Heavy Metals RESOURCES

Analyte List

Heavy Metal Resources

Heavy Metals Clinical References

Sample Report

Metals Brochure

Specimen Type: Packed Cells

Turnaround Time: 2-3+ weeks

Test Markers: 18

metals red blood cell test

GENERAL

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.

Find out more about the sources of heavy metal toxicity here.

WHY CHOOSE THE METALS RED BLOOD CELL TEST?

Analysis of red blood cells provides the best diagnostic tool for assessing the status of elements that have important functions inside cells or on blood cell membranes. Blood cell element levels are useful for assessing cardiac influences, anti-inflammatory processes, anemia, immunological function, glucose tolerance and other disorders that are associated specifically with zinc deficiency.

The Red Blood Cell (RBC) Test is an invaluable diagnostic method for assessing insufficiency or excess of elements that have important functions within cells or on blood cell membranes. An important feature is that the cells are not washed, because this would result in partial loss of some important elements that bind to the plasma membrane, for example, calcium.

RBC element levels are very useful for assessing: cardiotonic influences (magnesium, potassium); anti-inflammatory processes (selenium, copper, zinc); anemia (copper, iron); immunological function (zinc, copper, magnesium), and glucose tolerance (chromium, manganese, and possibly vanadium). Disorders specifically associated with zinc deficiency are addressed by this analysis as well. These disorders include loss of visual acuity, dysgeusia, dermatitis and poor wound healing, alopecia, amino acid malabsorption, sexual impotence, decreased production of testosterone, depressed immune function, and negatively impacted growth.

Accurate assessment of essential element status is highly recommended for the determination of appropriate supplementation. The absorption, transport, and metabolism of essential elements is highly integrated and regulated. Inappropriate supplementation or dietary imbalance of elements can have significant adverse health effects. For example, excess intake of zinc or molybdenum can result in copper deficiency and, although essential, excess retention of manganese can have serious neurotoxic effects. RBC element analysis is also useful for the assessment of ongoing or very recent exposure to specific toxic elements that accumulate preferentially in erythrocytes. These toxic elements include arsenic, cadmium, lead, methylmercury and thallium. It is important to keep in mind that elevated levels of the toxic elements in these cells reflect only recent or ongoing exposure and do not provide information about the net retention of the metals in the body.

RBC element analysis should be performed prior to and intermittently throughout the course of detoxification/chelation therapy. Monitoring essential element status is necessary to identify needs for and effectiveness of supplementation. Replacement and maintenance of adequate levels of essential nutrients can markedly reduce the apparent adverse "side effects" associated with the use of detoxification agents, per se, and the general effects of mobilization of toxic elements. It is important to note that some diseases are associated with abnormal levels of blood cell elements that could be misleading with respect to nutritional status. For example, blood cell copper can be temporarily elevated during inflammatory response while liver levels are not.

BENEFITS OF METALS TESTING

• Determine if metal toxicity or mineral deficiency is contributing to the disorder

• Monitor the effects of chelation (elimination of heavy metals from the body)

• Identify if supplementation of important minerals may bring about significant improvements

SPECIMEN REQUIREMENTS

• 2 tubes, 2mL per tube, of packed cells in a royal blue-topped potassium EDTA tube is required. The plasma must be removed and discarded from the specimen within 1 hour of collection

CPT CODES

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