What is the relationship between mercury poisoning and Candida overgrowth and how can you pull it from the body? A visitor asks the following question:
Cynthia, I have been told that Mercury and Candida have a synergistic relationship and to control Candida its necessary to remove Hg..
Can you confirm this and how do you suggest one can get rid of Hg and especially the deeply buried Hg?
Also if Hg is bound/buried then I assume wouldn’t that this Hg would never show up in a urine test or hair analysis. Is there a way to check for the total body Hg load?
I know these are weighty questions but I have Candida problems and so far have not been successful in eliminating it.
Kind regards, John
Hi John,
Yes, it is believed by most experts in the Candida field that it has a synergistic relationship with mercury poisoning. There are a few different theories that include the following:
- For some it is believed that Candida eats mercury for it’s own survival, just like it eats everything else.
- Others believe that because low level mercury toxicity suppresses the immune system, it allows yeast to proliferate.
- Another theory tells us that mercury works like an antibiotic when it enters the body and wipes out all the healthy bacteria which allows Candida to take over and degrades the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract.
- The most prevalent theory, is that Candida overgrowth develops as a defense mechanism as the body struggles to cope with mercury and other heavy metals. When mercury and other heavy metals are in the body, the cell walls of Candida bind to mercury and other heavy metals and prevent it from entering the blood stream. It is like a sponge soaking up the mercury. It’s the bodies own protective mechanism. So as long as there is mercury or other heavy metals in the body, then yeast is going to proliferate.Some people believe that die off also known as the herxheimer response with Candida overgrowth is partly due to the fact, that when you kill off the yeast, it then releases the mercury back into the system.
I can’t verify that all of these theories are true. However, what we do know for sure is that low-level mercury toxicity suppresses the immune system, which can allow yeast and other organisms to proliferate. And, mercury works like an antibiotic when it enters the body and wipes out all the healthy bacteria, which allows Candida to take over and destroys the gastrointestinal tract. It may also inhibit digestive enzymes that help control yeast. However, many people who have Candida do not have high levels of mercury, so it is not always a factor.
On the other hand, mercury poisoning and other heavy metal toxicity are believed to be linked to a variety of health conditions besides Candidiasis, especially Autism, Depression, memory problems, Alzheimer’s, thyroid disorders, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, adrenal disorders, heart disease, infertility, kidney malfunctioning, as well as many more. In the brain, mercury inhibits proper functioning of neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and noradrenalin, resulting in a variety of mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and loss of motivation.
Mercury is one of the most toxic substances found in our environment and is toxic in any amount whatsoever to the tissues and cells of the body. It accumulates in and damages all the major organs of the body as well as the endocrine system, the brain and the nervous system. It is particularly toxic to children, pets and pregnant women. Therefore, keeping mercury and other heavy metals out of the body is important for health in many regards.
Sources of Mercury Toxicity
As you probably know, we are all exposed to mercury and other heavy metals in many different ways in our daily lives. The most common sources of contamination are found in pollution in our air, our water, acid rain, talc powder, fish, shellfish, shark, swordfish, broken thermometers, batteries, tuna, king mackerel, vaccinations, diuretics, suppositories, wood preservatives, adhesives, floor waxes, tattoos, fabric softener, hair dies, paint, plastics, chlorine bleach, laxatives, dental fillings, pesticides, fluorescent light bulbs – even the so called energy efficient CFL light bulbs — to name a few.
It depends on who you talk to on what is believed to be the best way to test for or eliminate mercury and other heavy metals. Mercury and other heavy metals can be tested for with an oral chelation challenge test, RBC mineral test and hair analysis. Please read this post, What is the Best Way to Test for Heavy Metal Toxicity and this page on the hair analysis to learn more on this topic. I recommend the hair analysis and the RBC mineral. The hair analysis tells us what is buried, and the RBC mineral tells us what is recent or ongoing.
Some of the popular methods of removal include chelation, cilantro paste, chlorella, glutathione, zeolite, alph-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, Epsom Salt or Clay baths. However, something many people are not aware of is that there is a systematic protocol that should be followed, or the situation could be made worse.
For example, if cilantro is taken too early in the detoxification process, then this can drive the mercury into the brain. You remove what is deeply buried by first eliminating what is on the surface. I recommend Epsom Salt baths or Clay baths accompanied by chlorella. I can teach you how to detox properly, so if that’s something you’re interested in, you’ll want to consider a phone consultation.
It is also believed that balancing the bodies pH level is an essential component of removing mercury and other heavy metals. A pH level that is too acidic creates a body that holds onto metals.
A multi-mineral is also essential, as the nutrient metals will help drive out the toxic metals.
The way that you get mercury that is buried deep within the cells and tissues is to first work on the surface area of the skin and the GI tract with the Epsom Salt baths or Clay baths and chlorella. This creates a gradient where the more deeply buried mercury can then rise up to be eliminated.
As always, you should consult with your health care provider prior to using any of these methods, especially if you have a heart condition, take prescription drugs, have high blood pressure or are pregnant.
Okay, John, hope that helps clear things up.
Best
Cynthia Perkins, M.Ed.
🙂
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Do you know how the relationship between mercury toxicity and candida overgrowth was discovered? I would love to read more about this. Thanks for the great article!
Hi Cynthia,
I just discovered your website and am amazed by how much of useful information you put here. I wanted to let you know about Andrew Cutler Low Dose Chelation protocol for removing heavy metals. It is probably one of the best methods because of its safety and effectiveness. You may find it interesting and maybe write about it so other people who come here can learn about it as well. ://www.livingnetwork.co.za/chelationnetwork/chelation-the-andy-cutler-protocol/