If the source of elevated heavy metal body burden is known (e.g., dental amalgams), a protocol for removal should be discussed with your doctor or dentist. However, if the source is unknown, a little “detective work” is needed. Knowledge of the sources of heavy metals can help to narrow down the field of possible exposure sites, and enable you to avoid further exposure. Remember that the exposure may have been years ago due to the fact that the body bio-accumulates heavy metals.

The eliminative organs need to be functioning optimally when you embark on a program to remove heavy metals from the body. The primary organs of excretion for heavy metals include the liver, kidneys, lungs, bowels, and skin. If these organs are not excreting efficiently during the metal detoxification process, there is a possibility of becoming more toxic and experiencing more symptoms of toxicity. This includes drinking plenty of water and supplementing with nutrients and herbs known to provide organ support (e.g., milk thistle and dandelion root for liver support/detoxification; dandelion leaves, corn silk and horsetail for kidney support/detoxification). Infrared saunas can also be a good way to eliminate heavy metals and other toxins through the skin.

I should emphasize that the detoxification pathways in the liver are based on a two phase system that requires amino acids to work. These systems are enzymes (made of amino acids). Low protein/amino acid intake may mean low enzyme levels. So as with any other form of detoxification, it is important to ensure adequate ingestion of amino acids and food protein sources when removing heavy metals from the body.

Chelation (pronounced key-layshun) involves the binding of a substance to the heavy metal so it can be excreted from the body. There are three main types of chelation therapy – intravenous, rectal, and oral. Intravenous chelation usually excretes the metals from the body via the kidneys. Oral chelation often is preferred to intravenous and rectal chelation because it is easy to administer, and most of the heavy metals are excreted via the bowel (i.e., the kidneys are not taxed).

The product Metal-Free® is one such oral “chelator,” although it works differently than typical chelators. Metal-Free® has a 14-year proven track record of safely removing heavy metals in thousands of patients. Metal-Free® is an oral spray that is absorbed via the mucosa and is assimilated throughout the body. It is in a culture of bacteria subjected to a microfermentation process with algae and nutrients proven to have natural chelating properties and/or support organ function and elimination. Certain nutrients from the culture are then extracted and filtered using a four-step process.

The word chelation comes from the Greek word, “chela,” or claw, and refers to the way that a specific chemical molecule, the chelating agent, binds to a heavy metal. Chelators bind by way of ionic bonds. These are the attractions between the positive charge of a heavy metal and the negative charge of the chelating molecule. They have a natural attraction and that is how they work.

Technically, Metal Free® is not a chelator. It does not work that way. Metal Free® is composed of a unique short protein chain, called a peptide. It is very small and easily absorbed. The way it interacts with the heavy metal is to wrap around it in such a way that the heavy metal is not free to interfere or block an important body process. We call this interaction “CAGE BINDING.” The Metal Free® actually forms a surrounding cage around the mercury, arsenic, lead, aluminum, uranium or cadmium, which the body then removes by excreting it in the stool and then out of the body.

Metal-Free® has several advantages over a typical chelator. First, its use is safe and simple, requiring only a once-daily administration of up to 8 sprays in the mouth. Second, the ingredients in Metal-Free® stick very tightly to heavy metals so they won’t be dropped off and cause trouble elsewhere in the body. Other chelators like EDTA and DMPS have a weaker bond, and may bind to a heavy metal in one area of the body and drop it off at another. For example, if lead is picked up from the bone by EDTA and dropped off in the brain, a worse condition can result.

Another advantage of Metal-Free® as compared to a typical chelator is that when heavy metals are bound to Metal-Free®, the complex is removed via the bowel or into the hair (vs. the urine). Thus, Metal-Free® does not pose any significant burden on the kidneys. Clinical cases show that the amount of heavy metals that increase in the stool after an oral challenge with Metal-Free® are significant, with values from 2x to 10x over baseline.

Finally, Metal-Free® has been effectively used to remove all pathological metals, including the heavy ones (arsenic, lead, mercury, uranium, etc) as well as light ones like aluminum. It will remove calcium if it is in the wrong place, like an artery wall. In our initial studies, we did not find evidence of indiscriminate removal of beneficial minerals. So we do not find that Metal Free® results in the mineral deficiencies that typical chelators can cause.

Heavy metal toxicity is common in today’s world, and it is an often overlooked cause of a number of ailments. Fortunately, complementary and alternative medicine offers a number of methods to identify and eliminate heavy metals from our bodies. Oral “metal-removal agents” like Metal-Free® offer a safe, simple, and effective means of reducing heavy metals in the body. I use it on an ongoing basis to maintain my body’s heavy metal levels as low as possible.

When following a heavy metal removal protocol, proper supplementation is essential to support the organs relied upon for elimination. A high quality supplement of the essential amino acids, along with organ and elimination support nutrients, will ensure the timely elimination of the metals that are bound by the chelator or other metal-removal agent. For an example of the supplementation I rely on for my own heavy metal removal, see the Metal-Free® Heavy Metal Detoxification Program HERE.

As with any detox protocol, there may be side effects during the metal-removal detox process. Side effects can be minimized by going slowly and not overdoing.

Use of Metal-Free® has been proven over 14 years of use to be safe and effective. Nevertheless, I always advise anyone to consult a healthcare practitioner when detoxifying and eliminating heavy metals.

