HEAVY METAL DETOX: CHALLENGES What is a heavy metal? A “heavy metal” is any metallic element that has a relatively high density and is toxic or poisonous at low concentrations. Some examples are mercury, aluminum, copper, cadmium, nickel, arsenic and lead. They occur naturally in the Earth’s crust and cannot be degraded or destroyed. Trace amounts of heavy metals enter our bodies through food, drinking water and air. Some trace level heavy metals such as copper, selenium and zinc are actually essential in maintaining our metabolism. Why are heavy metals dangerous to us? Heavy metals tend to bioaccumulate, that is, they build up over time, becoming more concentrated in amounts that will poison our body. Compounds accumulate in our bodies when they are taken in and stored faster than they are broken down or metabolized or excreted. Because toxic metals look similar to essential minerals, sometimes our body can make a mistake and take in a heavy metal. That will disrupt our en...
