Hair Test or Urine Test or Blood Test or Other?

[Guest guest]

Which type of test is the most accurate for determining levels of

toxic metals? Is the same test the most accurate for essential

elements too?

I've seen the names of two labs (Great Smokies and Great Plains) in

the archive posts. Are these the two best labs that do the tests?

Is it recommended that you do the tests more than once to insure

accuracy?

Do the tests require a doctor's prescription or can you just call the

lab and ask for a test kit (and of course pay the $$$)?

Do different poison metals cause different symptoms? For example, if

your child has mercury and antimony is he more likely to be sedate

and zoned-out and non-verbal, whereas if your child has lead and

cadmium he might be more likely to be hyper and bable?

Best,

Lora

[Guest guest]

> Which type of test is the most accurate for determining levels of

> toxic metals?

If you would like a " simple " answer, I would recommend you

get a hair test, as is described in detail, here:

http://home.earthlink.net/~moriam/HOW_TO_hair_test.html

If you would like a more COMPLETE (complex) answer, well,

I can ramble on about how frustrating it is that there is

no really clear and accurate way to measure the AMOUNT

of mercury poisoning.......

> Is the same test the most accurate for essential

> elements too?

no. In terms of what needs to be supplemented, I do

not think a hair test is useful. I'm sorry that I

don't really know about this, don't know what to

recommend.

>

> I've seen the names of two labs (Great Smokies and Great Plains) in

> the archive posts. Are these the two best labs that do the tests?

DDI is recommended. If you go to the link above, it explains

this in detail. GSDL is not recommended (for hair) although

they are great for some other tests, and generally a good lab.

Great Plains contracts out their hair tests to DDI, so getting

a Great Plains hair test is the same as getting a DDI one.

So, if there is some reason that you'd like to get it done

through Great Plains, go ahead.

> Is it recommended that you do the tests more than once to insure

> accuracy?

I've never " recommended " that, but you could if you want.

>

> Do the tests require a doctor's prescription or can you just call the

> lab and ask for a test kit (and of course pay the $$$)?

Read the info at the link above, then if you still have

questions about this point, please post again with questions.

>

> Do different poison metals cause different symptoms? For example, if

> your child has mercury and antimony is he more likely to be sedate

> and zoned-out and non-verbal, whereas if your child has lead and

> cadmium he might be more likely to be hyper and bable?

I think different metals do cause somewhat different symptoms,

but there is also a lot of VARIATION in symptoms, and there is

tons of overlap in symptoms. I don't think one can tell which

metals from the symptoms, as in your example. At least I sure

would not want to do that. Also, since kids will have often

numerous other issues going on (yeast, vision problems,

nutritional deficiencies etc) going on ALONG WITH the

metals (and possibly because of the metals), it is just

way too complex for me In mercury toxic adults the

range of diseases causes by mercury is EXTREMELY varied---

for example, multiple schlerosis (sp?), nearsightedness,

ringing in the ears, and thyroid deficiency can all be

symptoms of mercury poisoning.

With that said, there may be some really characteristic

symptoms that someone could recognize, but that someone

is not me. And, even then, I would still do a hair test LOL!

Moria