Removing Mercury and Other Toxins Is an Effective Treatment for Autism

            In the United States, the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders is now nearly 10 times higher than it was two decades ago.  A 2003 report by the Centers for Disease Control suggested that as many as one in every 166 children in the United States is now on the autism spectrum, with another one in six suffering from a brain development delay.  Such a huge jump in numbers, over such a short period of time, means that autism couldn’t possibly be caused by a simple genetic disorder.  This had led many doctors and scientific researchers to look at environmental factors that, when combined with genetics, could cause the wide variety of symptoms displayed by autistic children.  One of the most hotly debated of these environmental factors is the accumulation of toxins.

       Some experts believe that the bodies of autistic children are overwhelmed by a combination of heavy metals (mercury, lead or aluminum), live viruses (particularly from vaccines) and bacteria.  These toxins either alone or in combination may slow or shut down the body’s normal biochemical pathways and lead to the physical and mental symptoms that are classified as autism.

       Although at this point the link between toxins and autism is not definite, many children have benefited from detoxification therapy, especially treatments focused on removing heavy metals like mercury.  Mercury has received special attention from researchers because autism became much more common in the United States (increasing from about five in 10,000 to 60 in 10,000) after three new thimerosal-containing vaccines were required for newborns in the early 1990s.  Thimerosal is a mercury-containing compound that is used in vaccines as a preservative, and researchers have noted that many of the symptoms of autism, like visual disturbances, motor/coordination defects and immune dysfunctions, are eerily similar to those associated with mercury poisoning.Mercury is extremely toxic, so removing it from the body is essential for restoring a natural balance and overall health.  There are many different ways to go about ridding the body of heavy metals.  Two of the most well known pharmaceutical agents are DMSA (2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid, aka succimer) and DMPS (2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid).  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved DMSA for treating lead poisoning in children.   It is considered to be safer and there is more evidence for it use in this age group than DMPS.  However, DMPS may be a more effective treatment for some patient, including those who do not have mercury in their urine after treatment with DMSA.  Lead, cadmium, arsenic and other metals are also removed from the body tissues by these agents and cleared via the urine. 

Some experts believe that conventional pharmaceutical drugs, like DMSA and DMPS, despite FDA approval, are toxic to the liver, suppress the immune system, promote microbial imbalances within the body and are broadly nutrient depleting.  As a result, they may place an additional burden on a body already facing similar challenges from metal toxicity.  These drugs have the capability to liberate more heavy metals from the tissues than can be effectively eliminated by a detoxification-impaired body, thus actually doing more harm than good.    Despite these concerns, if a person chooses chelation therapy for their autistic child, it can be safely administered by physicians experienced and trained in their use.

There are natural alternatives to these pharmaceutical drugs.  One of these natural methods (Michael Lang's Natural Detoxification Program) is a series of seven steps that involves the use of several different supplements:

1. Ensuring adequate vitamin and mineral levels
2. Adding trace minerals into the diet to protection and oxygenate cells
3. Increasing effective recycling of metal-detoxifying antioxidants
4. Supplementing glutathione, an important metal-detoxifying antioxidant
5. Providing additional cellular barrier support and free sulfur
6. Initiating heavy metal clearance with activated liquid zeolite
7. Enhancing heavy metal clearance with a nanonized, broken cell wall chlorella/fulvic trace mineral complex

        Other popular natural detoxification protocols include the DAN! Protocol, Cutler Protocol and Dr. Amy Yasko’s method.  It is best to seek the help of a doctor able to supervise a natural detoxification method for autistic children.  This is not the type of program that should be attempted without medical supervision.

References:

Bernard S, Enayati A, Roger H, Redwood L, and Binstock T. Autism: A novel form of mercury poisoning. Medical Hypotheses. 2001;56(4):462-471. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11339848

 Brown MJ, Willis T, Omalu B and Leiker R.  Deaths resulting from hypocalcemia after administration of Edetate Disodium: 2003-2005.  Pediatrics.  2006;118;e534-e536.  http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/118/2/e534 

Kidd PM. Autism. Challenge to Integrative Medicine. Part II: Medical Management. Alternative Medicine Review. 2002;7(6):472-499. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12495373

 Lang M. Natural approach to chelation and detoxification. www.brainchildnutritionals.com/PDF/Protocol.pdf

Mutter J, Naumann J, Schneider R, Walach H, and Haley B. Mercury and autism: Accelerating evidence? Neuroendocrinology Letters. 2005 Oct;26(5):439-446. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16264412

Yasko AA. Autism: A twisted tale of virus and thimerosal. Available at: http://www.asdinfo.org/documents/files/Thimerosal_and_Virus_in_ASD.pdf