Thallium Toxicity

Thallium is a toxic metal that causes chronic fatigue and a large number of health issues. It is released into the environment primarily by car exhaust. Learn how you get exposed to thallium, what health issues it causes and how to detox it.

No one knows about thallium – not even many detox experts, let alone the unsuspecting population breathing it into their lungs every day from smog and car exhaust.

You can identify the presence of this deadly metal in your body through hair mineral analysis or a Urine Toxic and Essential Elements Test. I pinpointed thallium as one of the sources of my own ill health and detoxed quite a bit of it. 

When I first began calculating certain ratios used to determine thallium toxicity from my own hair mineral analysis, I discovered that I was thallium toxic. I was shocked. Even though I had been detoxing for years, I was still inexplicably tired and not quite where I wanted to be with my health. I became frustrated with my own progress because I knew something was blocking my path to better wellness. 

It was only when I started investigating more metals on an HTMA and doing urine toxic metals push testing that I finally discovered exactly what that toxic source was: thallium. I was both shocked and concerned to find out that this poison was the culprit afflicting my overall well-being. And I realized it was affecting so many of my client’s health as well – especially those suffering from chronic fatigue.

Thallium was also the poison of choice for the assassination of political dissidents in Russia, and was used to the same ends within the Saddam Hussein regime (9). In short, thallium is deadly.

How You Are Exposed to Thallium

This poison can be absorbed into the body through inhalation, ingestion, and/or contact with the skin, though oral ingestion can be the most dangerous form of exposure (2). Thallium can be found in such things as (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9):

  • Anti-knock additive in some gasoline in areas where high-octane gas is in short supply
  • Ant killers
  • Car exhaust
  • Cardiac scanning (thallium isotopes are used in this procedure)
  • Cement plants
  • Coal Ash
  • Inhalation of contaminated dust from pyrite burners
  • Kale and other cruciferous vegetables
  • Lead smelting
  • Manufacture of electronics: low temperature thermometers, optical lenses, and imitation precious jewels, semiconductors, scintillation counters, green-colored fireworks
  • Oil drilling
  • Production of photoelectric cells
  • Rodenticides
  • Smog (released from auto exhaust)
  • Soil
  • Water fluoridated with fluorosilicic acid
  • Zinc smelting

Perhaps the most notable thing on the above list is kale. That’s right, the tasty and trendy cruciferous vegetable can be hazardous to your health when eaten in overabundance. A 2006 study found that the cruciferous family of vegetables  – kale, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli – to be hyper-acculumators of thallium. But more recently, Ernie Hubbard, a molecular biologist in Marin County, California, elaborated on this study by focusing on the “queen” of the vegetable world (and arguably the most popular among the crucifers) – kale. His studies revealed that kale contained potent levels of thallium, even in cases where the soil in which it was grown was low in thallium (6).

Most disturbing, however, was the discovery that organically grown kale showed higher levels of thallium than the conventionally grown ones! And not just of thallium, but also of several toxic metals, including mercury, cadmium, and lead (6)! The reason behind this is still unknown, but one current hypothesis is that organic kale is higher in sulfur, which is known to attract thallium. Sulphurs bind to metals.

These findings are certainly alarming, though this does not mean you must immediately put down that kale salad and back away slowly. There are a lot of foods that contain toxins because our environment is so polluted. It’s more about awareness and avoiding the most contaminated foods. And doing a sensible daily detox. Like anything else, take your kale in moderation.

Symptoms of Thallium Toxicity

Thallium toxicity has multi-organ involvement and presents with vague symptoms that are often attributed to other causes. As a result, the symptoms are commonly dismissed by traditional health practitioners altogether and lead to a misdiagnosis of the patient’s condition (8).

Some of the symptoms associated with thallium toxicity include (1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9):

  • Abnormal heart rhythms
  • Abnormal reflexes
  • Abnormal vision
  • Abdominal pain
  • Acne
  • Agitation
  • Alopecia
  • Blood in stool
  • Bone marrow depression
  • Brain fog
  • Breakdown of red blood cells
  • Burning sensations
  • Coma
  • Confusion
  • Constipation
  • Convulsions
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Degenerative changes of the heart, liver and kidney
  • Dementia
  • Depression
  • Diarrhea
  • Dry and crusty scaling of the skin
  • Encephalopathy
  • Excessive salivation
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Gluten sensitivity
  • Hallucinations
  • Hair loss (temporary and permanent)
  • Headaches
  • High blood pressure
  • Inflammation of the mouth, lips, and gums
  • Insomnia
  • Leg pain
  • Loss of appetite
  • Loss of reflexes
  • Malnutrition due to thallium interference in absorption of nutrients
  • Muscle aches, weakness and tremors
  • Nausea
  • Nail changes (Mee’s lines)
  • Numbness in extremities like fingers and toes
  • Polyneuritis
  • Respiratory paralysis and failure
  • Seizures
  • Shortness of breath
  • Skin hyperesthesia (mainly in the soles of the feet and the tibia)
  • Subarchanoid hemorrhage
  • Tachycardia
  • Urine discoloration (green) shortly after exposure
  • Vision disturbances
  • Vomiting
  • Damage to the nerves controlling the muscles of the head and neck (e.g., swallowing and eye movements)

