Specialized Heavy Metal Testing

Whilst hair testing is a great screening test for human health, it doesn’t always reveal heavy metals that are “hidden” (sequestered) in tissues such as liver, kidneys or bone. Therefore, other diagnostic tests are needed that can determine whether such metals have accumulated in other tissues or organs.

The best two tests for this purpose are the Stool Metals Test and the Urinary Challenge Test. I utilize the services of MicroTrace Minerals in Hersbruck, Germany to perform the analyses for both these tests.

Stool Metals Test

This test quantifies 12 different metals in a single stool sample. Besides copper, it measures levels of cadmium, silver, lead, aluminium, nickel and several others. It is the singularly best test currently available for assessing possible cadmium and silver toxicities. Cadmium is classified as a Class I carcinogen implicated as a causative agent in a range of human cancers whilst silver is a potent inducer of gut dysbiosis, by virtue of its antiseptic effects on normal gut microflora.

Urinary Challenge Test

This test involves a 12hr overnight urine collection, where we compare the concentrations of a range of both minerals & metals before & after ingesting a small quantity of natural & semi-synthetic substances designed to reveal sequestered metals & trace elements.

By comparing the concentrations of these metals in both before & after urine samples, one can determine whether or not the body is accumulating particular metals and therefore devise a treatment plan specifically for your needs.

Other Heavy Metals Tests

We occasionally test for heavy metals in blood samples. This is done principally for patients who have chronic kidney disease in whom Challenge testing is simply not worthwhile. Blood metals may also be useful in patients with ongoing industrial or residential exposures to specific metals but should not be done routinely.