Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in soil and water that can accumulate in the human body. Small amounts may be essential, but inorganic forms are toxic and can damage organs like the skin, hair, nails, and kidneys. Long term low-level exposure to arsenic through drinking water or food has been linked to health issues and increased mortality. Common symptoms of arsenic toxicity include hair loss, skin problems, fatigue, and damage to blood, nerves, liver and kidneys. Testing arsenic levels can help determine contamination in the body.

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ARSENIC - TOXIC HEAVY METALS FACTSHEET
There is about 10 to 20 mg. of arsenic in the human body. In very small
33 amounts arsenic may even be essential and functional in humans.
Organic arsenic as arsenates and elmental arsenic both found naturally
As
in the earth and in foods do not readily produce toxicity. The inorganic
arsenites or tivalent forms of arsenic, such as arsenic trioxide used industrially and
found as a food contaminate, seem to create the problems. They accumulate in the
body, particularly in the skin, hair, and nails, but also in internal organs. Arsenic
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can accumulate when kidney function is decreased.
Number 33 on the “periodic table” of elements Image source: http://images-of-elements.com/arsenic.php
SOURCES Arsenic is present in small amounts in soil and therefore TOXICITY
is present in our food. It is also in the ocean, so there is Though there is some suggestion that arsenic may be
some arsenic in most seafood, especially the filtering useful in the human body, no clear biological function
mollusks, such as clams and oysters. Some arsenic may has yet been proved. In some studies, arsenic has been
be present as a contaminant in meats as well. Arsenic is shown to promote longevity in rats. The importance of
also found in many fuel oils and coal, so it is added to arsenic in cardiac function in humans is being studied.
the environment when these are burned. Weed killers Though arsenic can displace phosphorus and phos-
and some insecticides (particularly lead-arsenate sprays) are the main phates in some reactions in the body, this is not known to lead to
sources of arsenic contamination. This is responsible for a twentyfold any definite physiological change.
increase in the level of arsenic found in humans.
TOXICITY TESTING Check out arsenic levels in your body with our easy to
Possible effects of arsenic toxicity include hair use, home-based, HMT Arsenic Test Kit
SYMPTOMS loss, dermatitis, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal
symptoms, fatigue, headaches, confusion, muscle Osumex HM-Chelat is most
pains, red and white blood cell problems, neurologic effective in eliminating
symptoms, and liver and kidney damage. Acute heavy metals contamination
arsenic exposure may cause a rapid series of symp- in the body
toms. Arsine gas exposure is very toxic to the lungs
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and kidneys and is often fatal. Death from low-level, chronic arsenic heavymetalstest.com/
exposure has the appearance of death from natural causes. arsenic.php