Mercury and Candida can be dangerous mix. Many people have levels of Mercury contamination in their bodies, zero is the only healthy level. A common source of exposure to Mercury is Dental Amalgam used in filling cavities and root canals. Two types of Mercury may be absorbed by the body, inorganic (elemental) and organic. This Mercury comes from various exposures over time, many of which weren’t suspected to be dangerous until the 20th century.
Here are some sources to consider:
The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations does not classify amalgam as a drug, but as a prosthetic device. Mercury from any source is still Mercury; dental amalgam is capable of any of the same effects on physiology as any other type of Mercury.
Considered by many to be an alloy, Dental Amalgam is not a true alloy. A true alloy contains metals and other compounds fused together in a molecular bond. Mercury amalgam does not fit this definition.
According to the Australasian Society Of Medicine And Toxicology (ASOMAT) fact sheet. Dental amalgam is NOT really an alloy. To be an alloy the contents need to be bonded at a molecular level. Amalgam allows the escape of Mercury in the form of vapor, ions and particles. Inhaled Mercury vapor is 80% absorbed by the lungs and reaches the brain within minutes.
The EPA findings on Mercury are interesting: Metallic Mercury causes health effects when the vapor is breathed and absorbed by the lungs. Even more dangerous is organic (Methyl) Mercury. Children are more effected as their bodies are still development. http://www.epa.gov/hg/effects.htm
From the Study – ‘Dental Amalgam Fillings and the Amount of Organic Mercury in Human Saliva’: Presented By –
J. Leistevuo, P. Huovinen, M. Österblad The National Public Health Institute, Antimicrobial Research Laboratory, Turku (Finland);
-J. Leistevuo, J. Tenovuo
Institute of Dentistry Turku University, Turku, Finland;
-H. Helenius
Institute of Dentistry, Department of Biostatistics, Turku University Turku, Finland;
-T. Leistevuo
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland;
L. Pyy
Oulu Regional Institute of Occupational Health, Oulu, Finland;
Conclusions:
Amalgam fillings may be a continuous source of Methyl-Mercury which is absorbed by the body.
http://www.candidaonline.com/Karger.html
Diet can also be a source of Mercury. Many seafoods are sources of Mercury in our diets. This is dependent on the type of seafood and the environment in which the living organism existed. Mercury works its way up the food chain from microbes, reef feeders and bottom feeders and becomes much more concentrated in carnivorous fish at the top of the food chain. These levels may be millions of times more concentrated than the low level found in the ocean, lake or stream where they lived. There are warnings in many regions against consumption of specific types of seafood by infants and pregnant women. Quite often these warnings go on to say nobody should consume some types of fish from effected areas more than a specific number of times a month.
Thimerosal has been used for years as a preservative in vaccines for many diseases including standard vaccines for childhood diseases. There is still much debate over the use of Thimerosal although there are indications that its Mercury content is not benign. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/107/5/1147
When bacteria are allowed to interact with elemental Mercury, (organic) methyl Mercury can result. This is a process that takes place in the digestive tract; yeast/fungus, staph, strep, and E. coli in the gut all convert elemental Mercury into methyl Mercury.
From the Study – ‘The level of Mercury in human dental plaque and interaction in vitro between biofilms of Streptococcus mutans and dental amalgam’
by H. A. Lyttle and G. H. Bowden Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Conclusion:
The Mercury level in dental plaque on Amalgam fillings was much higher than in the plaque on enamel surfaces and no mercury was found in dental plaque in people without Amalgam fillings or root canals. 2 micrograms and more of Mercury were found in plaque in a 24 hour period.
The Mercury used in Dental amalgam restorations and root canals is just as poisonous as any other Mercury, it is also available for conversion to an even more potent poison, methyl Mercury. Candida converts dental amalgam Mercury to methyl Mercury.
From The Article
‘Methylation of Mercury from dental amalgam and mercuric chloride by oral streptococci in vitro.’ by Heintze U, Edwardsson S, Dérand T, Birkhed D.
Conclusion
Organic Mercury compounds may be formed in the oral cavity.
Once established in the body symptoms of Mercury poisoning may present in varying forms.
Mercury poisoning can have so many seemingly unrelated symptoms, many of which take months to years to develop that it is extremely hard to diagnose Mercury poisoning. Mercury’s effects are subtle because one of the symptoms of Mercury poisoning is short term memory loss. With no immediate symptoms and if the patient didn’t notice or isn’t able to remember an incident which may have involved Mercury exposure, how would they think to tell the Doctor, if the Doctor even asked.
