Mercury dental fillings linked to many chronic illnesses.
Neuro Endocrinol Lett.
2014 Dec;35(7):537-52.
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to examine the evidence for a relationship between mercury (Hg) exposure from dental amalgams and certain idiopathic chronic illnesses – chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), depression, anxiety, and suicide. Dental amalgam is a commonly used dental restorative material that contains approximately 50% elemental mercury (Hg0) by weight and releases Hg0 vapor. Studies have shown that chronic Hg exposure from various sources including dental amalgams is associated with numerous health complaints, including fatigue, anxiety, and depression – and these are among the main symptoms that are associated with CFS and FM. In addition, several studies have shown that the removal of amalgams is associated with improvement in these symptoms. Although the issue of amalgam safety is still under debate,
the preponderance of evidence suggests that Hg exposure from dental amalgams may cause or contribute to many chronic conditions.
Thus, consideration of mercury toxicity may be central to the effective clinical investigation of many chronic illnesses, particularly those involving fatigue and depression.
US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health
Kern JK1, Geier DA1, Bjørklund G2, King PG3, Homme KG4, Haley BE5, Sykes LK3, Geier MR1.
List of the most common complaints in amalgam-associated ill health, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and fibromyalgia.
| Reported Symptoms | Associated with dental amalgams in chronically ill patients | CFS | Fibromyalgia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic or periodic fatigue | X | X | X |
| Depression | X | X | X |
| Pain or discomfort in muscles | X | X | X |
| Abnormal fatigue after physical exertion | X | X | X |
| Impairment of concentration | X | X | X |
| Impaired sleep | X | X | X |
| Muscle discomfort in the whole body | X | X | X |
| GI disturbance | X | X | X |
| Frequent infections | X | X | X |
| Aching lymph glands | X | X | X |
| Sore throat | X | X | X |
| Headache | X | X | X |
| Impaired memory | X | X | X |
Mercury mechanisms for underlying symptoms
| Symptom | Consequences of Mercury Exposure | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Chronic or periodic fatigue | Impaired mitochondrial function | Li et al. 2012 |
| Depression | Depressed dopaminergic and serotonergic activity; Overactivation of the NMDA glutamate receptor |
Tsai et al. 1995; Zhou et al. 1999 Farina et al. 2013 |
| Pain or discomfort in muscles | Decreased DNA content and collagen accumulation rates in human synovial cells | Goldberg et al. 1983; Lindh et al. 2002 |
| Abnormal fatigue after physical exertion | Impaired mitochondrial function | Li et al. 2012 |
| Impairment of concentration | Destroys large-caliber, long-range axons needed for conscious processing | Dehaene & Changeux, 2011; Kern et al. 2012 |
| Impaired sleep | Decreased pineal hormone melatonin levels | Kobal et al. 2004 |
| Muscle discomfort in the whole body | Erethism (excessive sensitivity of a body part to stimuli) Impaired mineral transport |
Tchounwou et al. 2003 |
| GI disturbance | Decreased glutathione necessary for maintaining gastrointestinal integrity Altered gut flora |
Sen, 1997; Alhamad et al. 2012 |
| Frequent infections | Immune suppression Depletion of antioxidant defenses |
Nyland et al. 2012 |
| Aching lymph glands | Immune suppression and lymphoproliferation | Tchounwou et al. 2003; Nyland et al. 2012 |
| Sore throat | Increased pharyngeal inflammation Depletion of antioxidant defenses |
Alhamad et al. 2012 |
| Headache | Brain edema | Eto, 2006 |
| Impaired memory | Neurodegeneration of the thalamus which is paramount in recall and recollection | Kakita et al. 2000; Pergola et al. 2013 |
| Suicide | Depressed dopaminergic and serotonergic activity Overactivation of NMDA receptor |
Tsai et al. 1995; Zhou et al. 1999 Sowa-Kućma et al. 2013 |
From this data it’s clear to see why mercury amalgam dental fillings have been linked to many chronic illnesses.
