Kris Homme, MPH retired engineer turned science writer was interviewed by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.
Your hidden mercury burden: A likely root cause of the other root causes of anxiety – part 2
- how to get rid of your mercury burden: dental amalgams, mercury in fish
- how a special diet can help
- important supplements to include: antioxidants; essential fatty acids; minerals
- foods and supplements to avoid
- concerns around chelation
- chronic mercury poisoning resources
Here is a snippet from our interview:
I’d really like to emphasize the toxicity of mercury and just how insidious it is and how important prevention is because, once you have toxicity, it can be pretty hard to get rid of. The first thing to do is address your exposures, and one big one is dental amalgams. If you are inclined to think you may have a mercury burden, then consider safe dental amalgam removal. It’s not an emergency, but put it into your five-year plan. You can read about this on IAOMT/ International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology web site. They’re the pro-science dental association that has been working to fund and disseminate the science since 1983. They have developed a safe amalgam removal protocol. You can find a dentist who appreciates the toxicity of mercury and takes every precaution. Your old dentist may have an office full of mercury vapor, so you may want to find a new dentist and discuss the details of the procedure with the new dentist and decide for yourself whether the procedure is adequate. You got into trouble by trusting your old dentist to do what the old dentist thought was right, so it’s a good idea not to trust, but to figure out what you think is the right protocol for amalgam removal
Kris asked the following in the interview:
if you believe that your dental amalgams have affected your health, please report this to the FDA on the FDA MedWatch web site. They have a form to report adverse events, and dental amalgams are considered a medical device, so if you’ll use that form, it may help. In the last go-round against the FDA’s amalgam rule, the 2009 statement by the FDA said that they had received very few adverse event reports on amalgam, so let’s not let them say that again.
Here is the Environmental Working Group January 2014 report we mentioned: US Seafood Advice Flawed on Mercury, Omega-3s
Kris has some additional fish information here – Fish mercury: Some inconvenient truths
Here is short video of Kris talking about genetic susceptibility to mercury toxicity
This was a 2-part interview – here is the link to the blog for part 1
Here are links to the resources Kris shared:
Amalgam Illness by Andrew Cutler
DAMS – Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions
IAOMT/International Association of Oral Medicine and Toxicology
Kern 2012 article on brain pathology in mercury poisoning: Evidence of parallels between mercury intoxication and the brain pathology in autism
Kris’s website MercuryandMore
Kris’ paper published earlier this year: New science challenges old notion that mercury dental amalgam is safe
Here is a link to part 1 of this mercury discussion – chronic mercury poisoning effects at the molecular level, the cellular and organ level, effects on hormone imbalance and neurotransmitters and how to test.
If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here www.theAnxietySummit.com
The information on mercury was very helpful. I know I have the MTHFR gene mutation c677t but there were other genes you mentioned near the end of the talk that may effect ones ability to detox from mercury. They were said so quickly I did nor get their names. Could you list them or point me to a resource article they may be discussed in. Thanks so much.
Hi Cat
Kris will hop on and answer this question. I believe she has a paper that lists these.
I’m so pleased this was helpful
Trudy
I’ve had pain in my bladder for 25 years. After reading of fellow sufferers experiencing great improvement when they had their amalgams removed I decided to have my mercury removed from my mouth. I had one amalgam under a gold bridge. The very next day my bladder pain was gone! Now the only time I experience pain in my bladder is when I take fish oil supplements or eat fish. My bladder is quite the barometer for detecting mercury!
Marilyn
Thanks for sharing – this is an amazing result. Maybe Kris has heard of a connection such as this one
Trudy
Thank you Trudy and Kris for this wonderful mercury forum. I have suffered from mercury poisoning for 33 years and it’s been a VERY lonely journey as you both know. So it’s re assuring to hear that it is a health issue, it’s just not one recognized by the current medical community-I’m NOT crazy! I never thought to write the FDA. Guess I got so tired of fighting my body and the world I couldn’t put effort into anything else. But I have found several solutions over the years, baby steps I call it, that have helped. The problem with mercury is that it affects so many organs and parts of the body, you have to address each one individually. I still have issues but when I think of where I was and where I am now, I feel blessed. Usually, the older you get the worse you feel. With me, I feel better the older I get as my body is slowly healing. I too am still struggling with brain issues but it’s way better than it used to be. I am definitely going to write the FDA. Don’t want others to suffer as I have. Thanks again and good luck as you continue your healing journeys.
