Metal Exposure from Amalgam Alters the Distribution of Trace Elements in Blood Cells and Plasma

Abstract

Twenty-seven consecutive patients with health problems associated with dental amalgam were recruited. In spite of thorough medical examinations, there were no diagnoses available. The patient group was dominated by women. A healthy age- and sex-matched control group with dental amalgams without symptoms was also recruited. Metal level monitoring in plasma and nuclear microscopy of isolated individual blood cells were carried out. Significant increases of copper, iron, zinc and strontium were found in patient plasma. There was no significant difference in plasma selenium between the groups. Mercury was significantly increased in patient plasma, although there was overlap between the groups. In erythrocytes a significant increase in calcium and a significant decrease in magnesium, copper, manganese and zinc were found. Calcium, magnesium, manganese and copper increased in patient neutrophil granulocytes. A significant decrease was found for zinc. A conspicuous finding was the presence of measurable mercury in a few of the cells from the patient but not in the control group. Thus, nuclear microscopy of isolated individual blood cells might provide a better diagnostic tool for metal exposure than blood plasma measurements.

Changed Clinical Chemistry Pattern in Blood After Removal of Dental Amalgam and other Metal Alloys Supported by Antioxidant Therapy

“…Earlier studies in our laboratory further corroborated this observation [11,12]. Our findings showed statistical significance in a comparison of Hg levels in blood plasma between control individuals and patients with ill health attributed to dental amalgams.…”

Characterization and Distribution of the Selected Metals in the Scalp Hair of Cancer Patients in Comparison with Normal Donors

“…It has been reported that the human metabolism is affected by certain toxic metals even at trace levels, thus influencing many body functions significantly [3,4]. Some of the metals have also been found to affect cellular transfer and the levels of other important minerals and nutrients that have significant health effects [5,6].…”

Comparative distribution of the scalp hair trace metal contents in the benign tumour patients and normal donors

“…Human metabolism may be affected by certain metals even at trace levels and thus associated with numerous health effects (Robinson et al 1973;Goyer 1993;Hayes 1997;Lindh et al 2001). A number of biological processes have been linked with the imbalances of trace metals (Boadi et al 1992;Singh and Garg 1998;Semczuk and Semczuk-Sikora 2001).…”