If the source of elevated heavy metal body burden is known (e.g., dental amalgams), a protocol for removal should be discussed with your doctor or dentist. However, if the source is unknown, a little “detective work” is needed. Knowledge of the sources of heavy metals can help to narrow down the field of possible exposure sites, and enable you to avoid further exposure. Remember that the exposure may have been years ago due to the fact that the body bio-accumulates heavy metals.

The eliminative organs need to be functioning optimally when you embark on a program to remove heavy metals from the body. The primary organs of excretion for heavy metals include the liver, kidneys, lungs, bowels, and skin. If these organs are not excreting efficiently during the metal detoxification process, there is a possibility of becoming more toxic and experiencing more symptoms of toxicity. This includes drinking plenty of water and supplementing with nutrients and herbs known to provide organ support (e.g., milk thistle and dandelion root for liver support/detoxification; dandelion leaves, corn silk and horsetail for kidney support/detoxification). Infrared saunas can also be a good way to eliminate heavy metals and other toxins through the skin.

I should emphasize that the detoxification pathways in the liver are based on a two phase system that requires amino acids to work. These systems are enzymes (made of amino acids). Low protein/amino acid intake may mean low enzyme levels. With any other form of detoxification, it is important to ensure adequate ingestion of essential amino acids and food protein sources when removing heavy metals from the body.

Chelation (pronounced key-layshun) involves the binding of a substance to the heavy metal so it can be excreted from the body. There are three main types of chelation therapy – intravenous, rectal, and oral. Intravenous chelation usually excretes the metals from the body via the kidneys. Oral chelation often is preferred to intravenous and rectal chelation because it is easy to administer, and most of the heavy metals are excreted via the bowel (i.e., the kidneys are not taxed).

The product Metal-Free® is one such oral “chelator,” although it works differently than typical chelators. Metal-Free® has a 14-year proven track record of safely removing heavy metals in thousands of patients. Metal-Free® is an oral spray that is absorbed via the mucosa and is assimilated throughout the body. It is in a culture of bacteria subjected to a microfermentation process with algae and nutrients proven to have natural chelating properties and/or support organ function and elimination. Certain nutrients from the culture are then extracted and filtered using a four-step process.

The word chelation comes from the Greek word, “chela,” or claw, and refers to the way that a specific chemical molecule, the chelating agent, binds to a heavy metal. Chelators bind by way of ionic bonds. These are the attractions between the positive charge of a heavy metal and the negative charge of the chelating molecule. They have a natural attraction and that is how they work.

Technically, Metal Free® is not a chelator. It does not work that way. Metal Free® is composed of a unique short protein chain, called a peptide. It is very small and easily absorbed. The way it interacts with the heavy metal is to wrap around it in such a way that the heavy metal is not free to interfere or block an important body process. We call this interaction “CAGE BINDING.” The Metal Free® actually forms a surrounding cage around the mercury, arsenic, lead, aluminum, uranium or cadmium, which the body then removes by excreting it in the stool and then out of the body.

Metal-Free® has several advantages over a typical chelator. First, its use is safe and simple, requiring only a once-daily administration of up to 8 sprays in the mouth. Second, the ingredients in Metal-Free® stick very tightly to heavy metals so they won’t be dropped off and cause trouble elsewhere in the body. Other chelators like EDTA and DMPS have a weaker bond, and may bind to a heavy metal in one area of the body and drop it off at another. For example, if lead is picked up from the bone by EDTA and dropped off in the brain, a worse condition can result.

Another advantage of Metal-Free® as compared to a typical chelator is that when heavy metals are bound to Metal-Free®, the complex is removed via the bowel or into the hair (vs. the urine). Thus, Metal-Free® does not pose any significant burden on the kidneys. Clinical cases show that the amount of heavy metals that increase in the stool after an oral challenge with Metal-Free® are significant, with values from 2x to 10x over baseline.

Finally, Metal-Free® has been effectively used to remove all pathological metals, including the heavy ones (arsenic, lead, mercury, uranium, etc) as well as light ones like aluminum. It will remove calcium if it is in the wrong place, like an artery wall. In our initial studies, we did not find evidence of indiscriminate removal of beneficial minerals. So we do not find that Metal Free® results in the mineral deficiencies that typical chelators can cause.

Heavy metal toxicity is common in today’s world, and it is an often overlooked cause of a number of ailments. Fortunately, complementary and alternative medicine offers a number of methods to identify and eliminate heavy metals from our bodies. Oral “metal-removal agents” like Metal-Free® offer a safe, simple, and effective means of reducing heavy metals in the body. I use it on an ongoing basis to maintain my body’s heavy metal levels as low as possible.

When following a heavy metal removal protocol, proper supplementation is essential to support the organs relied upon for elimination. A high quality supplement of the essential amino acids, along with organ and elimination support nutrients, will ensure the timely elimination of the metals that are bound by the chelator or other metal-removal agent. For an example of the supplementation I rely on for my own heavy metal removal, see the Metal-Free® Heavy Metal Detoxification Program HERE.

As with any detox protocol, there may be side effects during the metal-removal detox process. Side effects can be minimized by going slowly and not overdoing.

Use of Metal-Free® has been proven over 14 years of use to be safe and effective. Nevertheless, I always advise anyone to consult a healthcare practitioner when detoxifying and eliminating heavy metals.