[Info] Mercury in Supplements

[epileric]

Mercury has been found in the Chinese supplements distributed to Canadian retailers. The only other place I've found this problem is 5 years ago in the UK but I think everyone in all countries should be careful.

"Zhuifeng Tougu Wan", an unauthorized natural health product, is being voluntarily recalled after testing identified levels of mercury that are far beyond the allowable limit set by Health Canada. In addition, the product also contains lead at more than four times higher than the allowable limit and arsenic at nearly twice the amount of the allowable limit.

The amount of mercury in "Zhuifeng Tougu Wan" may present a significant health risk to Canadians, including vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women who are most susceptible to the toxic effects. Symptoms include nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, muscle cramps, diarrhea, heart abnormalities, anaemia, liver, and nervous system problems.

Retailers in B.C. and Toronto Sold "Zhuifeng Tougu Wan": Product Contains Dangerous Amounts of Mercury

ARSENIC AND MERCURY IN AYURVEDIC AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINES

 

[MuayThaiFighter]

That's scary. Mercury is no joke. Can't that cause permanent brain damage?

 

[Bernard]

It is my understanding that China in general has a big problem with industrial waste pollution in their water. It's sad.

 

[Janus]

That scares me. I use natural supplements and have been worried about a common "preservative" used by pharmacy giants, Thimerosal, which is a mercury substance. There was all this to-do about it in children's vaccinations and a belief that it caused autism. All that just to say mercury does greatly affect the brain and i even worried that i was given ear drops from the pharmacy that contained it. It is around. That is a term to look for when you read the small, fine print ingredients.

 

[MuayThaiFighter]

That scares me. I use natural supplements and have been worried about a common "preservative" used by pharmacy giants, Thimerosal, which is a mercury substance. There was all this to-do about it in children's vaccinations and a belief that it caused autism. All that just to say mercury does greatly affect the brain and i even worried that i was given ear drops from the pharmacy that contained it. It is around. That is a term to look for when you read the small, fine print ingredients.

That is pretty interesting and alarming. Kind of like finding out that small levels of arsenic was found in rice. But don't worry, because the FDA said it was to small to cause any harm. Wow. Yeah the FDA sure does enforce safety....

 

[Janus]

YES, i am scared. the FDA, until the 1960's told everybody; if you have a heart attack, DO NOT EXERCISE! that puts too much strain on the heart. And eat more red meat.
They are owned by the pharmaceutical industry and industrial corporations ie Monsanto.

 

[Nikkal]

Janus, thiomersal is used in aqueous preparations, not solids like tablets, etc. It's also not used in products intended for oral use like vitamins. If you must use supplements (and I won't waste either of our time on the uselessness of most of them unless you like producing expensive urine) the ones from the big companies with demonstrated good manufacturing processes are going to be MUCH safer. Both government and independent testing of supplements show a TON of contamination, adulteration and complete and utter absence of actual ingredients, especially from foreign products. Stuff produced by the big supplement companies actually passes most quality control tests.

FWIW, it's methylmercury compounds that are problematic to brain and other organs. Ethylmercury compounds, like in Thiomersal, have a really short half life in our bodies.

The stuff being found in chinese supplements is usually methylmercury.

 

[Shelley]

I once worked at a place called Abbott Labs. On rare occasions, we filled IV bags with (if I remember correctly) Thiomersal. We were told to double glove and to immediately change gloves if we got a hole in one.
If we got any on our skin, we were to go to the nurses station to be checked on a regular basis.

 

[KarenB]

Thiomersal is still used in some of the flu vaccines.

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228#t1

There have been some cases of mercury poisoning from Thiomersal when used in Gamma Globulin and Hep B immune globulin

As far as mercury in vitamins/supplements -- there is a risk of mercury in Omega 3 Fish Oil because of the mercury in the fish. Other than that, I think the only vitamins typically using mercury as a preservative would be Vitamin K injections.

With regard to the efficacy of vitamins, especially in relation to seizures, the extensive logs I have kept of my child's seizures along with all meds/vitamins/supplements/diet (Ketogenic) have indicated that when his vitamin dosage was decreased (by half) the immediate result was a dramatic increase in all seizures, and especially tonic clonic. When the full dosage was restored, rate of seizures decreased.

This may not be the case with all individuals, as a variety of factors affect our child. He is on the Ketogenic diet, so it's difficult to get all the necessary vitamins/minerals from diet. He also has Down Syndrome and chronic diarrhea, so absorbtion and metabolic issues may play a part.