Heavy Metals, Poisons and Deficiencies Are Causing Autism Epidemic by Dr. Mercola
Heavy Metals, Poisons and Deficiencies Are Causing Autism Epidemic
June 13, 2017 • 18,169views
Story at-a-glance
Baby
teeth from children with autism were found to have more lead and less of
the nutrients zinc and manganese than teeth from children without
autism
Among
twin pairs in which both children had autism, smaller differences in
metal patterns in their baby teeth were observed while larger
differences were found in teeth from twin pairs where only one had
autism
The
findings add more support that exposure to environmental stressors at
key periods of development and possibly in combination with certain
nutrient deficiencies may be harmful to brain development
By Dr. Mercola
About 1 in 68 U.S. children has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), up from 1 in 150 in 2000.1
This rising trend isn't only occurring in the U.S., however, as autism
rates have increased rapidly worldwide, taking a heavy toll on families
and economies alike. While certain genetic mutations have been linked to
autism, they're thought to be involved in less than one-third of cases.2
The other major cause of autism
is thought to be environmental in nature, with exposure to toxins and
nutrient deficiencies among the possible culprits. "The rapid increase
in numbers during [the] last few decades supports a major role in
environmental factors over genetic causes alone. The other possibility
is that the environmental factors may be contributing to activate the
genetic or epigenetic mechanisms of development of autism," researchers
wrote in the Journal of Heavy Metal Toxicity and Diseases.3
Some experts believe autism development starts in the womb, with
environmental exposures during this time playing a crucial role.
However, children are typically diagnosed with autism around the age of 3
or 4, which is often too late to link the condition back to a certain
in-womb exposure.
Recently, however, a study funded by the National Institutes of
Health's (NIH) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found
that baby teeth could be used to measure exposure to heavy metals in
early life, including in the womb, shedding light on another possible
cause of autism.4
Baby Teeth Reveal Heavy Metals' Link to Autism
Researchers used baby teeth from 32 pairs of twins and 12 individual
twins for the study. They were able to use lasers to analyze growth
rings in the teeth, which begin to form during the second trimester of
pregnancy.5
The rings revealed exposures to heavy metals as well as certain mineral
levels, linking the exposures and nutrient levels with key periods of
development (even prior to birth), much like rings on a tree.
Teeth from children with autism were found to have more lead and less
of the nutrients zinc and manganese than teeth from children without
autism. The differences in metal uptake were greatest in the months just
before and after birth, and several other notable differences were also
revealed, according to an NIH press release:6
"The researchers observed higher levels of lead in children with
autism throughout development, with the greatest disparity observed
during the period following birth. They also observed lower uptake of
manganese in children with autism, both before and after birth. The
pattern was more complex for zinc. Children with autism had lower zinc
levels earlier in the womb, but these levels then increased after birth,
compared to children without autism."
Among twin pairs in which both children had autism, smaller
differences in metal patterns in their baby teeth were observed while
larger differences were found in teeth from twin pairs where only one
had autism. The findings add more support that exposure to environmental
stressors, particularly at key periods of development and possibly in
combination with certain nutrient deficiencies, may be harmful to brain
development. The researchers concluded:7
"Our study suggests that metal toxicant uptake and essential
element deficiency during specific developmental windows increases ASD
risk and severity, supporting the hypothesis of systemic elemental
dysregulation in ASD."
Environmental Exposures Causing Autism — Known for a Decade
It was nearly a decade ago in 2009 when researchers from the
University of California, Davis, reported a sevenfold increase in autism
diagnoses in the state — a rise they said could not be explained away
by changes in doctors' diagnoses, migration to the state or genetics.
Instead, they suggested environmental exposures as the most likely explanation.8,9 Exposure to pesticides, including pet flea shampoos, phthalates, PCBs, flame retardants, antibacterial soaps and other chemicals were suggested as potential culprits.
Despite the urgent need to conduct more research to uncover the
environmental factors leading to autism, funding for studies looking at
the genetic causes of autism was up to 20 times higher than funding for
studies of environmental causes.10
When I spoke with Dr. Suruchi Chandra, a Harvard-trained,
board-certified psychiatrist who has focused her career on using a
holistic and integrative approach to help children and adults with
challenging emotional and behavioral issues, including autism and other
developmental delays, she, too, indicated that environmental exposures
are a significant factor.