Wonderful Eileen! Good luck with your healing journey too!
Kris seemed to imply that parts of her brain are affected by the mercury poisoning. Was wondering if there a scan or way to quantify this other than symptoms? Is there a way to differentiate brain fog from food allergies verses mercury toxicity? Thanks.
Cat,
According to a recent study (PubMed 25109824), the genes that have been shown in human studies to affect susceptibility to mercury toxicity are: CPOX, COMT, TDO2, GRIN2A, GRIN2B,
SLC6A4, KIBRA, APOE, MT1M, MT2A, GSTT1, SEPP1. But many more are likely, for example, the MTHFR variant that you mentioned, or any gene that affects methylation or glutathione. This field of study is in its infancy. Glad you found the information helpful.
Kris
Marilyn,
How interesting! I haven’t heard of this, but I have heard of headaches and allergies suddenly disappearing after amalgam removal.
Kris
Eileen,
It sounds like you and I are on a similar health journey. I’m glad you plan to submit an adverse event report to the FDA.
Kris
Christine,
I don’t know of any tests to distinguish reversible blockages versus damage, but it’s outside my expertise. I’ve had some brain imaging — with indeterminate results. I haven’t tried functional brain imaging. Brain fog that comes and goes is a good sign, because it’s likely to be reversible.
Kris
For those who suspect that mercury and other heavy metals are the root of their health issues, Andy’s book is a great help. But where do you turn when your doctor is not supportive?
There is a Yahoo (Frequent Dose Chelation) group of fellow sufferers dedicated to helping each other. No paid staff. No health professional. No health advice but answers to questions. All volunteer and using Andy’s books, and recent posts and some combined experience to help each other through oral chelation of mercury and other heavy metals.
There are also Fight Autism and Win and Autism Mercury groups. There are Facebook Groups (I have no experience with these: Mercury Detox Support Group, and Andy Cutler Chelation Think Tank (these are lifted form posts on FDC so you may need to hunt if this info is faulty).
Disclaimer: I am a moderator on the FDC site. I has all the attributes of Autism from age 2-4.5 years. I am a secretor so apparently cleared enough to speak again. I was poisoned first in utero as my mother was exposed to arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in the years before my conception, then through gestation and lactation. I suspect inoculations at 2 years old pushed me over into autism. I had amalgam in baby teeth, and numerous exposures including a large mercury spill in my bedroom as a teen. I struggled to complete a BS degree after exposure to spilled mercury in a lab and other toxins in my course of studies. I gained a Ph.D. with a 3.8 on a 4 scale in spite of 13 large amalgam fillings. The unsafe removal of those13 amalgams ruined my health but that cause was not recognized for 24 years. I have chelated using Andy’s protocol for over three years and it takes a long time to remove 60 years of exposure. I have had huge improvements. Like Kris, MCS is behind me, I am not falling over. FM-like and RS like and MS like symptoms have abated. My high Blood Pressure is under control. The list goes on. I am still toxic with maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the mercury remaining.
Trudy helped me to experiment with GABA, glycine and 5-HTP to reduce the anxiety that chelating mercury can cause. It is in Cutler’s book and posts, but sometimes, a second opinion seems wise when dealing with neurotransmitters.
So thanks, Kris and Trudy. It is true that each of us has a slightly different chelation journey. We are not 15 minute patients for our doctors. For those needing moral support and a place to find people who have travelled their variant of the varied road of Cutler Chlelation, check our FDC or one of the other groups. (PS Yahoo messed up our interface but it is what it is). I am already at a much improved quality of life but I was not yet bedridden by this.
Thanks so much Brian for jumping in and sharing your healing journey. I’m so pleased you are doing so well. Thanks too for sharing the yahoo group as a resource. It’s new to me and I’ll check it out
I’m curious about this comment – Trudy helped me to experiment with GABA, glycine and 5-HTP ? I’m so pleased this help with the anxiety. Did you try this based on reading my book?
Trudy
Short answer: Anxiety Summit 1, not your book, sorry.
