Teresa Binstock
Researcher in Developmental & Behavioral Neuroanatomy
P.O. Box 1788
Estes Park CO 80517
July 21, 2006
The following commentary contains a rudimentary hypothesis wherein the
sum of intra-body toxins (even if at supposedly "safe" levels) may
deplete the body's nutrients needed for detoxification. When such
situations arise, the individual is at increased risk from toxic
exposures, especially from bolus doses.
Request: The hypothesis sketched herein may already have been
published by another researcher. If so, please inform me of his or her
work wherein the nutrient-depletion hypothesis is set forth. <binstock@peakpeak.com>
* * * *
Given the large number of toxins now present in the human body, the
concept of "safe" levels of individual toxins needs to be revised.
Many human-made toxins remain untested for safety. Many individual toxins have been tested somewhat and are declared to
be at "safe" levels. For federal and state "regulatory" agencies, Risk Management is enforced as the guiding rationale, whereas
use of the Precautionary Principle would impose more protective
guidelines (eg, 7-9).
In recent years, a number of studies have documented a
large number of commercially produced toxins in the bodies of humans
and other species. Concurrently, we know that epidemics abound; and many
researchers and administrators within universities, private businesses,
and the NIH utter statements like, The causes of the epidemic remain
unknown; no "smoking gun" has been discovered. In contrast, some
scientists dare to publish findings of adverse effects from various
toxins.
Most such studies focus upon one toxin. Some look at more
than one, and a minority of researchers dare to evaluate additive and
synergistic effects of small numbers of multiple toxins. Perhaps
someday, nutritional manipulations that affect detoxification, immunity,
and thus susceptibility will be thoroughly studied in regard to the multiplicity of toxins and their adverse effects.
Some among us suspect that the large number of intra-body toxins are
contributing to the various epidemics and have been etiologically
significant in specific cases of cancers, neurologic
disorders, etc. A new approach to "safe" levels is needed.
Various studies examine the role of glutathione (GSH) in
detoxification, immunity, and brain function. Similarly, phase 1 and
phase 2 detoxification pathways are increasingly well understood,
including the role of nutrients in these pathways (eg, 1). That nutrients are
crucial participants in detoxification and immunity suggests a
(possibly) new approach for understanding why "safe" levels may not be
safe as the number of intra-body toxins and bolus exposures becomes too large.
Occasionally in writings that follow this brief essay, GSH will be used as an example, although other
nutrients are important to detoxification and immunity.
When a relative minimum of environmental toxins is present in a person's environment (a rare situation circa 2006), the
human body is capable of detoxifying such toxins as the organism
encounters. Exposure to toxins induces utilization of
detoxification nutrients, many of which also participate in
immunological processes. These utilizations are normal and healthful, and an important relationship exists between (a)
intra-body nutrient status and (b) the number and level of toxins which
induce utilization of nutrients needed for detoxification and for immunity.
An implication is suggested: if and as the number intra-body toxins
becomes too high in a specific individual, then his or her intra-body
nutrient status will
become suboptimal. This trend will be exacerbated if the exposures are
chronic and is augmented if any of the toxins has a high level.
Suboptimal nutritional status will increase the likelihood of
adverse effects developing from additional toxins which gain entry into
the body. If one or more bolus doses is encountered during a period of
suboptimal nutritional status, developments of adverse effects are more
likely.
Various factors can affect nutritional status and incline towards its
suboptimalilty. These include gastrointestinal pathologies, concurrent
illness, chronic infections, and weak alleles in genes related to nutrients,
detoxification, and immunity.
As the individual's number of intra-body toxins increases, he or she
may experience a period wherein one or more detoxification pathways
becomes transiently non-functional. This is analogous to a car running
out of gas. As the number and levels of intra-body toxins increase, the
individual may reach a "toxic tipping point" (2). If and as the
individual's intra-body toxins overwhelm his or her reserves of
detoxification nutrients - especially in the presence of contributing
pathologies - then additional exposures to toxins are very likely to
induce cellular pathology in one or more tissues - eg, brain, lungs,
intestines, heart, liver. This phenomenon would be especially likely if
a bolus-dose exposure occurs.
Given the variance among exposures amidst weak alleles (if any), and
coexisting pathologies (if any), inter-individual differences are
likely. As toxic exposures and intra-body levels increase across
populations,
syndromic groups become evident - as is occurring in the US and
elsewhere. In autism, for instance, increased oxidative stress is a
common finding (reviewed in 3) and is likely to reflect
toxic exposures, suboptimal
nutritional status, overwhelmed detoxification pathways, and tissue
damage therefrom. Corollaries observed by many physicians are (i)
many autistic children have gastrointestinal pathology, impaired nutritional status, impaired
detoxification, and one or more chronic infections and (ii) many such
children show cognitive and behavioral gains when gut health and
nutritional status are improved, with further gains in response to
physician-supervised detoxification.
Many of these concepts are reviewed elsewhere (eg, 4-6). This essay's
major point is that the concept "acceptably safe level'
may had some validity when a toxin was considered by itself. However,
no human thus far tested has only one toxin in his or her body.
Instead, individual humans have a large number of intra-body toxins,
and the biological sum of those toxins is likely to be inducing adverse
effects - even if all such toxins are at so-called "safe" levels.
The concept "safe" levels of toxins merits revision, as do
the study methods whereby the "safe" level of a toxin is considered in
isolation from other toxins. That the number of toxins depletes
glutathione and other detoxification nutrients may be the mechanism by
which myriad "safe" levels of toxins are etiologically significant in
modernity's numerous epidemics.
References:
1. Liska DJ. The detoxification enzyme systems. Altern Med Rev. 1998 Jun;3(3):187-98.
2. The phrase "Toxic Tipping Point" has been used in an essay about
mercury exposures but is applicable for more toxins than mercury. See: Toxic Tipping Point. News: Are the CDC, the FDA,
and other health agencies covering up evidence that a mercury
preservative in children's vaccines...
Toxic Tipping Point
3. McGinnis WR. Oxidative stress in autism. Altern Ther Health Med. 2005 Jan-Feb;11(1):19.
4. Kidd PM. Autism, an extreme challenge to integrative medicine. Part:
1: The knowledge base. Altern Med Rev. 2002 Aug;7(4):292-316.
5. Kidd PM. Autism, an extreme challenge to integrative medicine. Part
2: medical management. Altern Med Rev. 2002 Dec;7(6):472-99.
6. McCandless JM. Children With Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment
Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Bramble Books; 2002, 2003.
* * Copyright 2006 * *
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