Among the plethora of symptoms related to Mercury poisoning are: tremors, emotional changes (e.g., irritability, mood swings, nervousness, excessive timidity), neuromuscular changes (such as muscle atrophy, weakness, muscle spasm), insomnia, headaches, Bell’s palsy, tinnitus, blurred or haloed vision, chronic headaches, neuralgia of facial nerves, severe depression, poor performance on cognitive function tests, changes in sensation, and altered nerve responses. There may be kidney or liver damage, respiratory degradation and complications leading to death. [Source Calpoison.org ]. Any of these symptoms may be caused by other factors. The question must be asked, ‘Are there other factors besides Mercury common to all or most of these symptoms?’ People concerned about exposure to Mercury should consult their physician.
From the mid-17th to the mid-20th centuries Mercury was used in the making of felt hats giving rise to the phrases ‘Mercurial Personality’ and ‘Mad as a Hatter’. The symptoms are defined as erethism (as defined in Miriam Webster’s OnLine Dictionary: abnormal irritability or responsiveness to stimulation). Once Mercury was removed from the process these symptoms disappeared from this workplace.
The Canadian Edmonton Journal, March 27, 2001, states in its headline – “Mercury Fillings Toxic — Report U of C Researchers Say ‘Visual Evidence’ Brain Cells Affected,” by Robert Walker. The article further states – “New research vividly demonstrating the damage Mercury has on brain cells — in concentrations seen in people with amalgam fillings”.
Mercury is the only substance ever shown to induce antibiotic resistance in bacteria (other than the antibiotics themselves). Source Douglas A. Heise, D.C., D.A.C.B.N.
Electrical properties of Mercury in Amalgam – The human body contains a large quantity of water, containing salts. This makes us a great conductor of electricity. At ionic molecular level, electrical charges cause currents in the micro amp range. This is natural, but metals introduced for amalgams bring their own ionic charges facilitating ionic changes in the body. It naturally follows that an electrical anomaly introduced in the mouth will have effects in many other electrically sensitive areas of the body. Consider these facts: the nervous system functions on electricity; cellular metabolism at a molecular level functions on electricity. This would indicate that all nervous system and cellular metabolic interactivity is effected by electro voltaic potentials in the mouth. As a side note, medical treatment is recommended if for any reason internal electrical current over 3 micro amperes or voltage over 100 millivolts is encountered from an outside source. What of a lesser level? At cellular level what is considered disruptive?
Did you ever chew on a metallic gum wrapper? If you have amalgam fillings you would remember that experience. The metallic paper disrupts the circuits caused by the difference in charge between the amalgam and the normal electric state of the body. Discomfort is experienced when the metal touches different parts of the mouth and dental restorations, forming accidental electrical circuits, small, but noticeable voltages and currents are involved.
Instances of Mercury contamination in the human body can amplify the effects of otherwise innocuous maladies. While normally present in the human body, the yeasts Candida Albicans and Candida Tropicalis can have extreme changes when exposed to Mercury.
From the Study – Transformations of inorganic Mercury by Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Brewer’s Yeast). By: S. Yannai, I. Berdicevsky and L. Duek of Department of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa. This study found that Candida Albicans converted far more elemental mercury to methyl mercury than did brewer’s yeast. Showing that Candida is much more active than brewer’s in the presence of mercury than a common yeast.
Candida lives on and in the normal human body as a yeast; it can be evident at the same time in its fungal form. Naturally occurring bacteria that live on and in the body help keep a balance and in conjunction with a healthy immune system keep the yeasts at a relatively low symbiotic level. In its yeast form Candida is beneficial, it is a non-invasive, sugar-fermenting organism. Most if not all humans have this form of yeast in our bodies.
The other form of Candida is a fungus and produces long root-like structures, known as rhizoids. This enables the now parasitic fungal form to penetrate the lining of the digestive tract and breach the boundary between the intestinal tract and the blood stream and lymphatic system. This breakdown allows partially digested proteins to enter the blood flow (this has become known as ‘leaky gut syndrome’) possibly leading to development of allergies to the related food source. The spores used to propagate the fungus are now also free to circulate throughout the entire body.
Broad spectrum Antibiotics even when necessarily prescribed for an ailment, may also kill normally beneficial bacteria in the bowel and they encourage yeast growth. When the control of beneficial bacteria is removed Candida can morph into the aggressive fungal form. If required to undergo a series of broad spectrum antibiotics, ask your Doctor to recommend a Probiotic to follow up with to replace any beneficial bacteria eliminated by the antibiotic.