Long answer: Andy Cutler has a post in our group we truck out for people with anxiety and depression issues. In it he describes the types of anxiety and depression and for mine GABA and glycine, tryptophan and 5-HTP were options. I had tackled heart issues (magnesium) liver issues (bile and glutathione support), and was working on the adrenals and thyroid (a work in progress), but was a bit leery of the amino acid therapy for neurotransmitters. Messing with my brain takes on a new meaning! 🙂 Then I listened to the first Anxiety Summit, and took notes on your talk and one other that echoed it (sorry her name escapes me, and I blame that on the mercury! 🙂 ) But hey, you organized it right? So one way or another you get the credit. On FDC, we had some over producers of cortisol that one of the talks addressed and we have posted both summits for those interested.
Good stuff is good stuff.
BrianMc
Hi Brian – good to know and where-ever you heard it makes me happy! 🙂 Thanks for posting both summits – I appreciate it
I think you’re referring to Julia Ross’ talk on the amino acids and high cortisol. Sharing a link here for folks who didn’t hear it https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/anxiety-summit-eliminating-anxiety-amino-acid-therapy-and-adrenal-balancing/
I was interviewed on the amino acids this season and sharing this link here too in case folks missed this one https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/anxiety-summit-targeted-individual-amino-acids-eliminating-anxiety-practical-applications/
Trudy
Thank you so much for your honesty and sharing your knowledge.
I didn’t quite catch how to measure a person’s mercury load (besides symptoms) I believe you said the hair analysis could be high or low in measurement, because it could be cordoned off? And that bloodwork only measures recent exposure. How would someone know if there is 1/3 or 1/4 remaining as the writer above?
After going to the link for amalgam removal instructions, I realize mine were not removed in this way (no fresh air, cool water, face washing, etc) No awareness of it being a vapor.
As you both wisely framed it, understanding the situation is a valuable tool in itself. If you have any insights into amino acids as helpers with this toxicity, would welcome knowing about it.
Aren’t the newly popular long lasting light bulbs a greater source of mercury as well?
I had my amalgam dental fillings removed quite awhile ago and the dentist did not do anything that I remember to protect me from the fillings coming out so what may be the result of that? What can I do now? This was back in the 90s
Thanks Kris for this informative talk.
I recently had my amalgams removed by a holistic dentist. He used IV Vitamin C therapy plus glutathione for detox. Then gives Vitamin supplements for home. But says it is Vit C and glutathione when they work together that bind to mercury.
I would be interested to know what you think of this detox method? It wasn’t discussed in your talk.
Thank you.
Miriam: > I didn’t quite catch how to measure a person’s mercury load (besides symptoms). I believe you said the hair analysis could be high or low in measurement, because it could be cordoned off? And that bloodwork only measures recent exposure.
*** Mercury testing is problematic. The only real verification is a response to chelation *but* you must not chelate with amalgam in place. A Canadian IAOMT sponsored study estimated that for those people who can secrete mercury, 4 average fillings are all a woman of any age can handle, about 7 for men until age 50 or a bit later then about 5.5. If autism runs in the family it is fair to guess less than that number would cause problems. Cutler’s book has a checklist including some medical tests which in aggregate can strongly indicate a mercury problem. Mine came out 99.9+% likely to be mercury.
> How would someone know if there is 1/3 or 1/4 remaining as the writer above?
*** As to the guesstimate of my current point of chelation, it stems from crude estimates based on rat studies, the amount of ALA I have taken and the total time I have chelated. It is not a good predictor for individual people, but crude or not, it suggests I have another year or two to go.
> After going to the link for amalgam removal instructions, I realize mine were not removed in this way (no fresh air, cool water, face washing, etc) No awareness of it being a vapor.
*** So you had a large import of mercury but survived. It cost me my academic career. It nearly killed my brother. You just have a bit more mercury to get out than if they were removed safely
> As you both wisely framed it, understanding the situation is a valuable tool in itself. If you have any insights into amino acids as helpers with this toxicity, would welcome knowing about it.
*** So many have tried so much to get better, and the relief at finally discovering the root cause is life altering.
> Aren’t the newly popular long lasting light bulbs a greater source of mercury as well?