As you can see, toxicity from this deadly metal spans a variety of symptoms. And while the severity of these symptoms is dose dependent, it’s worth noting that in cases of acute toxicity from ingestion, symptoms tend to present themselves in three stages (2):

  1. Gastrointestinal phase
  2. Neurological phase
  3. Hair phase, most commonly expressed as alopecia or hair loss

Health Conditions Caused by Thallium

Thallium toxicity is frequently overlooked by traditional medical practitioners and even most detox ‘experts.’ Thallium bioacculumates, meaning, it builds up in the body over time. When a test for thallium toxicity is conducted, the results often don’t register at levels considered poisonous (6). But if it is not detoxed, it can cause serious health problems: (1, 7)

  • Emotional disturbances
  • Fetal mortality
  • Hallucinations
  • Impairment of thought and mood
  • Impaired immunity / poor resistance to infection
  • Intense headaches
  • Poor concentration
  • Memory failure
  • Neurological damage
  • Permanent alopecia
  • Severe muscular atrophy
  • Various involuntary movement disorders
  • Death

Detecting Your Thallium Exposure

If you’re not sure which metals are affecting you – whether it is thallium or countless others –  a hair mineral analysis (HTMA) can give you the answers you’re searching for.*

You can identify exactly which heavy metals have infiltrated your body with a Hair Mineral Analysis (HTMA).

The information revealed in an HTMA is crucial because, once you have pinpointed which pollutants are in your system, you can take actionable steps to:

  • Support the body’s natural excretion of these pollutants from your system
  • Shield yourself from further exposure to sources of these toxic health hazards
  • Detox from everyday living
  • Support and maintain a clean and healthy lifestyle

You are likely facing daily exposure to a whole laundry list of heavy metal pollutants.

Take action to protect your health today. Learn more about HTMA here.

A few things to note when detecting thallium:

  • Everyone who has lived in urban environments has some level of thallium in their body.
  • Thallium does not detox into the hair directly on a hair mineral analysis, but we can see it indirectly in the mineral to thallium ratios with the interpretive ratios used on a Myers Detox Protocol program.
  • Thallium can be detected on urine metals analysis push tests.

Supplements that Support the Body’s Natural Detox of Thallium

  • Mitochondria Detox: this kit includes the Ageless AF silica formulation and CitriCleanse grapefruit citrus pectin. Together, these supplements are the most potent and effective at supporting the body’s ability to detox. Learn more at MitochondriaDetox.com
  • Potassium: The strongest antagonist to and effective agent against thallium is the mineral potassium. This is because thallium has a similar charge and ionic ratios to potassium and is distributed in the body much the same way (5, 8). I recommend taking 2000mg a day of ionic potassium and eating potassium rich foods.
  • Prussian Blue: Prussian blue binds to thallium, keeping it within the intestinal tract, which then excretes in the stool. Thus, preventing thallium from entering the body and accumulating (2, 7).

How to Protect Against Thallium Exposure

Thallium is a potent mitochondrial poison. It poisons the enzymes that transport nutrients into your cell’s mitochondria – the body’s energy manufacturers. In this way, it renders your ATP energy manufacturers unable to product energy as effectively. The result is chronic, unrelenting fatigue.

That’s why I developed the Mitochondria detox to support the natural removal of  thallium and other mitochondrial poisons. My Mitochondria Detox includes:

  • Ageless AF
  • CitriCleanse grapefruit citrus pectin

I have found that a special form of silica called orthosilicic acid OSA is incredibly effective at supporting your body’s natural detox mechanism to help reduce the burden of thallium.

Orthosilicic acid is gentle on the system and works to keep a range of trivalentmetals – including thallium, aluminum, arsenic, bismuth, tin and cesium  – out of the body so that you can maintain normal health – as well as support your mitochondrial and brain health.

That’s why I put orthosilicic acid OSA in my Ageless AF formula. I use it with many of my clients to support the detox of thallium.

After that, you need a binder to absorb the dislodged thallium and safely eliminate it from the body. For this purpose, I recommend CitriCleanse.