As noted by Chandra, "There is no such thing as a genetic epidemic.
Genes don't change that fast." She believes looking at everything
surrounding a child during development is crucial, and this includes not
only environmental toxins but also the child's microbiome, diet,
exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) and antibiotics, vitamin D levels and more.
"We need to take a really broad view. It's unlikely that autism is
going to be caused by one or two factors. It's likely to be caused by
this combination of many factors, and it's going to be unique for each
child. It's really challenging when you have this very individualized
complex system, as studies aren't going to figure this out easily. If we
just wait for studies, we may be waiting a long, long time to act," she
said.
Overall, the approach Chandra uses is precautionary, beginning with
identifying and reducing toxic exposures in your home. She has a handout
she gives to parents, which you can download from her website, chandramd.com.
It's four pages long, covering aspects like air and water quality,
pesticides, flame retardants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found
in a range of products, including furniture.
Mineral Deficiencies May Also Play a Role
The featured study found children with autism had lower levels of
manganese and zinc than children without autism, at varying times during
development. Previous research has also suggested nutrient
deficiencies, as well as excess levels and exposure to heavy metals, may
play a role, even when they occur in the mother during pregnancy.
According to the Journal of Heavy Metal Toxicity and Diseases:11
"The deficiency of some trace elements like zinc (Zn), manganese
(Mn), molybdenum (Mo), Aluminium (Al) and selenium (Se) were found to be
deficient in children with ASD. Iron (Fe) deficiency and vitamin (eg:
B9-folate) deficiency has also shown associations with ASD.
The excess of some elements like copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury
(Hg) and cadmium (Cd) has also shown significant associations. Maternal
micronutrient deficiency and toxin exposure can lead to defective fetal
brain development."
It's interesting to note that glyphosate, the active ingredient in
Roundup and the most widely used herbicide in the world, is a manganese
chelator,12 which may explain why children are deficient. The rise in glyphosate
usage correlates closely with the incidence of autism, and there may be
multiple mechanisms of harm at play. Stephanie Seneff, a senior
research scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been
instrumental in educating people about the hazards of glyphosate.
She has found that aluminum and glyphosate act together as
synergistic poisons that promote autism. Based on the current trend,
Seneff predicts that by 2025, half of all children born will be
diagnosed with autism. Clearly, we must identify the leading
environmental factors contributing to this alarming trend. Glyphosate
also negatively impacts your gut microbiome and your mitochondria, so it really delivers a double whammy.
Treating Mental Disorders With Nutrition
William Walsh, Ph.D., president of the nonprofit Walsh Research
Institute in Naperville, Illinois, and author of "Nutrient Power: Heal
Your Biochemistry and Heal Your Brain," is another expert who believes
nutrients have a powerful influence over your mental health.
Walsh maintains one of the world's largest chemistry databases for
autism, depression and behavior disorders, which has revealed that about
six or seven chemical imbalances stand out in the case of mental
function, or in this case dysfunction. If you have an interest in this
topic, I encourage you to watch my interview with Walsh, above. He
stated:
"There are hundreds and hundreds of important nutrients in the
body, but in the brain, there are about six or seven that [seem] to
dominate everything. Eventually, I found out why … [T]hese are the
nutrient factors that are either involved in synthesis of a
neurotransmitter or the functioning of a neurotransmitter. They include
methylation — undermethylation or overmethylation.
In our database, 70 percent of all humans in the United States
have normal, typical methylation; 22 percent are undermethylated … 8
percent are overmethylated. About 70 percent of all people who have a
mental disorder have one of these methylation disorders. The symptoms
are completely different, and the treatment they need is completely
different.
We also found that most people [who have mental disorders] are
depleted or deficient in zinc. That's the most common [deficiency] we
see … Virtually everyone with a mental disorder seems to need zinc and
improve on it."
How to Measure for Zinc Deficiency and Copper Overload
Walsh's database also revealed that copper overload is a factor in
virtually every autistic patient (as well as those with other mental
conditions, such as schizophrenia and postpartum depression).
To accurately measure copper, serum copper is the way to go, and most
labs throughout the world provide good copper assays. Walsh recommends
doing a ceruloplasmin test at the same time, because then you can
determine how much free radical copper you have, which gives you a good
indication of your level of oxidative stress.
