Description:

The Urine Toxic Metals analysis measures the retention of toxic metals in the body.

Analysis of the levels of toxic metals in urine after the administration of a metal detoxification agent is an objective way to evaluate the accumulation of toxic metals. Acute metal poisoning is rare. More common, however, is a chronic, low-level exposure to toxic metals that can result in significant retention in the body that can be associated with a vast array of adverse health effects and not chronic disease. However, valid conclusions about adverse health effects of metals cannot be made without assessing net retention. For an individual, toxicity occurs when net retention exceeds physiological tolerance. Net retention is determined by the difference between the rates of assimilation and excretion of metals.

The body also contains nutrients elements that are essential for the body to function efficiently. These nutrient elements including magnesium, chromium, zinc, copper and selenium, and are obligatory co-factors for hundreds of important enzymes and also are necessary for the normal functions of vitamins. The levels of these elements in hair are correlated with levels in organs and other tissues.

Tests for:

Toxic metal levels in urine

Symptoms and conditions:

• Persistent hot flashes
• Subacute thyroiditis
• Acne
• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Autism
• Weakened connective tissue, fascia and ligaments
• Numbness and tingling beginning in the fingers and toes and moving centrally
• Difficulty thinking
• Learning disorders
• Tremors
• Loss of balance
• Poor coordination
• Ringing in the ears
• Kidney stones
• Arthritis
• Mood swings
• Disorientation
• Inability to concentrate
• Skin rashes
• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Attention deficit/ behavioral disorders
• Digestive difficulties
• Foul intestinal gas
• Irritability
• Brittle bones/ osteoporosis
• Menstrual pains
• Low I.Q.
• Retarded growth
• Weakened heart
• Cardiovascular disease
• Dementia
• Alzheimer’s
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Bone pain
• Gout
• Seizures
• Hyperactivity

Analytes measured:

To evaluate net retention, one compares the levels of metals in urine before and after the administration of a pharmaceutical metal detoxification agent such as EDTA, DMSA or DMPS. Different compounds have different affinities for specific metals, but all function by sequestering “hidden” metals from deep tissue stores and mobilizing the metals to the kidneys for excretion in the urine. Guidelines for collection periods after administration of the most commonly utilized agents are provided in the table below:

• EDTA — Half-life, ~1 hour — Collections period, 6-24 hours 
• DMPS (IV) — Half-life, ~1 hour — Collection period, 2-6 hours
• DMPS (oral) — Half-life, ~9 hours — Collection period, 6-9 hours
• DMSA — Half-life 4 hours — Collection period, 6-9 hours

Relevant information:

It is important to perform both pre-and post-provocation urinalysis to permit distinction between ongoing exposures to metals (pre-) and net bodily retention. The pre-provocation urine collection can also be utilized to assess the rate of creatinine clearance if a serum specimen is also submitted.

Many clinicians also request the analysis of essential elements in urine specimens to evaluate nutritional status and the efficacy of mineral supplementation during metal detoxification therapy. Metal detoxification agents can significantly increase the excretion of specific nutrient elements such as zinc, copper, manganese, and molybdenum.  

Chromium metabolism authorities suggest that 24-hour chromium excretion likely provides the best assessment of chromium status. Early indication of renal dysfunction can be gleaned from urinary wasting of essential elements such as magnesium, calcium, potassium and sodium in an unprovoked specimen.

Variability in urine volume can drastically affect the concentration of elements.   To compensate for urine dilution variation, elements are expressed per unit creatinine for timed collections. For 24-hour collections, elements are reported as both unites per 24 hours and units per creatinine.

Test type:

Toxicity: Toxic metals, lead testing, mercury testing

Sample requirement:

Urine

Average processing time:

12 days