*** The CFL ones? Yes. I have gone LED.
*** The above is the sort of discussion we often have on FDC.
*** BrianMc
Thanks Brian for adding to the discussion!
I have listened a few times but was having trouble hearing, what was the supplement to help with the people who are allergic to cruciferous vegetables? This has been a particular thorn in my side that I developed a few years ago.
Kendra,
“Allergy” is a difficult word because people can use it to mean both a true immune allergy and an intolerance unrelated to immunity. Some people can have sulfite intolerance due to an impaired sulfite oxidase enzyme, and this can be helped by taking molybdenum. These issues are complicated and require a lot of trial and error with foods and supplements. I found that I had to read extensively about micronutrients and then try the ones whose functions matched my apparent needs (symptoms).
Kris
Brian McBlane,
Thanks so much for posting this helpful info. The FDC yahoo group was my lifeline for about 2 years when I learned I had chronic mercury poisoning. It’s full of smart people who have had to figure this out for themselves. Your story exemplifies how complicated this illness is — it can manifest differently depending on your degree of excretion versus retention, your pattern of chronic and acute exposures, and your ages of exposures. When I step back and look at the big picture, it’s bizarre that an underground international Internet group is apparently diagnosing and slowly curing what might have been incurable illnesses, and the medical establishment is oblivious.
Kris
Pam Schwetz,
If you had unsafe amalgam removal, you can read about mercury symptoms. If they sound like your symptoms, then you probably have a long-term mercury burden. The links that Trudy provided and the groups that Brian mentioned are good places to start to learn about it.
Kris
Claire,
I’d rather not step out of my expertise by discussing treatment, but it’s my understanding that oral glutathione breaks down in the gut. I think that vitamin C can be very useful, and I prefer the Linus Pauling method — mix vitamin C powder in water, with some baking soda to taste (I’m not providing radios or amounts because it’s outside my area) and drink some every few hours if it tastes sweet. Read about bowel tolerance to vitamin C. Some very ill people may need 40-50 grams of vitamin C per day. Vitamin C is said to recycle glutathione, but I don’t know how easily the water-based vitamin C can get deep into the cell where it is needed, and I don’t know whether the liposomal vitamin C can get there either. In theory two glutathione molecules can escort one mercury atom out, but I’ve also read that it forms a complex of 4 glutathiones to 2 mercury atoms, which may be harder to pass through the membranes. We need better funding of mercury science, but funding is driven by lobbyists with ties to the medical and dental industries where mercury has been used inappropriately, so these powerful groups would prefer that the studies not be done.
Kris
Excuse me for entering this discussion. My only expertise is havine read AL and my own mercury journey. So the following is not medical advice. Cutler says that oral glutathione breaks down in the gut. He has not addressed liposomal glutathione, and I haven’t looked for info on whether it gets into thte blood and into cells. Glutathione is a pretty big molecule and is not thought to cross membranes well. The BBB would be a greater barrier. For those who don’t have high cysteine, and don’t react to thiols, 4 NAC: 2 glutamine: 1 glycine is the ratio of amino acids in glutathione. For those wiht high cysteine, like me, I take 2 g glutamine and 1 g glycine for this purpose 3 X a day. I take another 5 gm of glycine as GABA light as I can tolerate only 3 gm of GABA without a skin burning sensation.
I do make homemade liposomal vitamin C. It likely doesn’t have as high a nanoparticle percentage as commercial ones, but I am not fighting cancer, and mine avoids the bowel tolerance issue, so good enough for my purposes. Recipes are in links on FDC.
Vitamin E, zinc, and selenium make up the rest of the Core Four supplements for mercury toxic folk. Most of us need and take a far greater range than the four. Fighting mercury’s incredible oxidative appetite.
More on FDC.
BrianMc
Thanks, Brian!
Just to clarify, the book you reference is Amalgam Illness by Andrew Cutler. For those who find this book difficult, I’d like to acknowledge that the issue itself is difficult. We’re fortunate to have resources like this book and the forums on the Internet.
Hi, I’m wondering if you have any thoughts on fish oil & mercury levels? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Thank you.
Lisa,
Fish mercury (methylmercury) is bound to the cysteine groups in protein. I haven’t heard of mercury being a problem in fish oil.