Disruptions in the normal balance of flora in the digestive tract can be caused by GI Tract problems such as IBS, ulcers, short term infections, pregnancy, or changes in pH of the bowel. The bowel when healthy, maintains a different pH level than most of the rest of the body. Imbalances can also be setup by alcohol abuse and other poor lifestyle decisions. If in conjunction with Mercury exposure the balance between beneficial flora, bacteria and yeasts in the digestive tract is compromised, the yeast colonies may grow to a point where the bacteria is overpowered. The result can be a Candida overbloom. This can manifest as other whole groups of syndromes and symptoms that are hard to correlate and diagnose. CFS, FMS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, IBS, Eczema, Dermatitis, the list is quite extensive.
One theory is that Candidiasis is a defensive reaction to Heavy Metal poisoning. A more plausible theory is that Candida feeds on Mercury converting it from elemental Mercury to organic Mercury which is much more dangerous.
A wide range of factors may contribute to Candida Overgrowth
- Use of oral contraceptives, steroids, antacids, anti-ulcer medications, or frequent or long-term use of antibiotics
- High-sugar diets
- Pregnancy
- Smoking
- Food allergies and intolerance
- Diabetes
If diagnosed with Candidiasis or Candida Overbloom (Overgrowth) refrain from ingesting yeasts and foods that feed Candida as much as possible. It is advisable to limit consumption of dairy products while dealing with Candida Overgrowth. There are other foods that should be avoided entirely, such as sugar, yeast, alcohol, sweet fruits and vegetables which may contain molds. Processed, packaged foods containing nitrates or nitrites also need to be eliminated from the diet.
The first order of business in the recovery from this situation is to stop further exposure to Mercury. Full detoxification of Mercury is recommended beginning with removal of Amalgam from the oral cavity. This needs to be done by a Dentist trained to handle Mercury as a toxic hazardous waste.
Consider the following statement – Richard D. Fischer, DDS says in Testimony Before The Subcommittee On Human Rights & Wellness of the U.S. House Of Representatives on September 8, 2004:
“Scrap amalgam, that unused portion of the filling material remaining after the filling is placed into a patient’s tooth, must be handled as a toxic waste disposal hazard (4). It cannot be thrown in the trash, buried in the ground or incinerated. It must be stored in an airtight vessel until properly disposed of. How can we justify storing this same mixture inches from a child’s brainstem and declare it harmless?”
If you are pregnant, have diabetes or have food allergies or are intolerant of some foods be sure that your Doctor is aware of your condition before beginning any Heavy Metal Detoxification or Candida Cleanse.
Full detoxification needs to be done slowly in coordination with a Physician. Each individual’s physiology is different. As Mercury is released from tissues it can be redistributed to other parts of the body causing worsened symptoms. The mechanisms for elimination of heavy metals may be different for various parts of the body and may require an orderly progression to avoid redistribution or overload by releasing excessive amounts of the metal. Testing should be done to evaluate the types of contamination present. If more than one heavy metal is present in the body, such as aluminum or copper this will influence the measures used for detoxification. Mercury must be excreted by the liver. An orderly sequence of removal is necessary to avoid overtaxing the liver.
After further Mercury exposure is stopped Candida must first be addressed in the gut. This may begin before full Mercury Detox is complete as long as the introduction of new Mercury is eliminated. Probiotics can attack the Candida colonies in the bowel and some attention to diet must be involved.
As with Heavy Metal detoxification, time is a factor in the elimination of Candida colonies in the body. As the yeast cells die their toxins are released providing food for yeast cells that are still living. Toxins that aren’t reabsorbed are passed through the blood stream to the liver for elimination. If the probiotics kill large enough quantities in a short time span the toxins can cause a reaction. This reaction may differ between people, but generally includes fatigue, headache or a ‘flu-like’ feeling. This is a “Herxheimer Die-off Reaction”. If the reaction becomes debilitating the use of the probiotics should be reduced and slowly increased as the reaction slows.
In our modern world with modern lifestyles influenced by a need for speed and profit in all things it has become hard to find the time to maintain good diets and healthy practices in our personal lives. It has to be our personal responsibility to do all we can to at least eliminate detrimental external influences on our bodies and psyches and limit our exposure to toxins of all types as they lurk in our world.