You can get both of these products including instructions on how to use them for the most effective thallium detox at MitochondriaDetox.com. Together, Ageless AF and CitriCleanse are an effective two step process to help you detox thallium. I recommend it to any clients currently suffering from thallium toxicity.

 

**These statements have not been reviewed by the FDA. Neither the Hair Mineral Analysis (HTMA) nor the Mitochondria Detox Protocol are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The supplements in the Mitochondria Detox Protocol are not intended to replace any medication or healing modality prescribed by your medical doctor. Please consult with your doctor before beginning a new supplement regimen. Additionally, an HTMA is not intended to replace any other medical test(s) that may be prescribed by your medical doctor. 

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Click Here for References+

1. Bora, Chandramita. “Thallium Poisoning”. May 21, 2010. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/thallium-poisoning.html

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Thallium: Systemic Agent.” http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ershdb/emergencyresponsecard_29750026.html

3. Environmental Protection Agency. “Toxicology Review of Thallium and Compounds.” September 2009. http://www.epa.gov/iris/toxreviews/1012tr.pdf

4. Mitchell, Charles. “Soviets Launch Criminal Investigation of Mysterious Disease.” United Press International (UPI). November 17, 1988. http://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/11/17/Soviets-launch-criminal-investigation-of-mysterious-disease/8741595746000/ 

5. Moore, D. I House and A Dixon. “Thallium poisoning. Diagnosis may be elusive but alopecia is the clue.” Poisons Unit, Guy’s Hospital, London. BMJ. 1993 Jun 5; 306(6891): 1527–1529. CorrectionL BMJ. 1993 June 12; 306(6892): 1603. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1677968/
6. Oppenheimer, Todd. “The Vegetable Detective.” http://craftsmanship.net/the-vegetable-detective/
7. Repetto, G. and del Peso, A. 2012. “Gallium, Indium, and Thallium.” Patty’s Toxicology. 32:257–354.

8. Saddique, A and Peterson, CD. “Thallium Poisonin: A Review.” Veterinary and Human Toxicology. 1983 Feb;25(1):16-22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6338655

9. Sauerhaber, Richard, Ph.D. “Thallium”. Posted by Professor Deal. Flouride Class Action. Mach 3, 2012. http://www.fluoride-class-action.com/thalliu

 

in Articles/Detox/Myers Detox/Myers Detox Protocol Articles/Toxic Metals

Dr Wendy Myers, ND is a detox expert, functional diagnostic nutritionist, NES Bioenergetic Practitioner, and founder of Myersdetox.com. She is the #1 bestselling author of Limitless Energy: How to Detox Toxic Metals to End Exhaustion and Chronic Fatigue . Additionally, Wendy is the host of The Heavy Metals Summit, the Myers Detox Podcast, and the Supercharged Podcast. Passionate about the importance of detox to live a long and healthy life, she created the revolutionary Myers Detox Protocol , and Mitochondria Detox kit after working with thousands of clients, as well as a range of supplements to help you detox from everyday living and maintain a healthy lifestyle!

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bj203
bj203
8 years ago

Excellent article Wendy. Thallium is one of those “hidden” poisons that nobody knows about. And yet it is pervasive throughout our environment, especially in our capital cities. It is an element that is captured by plants, thereby becoming incorporated into all types of fossil fuels. And of course, when they are expelled by car exhausts, those in the immediate vicinity breathe them in. The problem is that thallium gets trapped within the human organism and gradually accumulates, progressively poisoning off mitochondria throughout the body. Even though it normally doesn’t show up directly on a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, we can predict its presence and then confirm that prediction with a DMSA / Cilantro-BioSil Challenge test. These tests quantify the amount of thallium present, allowing us to eliminate it using the BioSil & Pectasol-C regime mentioned above. The beautiful thing is, it works and works both safely and effectively.

bj203
bj203
8 years ago

Excellent article Wendy. Thallium is one of those “hidden” poisons that nobody knows about. And yet it is pervasive throughout our environment, especially in our capital cities. It is an element that is captured by plants, thereby becoming incorporated into all types of fossil fuels. And of course, when they are expelled by car exhausts, those in the immediate vicinity breathe them in. The problem is that thallium gets trapped within the human organism and gradually accumulates, progressively poisoning off mitochondria throughout the body. Even though it normally doesn’t show up directly on a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, we can predict its presence and then confirm that prediction with a DMSA / Cilantro-BioSil Challenge test. These tests quantify the amount of thallium present, allowing us to eliminate it using the BioSil & Pectasol-C regime mentioned above. The beautiful thing is, it works and works both safely and effectively.