Kris
Last spring while trying to increase my antioxidents, found some alpha lipoic acid and tried it, seemed great for a few days. Then started more foggy thinking.
So am thinking might be dealing with metals.
Any suggestions besides healthy eating?
Am lucky , do well with onions and Bok choy…, not sure about other thiols. Do react to sulfurs put in dried fruit.
Thanks
LynnD
Trudy and Kris – I enjoyed the 2nd anxiety summit. Thanks for helping so many people! Kris, your talks were especially timely for me; mercury toxicity is one of the vulnerabilities my doctor and I are dealing with as I recover from my electrical hypersensitivity. Appreciate you both.
Hi Diane
So pleased you enjoyed the summit and Kris’ talk! We wish you well in your recovery from electrical hypersensitivity and hope to address this topic in a future summit
Trudy
Diane,
Was wondering what seems to help you with electrical sensitivity and what reactions you get.
I try to stay off computer(hand is so cold now, will try changing the mouse) /
Thanks
Be Well
LynnD
Kris,
Thank you for your valuable discussion of mercury poisoning. You listed amalgam fillings and fish as the primary sources of mercury poisoning, but I didn’t hear any mention of mercury in vaccines. I suspect that my mother was poisoned two months ago by mercury in a tetanus vaccine (which contains 25 mcg of mercury) following a car accident. She became confused and paranoid and lost her memory and sense of direction. What are your thoughts on mercury in vaccines?
Hi,
Can someone give me the link to the support group mentioned as FDC?
Thanks,
Terri
Hi Terri – here you are https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/frequent-dose-chelation/info. It seems to have been renamed Mercury Detoxification Support Forum, but is the same group
Beware of lead exposure from bathtubs. I recently discovered the lead on my 8 hour Doctor’s Data urine element test (provoked with 300mg DMPS & 500mg DMSA) was 38! and should be less than 2. A hair element test in 2006 showed I was very toxic for many metals but in 2013 showed I was clear. Ironically, since 2008, to help me detox by improving sulfate levels in my body, I take epsom salt baths every few days in my 1968 mobile home so now suspect the tub is a source of some of my chronic health challenges. http://www.mommypotamus.com/lead-leaching-bathtubs-the-dirtiest-secret-in-your-bathroom/. My BHMT (shortcut through the methylation cycle) is +/+ for all and I have other genetic issues see http://dramyyasko.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/03-A1-Mutation_Breakdown.pdf. This helped me understand more http://larrynewman-kirkman.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-support-biochemical-pathways-in.html. I used Andy Cutler’s low dose alpha lipoic acid protocol to chelate mercury a few years ago after having silver dental fillings removed, but now know ALA doesn’t chelate lead so may try Andy Cutler’s low dose DMSA method or EDTA. Amy Yasko has EDTA in powder, footbath soak, and soap. Thanks for all your help & spreading the knowledge Trudy!
Lisa
Thanks for sharing your resources. Interesting about your bathtub. I’m curious about what type you have and why you suspect it may be the source of lead? Have you had it tested and if yes, how?
No name on our 1968 Hillcrest mobile home bathtub. We’ve lived here 7 years and I’ve had lifelong health challenges but have been getting progressively sicker. I am now using a BPA free plastic tub to soak my feet in epsom salt. The Mommypotamus link explains the tub theory. A specialist, Tamara Rubin has posts in the comments section. Our test was defective and 3m is sending us a new one. http://www.3mleadcheck.com.
TS – would you please share the name of the dentist in Colorado Springs you spoke of on your Anxiety Summit 2 who removed your mercury amalgams? I live 2.5 hrs from there and am in the process of investigating the best options for a holistic/biologic dentist in that area. Also, were you happy with that dentist’s work? I have severe TMJ Syndrome and require a dentist with a very gentle hand to remove my 12 amalgams. Thank you, RL
It looks like he’s now in Denver. It’s John Augspurger https://www.biodentist.com/ Tell him I say hi
Keep in mind that TMJ can also be a sign of low serotonin too so I always consider this with clients
TS – Thank you! Have been working on my serotonin with supplements as recommended in your Anxiety Summits. Unfortunately, my TMJs are shot from 25 yrs of night-time grinding. RL