Arsenic, Cadmium and Lead Exposure Information for the General Public

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Heavy metal exposure can have symptoms that are chronic and subtle. Often the symptoms of heavy metal toxicity resemble those of other diseases, and it is important to eliminate other sources before a diagnosis is made.

Some of the symptoms of exposure to heavy metals include:

• General malaise: fatigue and disrupted sleep
• Unexplained weight loss or anorexia
• Immune system deficiencies leading to poor resistance to infectious diseases
• Calcium deficiency, as seen through fragile bones, a tendency towards tooth decay or yellowing of teeth, and muscle cramping, especially among pregnant women
• Neurological problems, including difficulty maintaining balance, loss of or reduced sense of smell, difficulty with language tasks, decreased school performance, and tingling or loss of feeling in hands and feet
• Mild chronic gastrointestinal distress
• Anemia, especially if non-responsive to iron therapy
• Cancers of the skin, lungs, bladder, kidneys, liver and prostate
• Non-cancer disease of the kidney and lungs
• High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, especially at a young age or when family history and lifestyle factors are negative

If you or a member of your family an individual has a cluster of these symptoms, the cause may be chronic heavy metal toxicity. Further queries and testing may be called for.

Consult your health care provider.

Institute for Environmental Research and Education
http://www.iere.org/vashon-metals.html

Seattle and King County Public Health
http://www.metrokc.gov/health/hazard/hazindex.htm

Bastyr Center for Natural Health
http://www.bastyrcenter.org/physicians/