A study published in JAMA (August 2008), discussed that "one-fifth of both US-manufactured and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines purchased via the Internet contain detectable lead, mercury, or arsenic".
I wanted to share this information, as my friend just started going to an acupuncturist for her allergies, and was given traditional Chinese herbs (based on Ayurvedic medicine). She asked the practitioner what was in the concoction, and (due to the language barrier) just kept repeating, "It's 100% natural!". I told her that many things are "natural" and are harmful. There were no "ingredients" list or other identifying labels to its origin. I am not sure if the medicine she was given was the same as the above-reference JAMA study or not. She does not know if this practice made their own herbal medicine, or bought it off the internet.
Well, my friend went ahead and used the herbal medicine, and broke out in a rash all over her chest and arms. She had flu-like symptoms, was extremely fatigued. From my understanding, flu-like symptoms may indicate a heavy metal poisoning, but she would only know if she were tested for this specifically.
The JAMA article stated that "lead, mercury, and arsenic have been detected in a substantial proportion of Indian-manufactured traditional Ayurvedic medicines. Metals may be present due to the practice of rasa shastra (combining herbs with metals, minerals, and gems)."
Additionally, in Chemistry Central Journal (October 2008), heavy metals are frequently found in red and white wines in "relatively high levels" that originated from various countries. According to this article, the "safer countries" included 3 of the 15 studied: Italy, Brazil, and Argentina. This brings up an interesting point: does anyone know why alcohol does not contain nutrition labels, or even an ingredients list, like every-other food?
Is there anything we can do about this? I thought we just had to worry about mercury and other heavy metals in fish, and now it seems that we are hearing about more, and more food and herbal supplements that contain mercury or salmonella or other creepy substances. I don't believe in being an alarmist by any means, but am wondering how we can begin advocating for ourselves by having more federal regulations on food and drugs and supplements? Also, I am trying to learn more about CAM (complementary and alternative medicine), but have a difficult time trusting in various supplements and herbal remedies, since they are not regulated...it's scary (for me) to trust the manufacturer and know exactly what's in the bottle (or, less extreme, know if I'm paying a high price for the potency its claiming to be!).
What are your thoughts on any/all of this?
Source:
JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association)
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what do you (anyone) know of having heavy metals released into your body/blood from amalgam fillings; which contain 50% mercury my weight and i think nickel also, as well as other meals? thank u
February 7, 2011 - 10:02pmThis Comment
There were many scare-tactic articles and television shows that persuaded us to second-guess the fillings in our mouths as harmful to our health. Clinical studies have proven these claims as false; many of the most vocal persons with symptoms (and blamed the symptoms on their fillings) had no increased levels of mercury in their systems.
You can read more about this controversy here: http://www.ncahf.org/pp/amalgampp.html
And below is the ADA (American Dental Association) position statement, with additional organizations listed:
February 8, 2011 - 10:48am"While questions have arisen about the safety of dental amalgam relating to its mercury content, the major U.S. and international scientific and health bodies, including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization, among others have been satisfied that dental amalgam is a safe, reliable and effective restorative material."
This Comment
One of the countries not mentioned above is the United States. Most of us probably drink more wine from California than from abroad. Is there information about mercury or heavy metals in wines bottled here?
February 13, 2009 - 9:41amThis Comment
According to a study conducted in the U.K., dangerous levels of heavy metal contamination were found in most European red and white wines. Bernard Weiss, PhD, professor of environmental medicine at the University of Rochester, N.Y., expressed concern over the finding of manganese in the wine, citing a connection between manganese accumulation in the brain to Parkinson's Disease.
Responding to the Chemistry Journal report were other members of the scientific community who were skeptical of the findings.
Information absolutely required by the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that regulates the wine industry) on American wine labels is alcohol content and net volume. There are 3 other bits of information that fall under "minimum requirements," brand, designation (or class or type), and location of origin. However, the USDA restricts the addition of sulfur dioxide to "organic" wines during the winemaking process, and the mention of sulfites on the label of non-organic wine, as an allergen alert (in New Zealand and Australia since 2002), is dependant upon the level of sulfites.
Because sulfur dioxide is a natural byproduct of fermentation, no wine is 100% sulfite free. In the U.S., the U.S.D.A. forbids producers from adding sulfites to wine labeled “organic,” although the wine may contain as much as 100 parts per million of naturally occurring (that is, not added) sulfites. In Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America, added sulfites are permitted in organic wine. Like the regulatory bodies in these countries, Appellation Wine and Spirits calls wines organic as long as the producer does not use synthetic chemicals in the vineyard.
Source: Appellation Wine and Spirits
Wine doesn't really have nutritional value like we would think of foods we eat. We don't consume wine for nutritional value.
While I think it's important to be aware of the dangers of heavy metals, sulfites and any otherwise toxic substances in the wines, it's also important to remember that a single glass probably doesn't contain enough to hurt you. It's the excessive consumption that can.
February 11, 2009 - 5:48pmThis Comment
This is really scary about herbal remedies. And you bring up a good point about wines. I'd never thought about nutrition info on wine bottles. That's wild to think they might have heavy metals.
February 10, 2009 - 11:03pmThis Comment