Metals are elements that are naturally present in the human body: we know the key role played by iron, zinc, copper…
However those known as heavy metals, including mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic and aluminium, can be damaging to health when excessive amounts accumulate in organs.
Lead poisoning can cause severe mental deficiency in children (1).
Cadmium poisoning can result in damage to lungs, kidneys and bones (2). Excess mercury poses a serious risk to the nervous system as well as the digestive and immune systems, amongst others (3).
High levels of heavy metals in general may also have particularly harmful consequences for cardiovascular health, potentially increasing the risk of coronary disease or stroke (4). They may also stimulate inflammation (5) and destabilise cellular metabolism (6): a generally harmful development that poses a threat to all physiological functions.
Chelation is the use of chelating agents to ‘catch’ the heavy metals stored in the body. Chelators can either be natural, as in the case of certain algae, or chemical.
DMSA is in the latter category - it stands for dimercaptosuccinic acid: its sulphur atoms form special bonds with the positive ions in metals. Firmly bound to DMSA, the metals are then eliminated naturally in urine.
DMSA has been found to be particularly effective at cleansing organs and tissues and thus eliminating accumulated heavy metals (7).
It has a clear advantage in that it can be easily ingested in the form of capsules, with no observed toxicity. It may, however, cause a few side-effects, affecting digestion in particular.
The oral form of DMSA is a powerful chelator. It is an invaluable aid to anyone whose health has been compromised by persistent exposure to heavy metals (try, for example, the product DMSA).
Take care though: DMSA is also a recognised drug. It’s therefore advisable to seek medical advice before taking DMSA in order to minimise any risks and unpleasant side effects.
We would also draw your attention to the properties of another compound: zeolite clinoptilolite, a natural mineral extracted from volcanoes.
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