Metallothioneins and heavy metals

[paolo]

Hi,

I have a test by a laboratory (UK) in which they mesured the proportion of metals bound to metallothioneins (MTs). MTs are anzymes which normally bind to zinc (40%) and copper (60%) and are involved in a number of metabolic functions.

In my own case they found that 5% of my MTs are bound to cadmium and that 3% are bound to mercury.

These metallothioneins are taken from serum.

Has any of you done this kind of test? Any clue about its value?

I'm undergoing a chelation therapy, through Cutler's protocol. I've done five 'rounds' so far, with 12.5 mg of DMSA every 4 hours. Three days every one or two weeks.

 

[Mary]

Hi @paolo - I've never had that test, although I read last year some time that metallothioneins are necessary for mercury detoxification. They're actually proteins: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12022471; http://www.holistic-back-relief.com/mercury-toxicity.html

So I'm guessing that the fact some of yours are bound to mercury is a good thing - but don't know for sure.

What does your doctor say about the test?

I did Cutler's protocol a few years ago for I think close to 3 months, using DMSA and ALA, and it was hard to do and I didn't feel any different afterwards.

I would periodically have symptoms of mercury toxicity - spaciness, trouble concentrating, digestion off, and fatigue and somehow I seem to have gotten rid of more of it, or else I helped my detox pathways, which I think is more likely.

3 amino acids which used to cause a very strong detox reaction for me no longer do that. They are glycine, inositol and l-glutamine. I take the first two for sleep and when I first took them, I felt like I'd been hit by a truck and I no longer have that reaction. The glutamine also gave me detox symptoms and it no longer does either. These are all used in phase II mercury detoxification. I found the following article extremely informative about liver detoxification: http://www.diagnose-me.com/treatment/liver-detoxification-phase-II-support.html

I am just guessing that my perseverance with taking these amino acids finally got my detox pathways working better, but again am just guessing.

One more thing - there's a relatively new test called Quicksilver Mercury Tri Test: https://www.quicksilverscientific.com/mercury-testing/testing/mercury-tri-test
Supposedly this is the new gold standard for mercury testing. It's supposed to show your toxic load, whether organic or inorganic mercury and also highlight weaknesses or deficiencies in your detox capabilities and then have recommendations for detoxing based on the test. I don't know if it's available in Italy or the UK.

I had this test done around the same time that I seemed to stop having detox symptoms (January of this year) (which detox symptoms occurred all too frequently, even when I wasn't trying to detox), and it showed my mercury levels were fine and my detox system is working the way it's supposed too. They do sell a product called IMD which is supposed to be very good for getting mercury out and that was going to be my next step, only I no longer had a problem. (a little strange , I know)

Best wishes,

Mary

 

[PeterPositive]

I'm undergoing a chelation therapy, through Cutler's protocol. I've done five 'rounds' so far, with 12.5 mg of DMSA every 4 hours. Three days every one or two weeks.

Have you already removed all of the fillings?

 

[paolo]

Hi @paolo - I've never had that test, although I read last year some time that metallothioneins are necessary for mercury detoxification. They're actually proteins: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12022471; http://www.holistic-back-relief.com/mercury-toxicity.html

So I'm guessing that the fact some of yours are bound to mercury is a good thing - but don't know for sure.

What does your doctor say about the test?

According to my doctor -and to the Lab which performs this test- metallothioneins are useful marker of heavy metal intossication. If you are not exposed to mercury or cadmium, your metallothioneines are not bound to these elements. So I've been exposed.

On the other hand -as you mentioned- metallothioneines are used by the body to clear the organs from cadmium and mercury, so I guess that -in my own case-they are functioning properly.

My doc prescribed a chelation protocol based on glutathione and Alpha Lipoic Acid. But this protocol was harmful to me, so I began my search for a sefer way to remove metals, and I dicovered Cutler's protocol. I'm currenty using only DMSA (which can't travel across the blood brain barrier) and I don't have adverse reactions.

 

[paolo]

I did Cutler's protocol a few years ago for I think close to 3 months, using DMSA and ALA, and it was hard to do and I didn't feel any different afterwards.

I would periodically have symptoms of mercury toxicity - spaciness, trouble concentrating, digestion off, and fatigue and somehow I seem to have gotten rid of more of it, or else I helped my detox pathways, which I think is more likely.

3 amino acids which used to cause a very strong detox reaction for me no longer do that. They are glycine, inositol and l-glutamine. I take the first two for sleep and when I first took them, I felt like I'd been hit by a truck and I no longer have that reaction. The glutamine also gave me detox symptoms and it no longer does either. These are all used in phase II mercury detoxification. I found the following article extremely informative about liver detoxification: http://www.diagnose-me.com/treatment/liver-detoxification-phase-II-support.html

I am just guessing that my perseverance with taking these amino acids finally got my detox pathways working better, but again am just guessing.

I've used inositol and glutamine as well, but I've never heard of glycine...

One more thing - there's a relatively new test called Quicksilver Mercury Tri Test: https://www.quicksilverscientific.com/mercury-testing/testing/mercury-tri-test
Supposedly this is the new gold standard for mercury testing. It's supposed to show your toxic load, whether organic or inorganic mercury and also highlight weaknesses or deficiencies in your detox capabilities and then have recommendations for detoxing based on the test. I don't know if it's available in Italy or the UK.]

I had this test done around the same time that I seemed to stop having detox symptoms (January of this year) (which detox symptoms occurred all too frequently, even when I wasn't trying to detox), and it showed my mercury levels were fine and my detox system is working the way it's supposed too. They do sell a product called IMD which is supposed to be very good for getting mercury out and that was going to be my next step, only I no longer had a problem. (a little strange , I know)

Best wishes,

Mary

It seems that I have a lot to study here.

 

[paolo]

Have you already removed all of the fillings?

Yes, I removed them about three years ago.

 

[TheChosenOne]

The most important part of chelation is detoxing your brain, which you cannot do with DMSA. You need ALA for that. You can take it together with DMSA. As a bonus, ALA is an antioxidant which can relieve brain inflammation.

 

[paolo]

The most important part of chelation is detoxing your brain, which you cannot do with DMSA. You need ALA for that. You can take it together with DMSA. As a bonus, ALA is an antioxidant which can relieve brain inflammation.

I'm planning to use ALA + DMSA as a second steep, after some months of DMSA alone. This choice is due to the fear that ALA may carry new load of heavy metals to the brain, from the rest of the body.

If I use DMSA alone for enough time so that I can clear the body (from neck below), then I will be able to use both ALA and DMSA without the risk of redistribution of body's heavy metals within the brain.

I guess this is the same strategy that Cutler explains in his book.

I've used ALA alone months ago, but it made me feel worst. I used it improperly, though, because I took 100-200 mg/die. It was too much.