"Oxidative stress runs through every single mental disorder we see,
without exception," Walsh says. "Every one of them seems to have
extraordinary oxidative stress — schizophrenia, bipolar disorder,
a violent child or an autistic child." A high sensitivity C-reactive
protein (CRP) test would also be useful as a marker of inflammation.
Unfortunately, our modern lifestyle strongly promotes oxidative
stress, with processed foods, processed vegetable oils, excessive net
carbs and excessive protein being some of the most potent factors. This
kind of diet causes a reduction in ketones and a radical increase in reactive oxygen species and secondary free radicals.
My current working theory for most diseases, certainly any
neurodegenerative disease and even brain traumatic injuries (BTI), is to
provide optimized fuel for the body, specifically the brain, which is
really more optimized for burning fat than glucose.
Most people eat far too many net carbs. As a result of that, we burn
fuel inefficiently and create a lot of unnecessary free radicals. So a
high-fat, low-carb diet seems a reasonable strategy to try. As for
testing, typically, copper and ceruloplasmin levels go hand in hand,
being either high or low together. The ideal level for copper, with
respect to mental health, is somewhere between 75 and 100 micrograms per
deciliter (mcg/dL) in serum.
The ideal amount of ceruloplasmin has to do with whatever your level
of copper is. Ideally, the percentage of copper in your ceruloplasmin
should be around 85 percent to 90 percent. "It's really great to do both
simultaneously, because then you have a really good picture of not only
the copper situation, but also the level of oxidative stress," Walsh
said.
Natural Strategies That May Help
In the lecture featured above, Chandra discusses research findings
showing how environmental toxins can influence ASD and other
developmental delays, and reviews a number of safe, gentle natural
treatment options that can be quite helpful. Chandra also believes that
the microbiome is likely key in understanding ASD, similar to the views
of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, whom I've interviewed in the past about
her Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Diet.
Campbell-McBride's basic thesis is that the autistic child's
microbiome was disrupted by the mother's poor diet and use of
antibiotics or birth control pills. The mother then transfers that poor
microbiome to the child. This early disruption in the microflora,
combined with other environmental variables, ends up wreaking both
physical and neurological havoc. Chandra, like Campbell-McBride, finds
the greatest improvements are typically seen once strategies that help
heal the microbiome are implemented.
When I was treating autistic patients, I typically saw enormous
improvements when we restricted sugars, grains, fruit juices and fruits —
all sources of net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber) that disturb
the gut microbiome, increase pathogenic yeast, fungi and viruses, and
wreak havoc with the mitochondrial fuel structure. Increasing intake of
healthy fats is also important.
Chandra relies on a wide variety of diagnostic tools that most
conventional psychiatrists would never think to use. If you have a child
with autism or suspect any type of neurological condition, don't wait
to start treatment, as early intervention is important. Seek the
guidance of a knowledgeable integrative physician and/or psychiatrist
who can address the following variables and any others that need
attention. For example, Chandra's protocol includes the following:
• GI function: To assess
the child's GI tract, she begins by taking a family history and doing a
physical examination. She also performs tests to assess the child's gut
bacteria, level of inflammation and digestive function. If it's
determined that the child cannot digest carbs, for example, she will
recommend reducing or avoiding grains and using a digestive enzyme. • Immune function and chronic infections:
Many autistic children have evidence of immune dysfunction, such as
autoimmune problems and/or excess inflammation, so she will also assess
and prescribe support for the child's immune function. Diagnosing and
treating chronic infections is a related component. • Mitochondrial health:
Mitochondria are organelles inside nearly every one of your cells. "They
are, we now know, kind of the canaries in the coal mine. When there's
some danger or stress, they're the first things that respond to the
damage," Chandra says. Studies suggest 60 percent of children with
autism have mitochondrial dysfunction, so this is a significant factor.
There are tests that can indicate whether your child's mitochondria
are affected. For example, low carnitine, coenzyme Q10 and certain amino
acid ratios can signify mitochondrial dysfunction. If mitochondrial
dysfunction is found to be part of the problem, adding more healthy fats
to the diet, "healing and sealing" the gut and addressing any
infections may help.
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