine a half cup of organic
almond butter (or peanut if you prefer; it is
less expensive) with a half cup of water, three
garlic cloves, two oz. lemon juice, and 1/4
tsp of cayenne (or to taste). Add a fingertip-sized
piece of fresh ginger and a touch of soy sauce.
Blend with an electric whisk or in a blender,
and then add chopped scallions or chives. This
also goes well over soba (buckwheat) noodles.
References
Metal
Toxicity
Bernard S, et al., Autism: a novel form of mercury
poisoning. Med Hypotheses 2001 Apr;56(4):462-71.
NIEHS, A research-oriented framework for risk
assessment and prevention of Children’s exposure
to environmental toxicants. Environ Health Perspect
1999 Jun;107(6):510.
Stein
J, et al., In harm’s way: toxic threats to child
development. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2002 Feb;23(1
Suppl):S13-22.
Rossipal
E, et al., Investigation of the transport of
trace elements across barriers in humans: studies
of placental and mammary transfer. Acta Paediatr
2000 Oct;89(10):1190-5.
Hu
H, Poorly controlled hypertension in a painter
with chronic lead toxicity. Environ Health Perspect
2001 Jan;109(1):95-9.
D
Bellinger, et al., Longitudinal analyses of
prenatal and postnatal lead exposure .... NEJM
1987 Apr 23;316(17):1037-1043.
Waalkes
MP, et al., Repeated cadmium exposures enhance
the malignant progression of ensuing tumors
in rats. Toxicol Sci 2000 Mar;54(1):110-120.
El-Missiry
MA, Prophylactic effect of melatonin...antioxidant
systems in male rats. J Biochem Mol Toxicol
2000;14(1):57-62.
Vanacore
N, et al., Relationship between exposure to
environmental toxins and motor neuron disease:
a case report. Med Lav 1995 Nov-Dec;86(6):522-33.
Mano
Y, et al., Mercury in hair of patients with
ALS. Rinsho Shinkeigaku 1989 Jul;29(7):844-8.
Gonzalez-Perez
O, et al., Beneficial effects of alpha-lipoic
acid plus vitamin E on neurological deficit...
Neurosci Lett 2002 Mar 15;321(1-2):100-4.
Dizziness
Cesarani A, et al., Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761)
in the treatment of equilibrium disorders. Adv
Ther 1998 Sep-Oct;15(5):291-304.
Haguenauer
JP, et al., Treatment of equilibrium disorders
with Ginkgo biloba extract. A multicenter double-blind
drug vs. placebo study. Presse Med 1986 Sep
25;15(31):1569-72.
Gaby
AR, Wright JV. Nutritional regulation of blood
glucose. J Advancement Med 1991 Spring;4(1):57-71.
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