We are having a debate on another board as to the functions of cilantro in mercury detoxification. Most of the people are willing to use DMSA or other drug rather than this because they think cilantro could be dangerous and cause bad effects? And also, I keep hearing the same about chlorella that it can release mercury. Most that I have read says chlorella absorbs it not chelates it.
What is your knowledge of these two supplements in mercury removal?

I can't really answer your question from a scientific point of view but I can tell you my own experience.

Cilantro:

I tried taking cilantro when I still had 3 amalgams in my mouth. I only took one fresh leaf before I went to bed and woke up feeling quite toxic. I didn't realise it was the cilantro so I kept taking it for the next two days. I felt very dehydrated, anemic, acidic, and toxic. About a week later I had my amalgams removed and then tried the cilantro again but it had the same affect. It took me about a month to recover from the symptoms that the cilantro caused. So my conclusion is that it definitely stirs up the mercury in me.

Chlorella:

A few months later I tried chlorella. At first I tried the wrong species in powder form which apparently stirs up more than it binds. It gave me really vivid almost hallucinagenic dreams, I had to stop taking it. I then bought some of the correct species in tablet form and it had a similar but not as strong affect. So I also stopped taking it. That was about a year ago and I just tried taking some more the other day and immediately I felt tired and went to sleep and had vivid weird dreams again. I also felt a strange sensation across the top of my head which I also felt with NDF (as I explain below). So I would say that chlorella also stirs up mercury. But it seems to have a slightly different action. It appears to detox through the colon rather than the kidneys, unfortunately neither my colon or kidneys function particularly well.

NDF:

NDF has both cilantro and chlorella in a 'nanonized' form (I think it just means the product has been predigested by enzymes). NDF affects me about the same as fresh cilantro leaf. I feel very toxic and dehydrated and need to drink lots of water. I also get a strange tingling sensation across the top of my head. So I would say that it also stirs up the mercury. In fact I used NDF as the chelator for a 24hr urine test which showed up 6ug of mercury. I found that taking micro-filtered Whey Protein Isolate powder and cysteine tablets helped considerably, but after about a month a felt quite acidic from all of the protein.

I have just found out that I have 3 tiny amalgams in the base of my front teeth that have been covered with composite. Perhaps that could also be contributing to the symptoms I am experiencing with the cilantro and chlorella?

With regards to DMSA, I haven't tried it myself, but I believe that it is potentially just as dangerous as cilantro or chlorella. The difference is that I think more research has been done with DMSA to determine safe protocols.

Your post is most interesting & informative, Jolon. Re the NDF product, apparently there is an improved version, called NDF Plus, where you are not supposed to get those unpleasant effects. That is what they say.

Thank you for the input. One of the things I do know is that they do not recommend taking cilantro or chlorella if you still have metal fillings. The claim is that is will chelate it from the fillings. Since you did not know you had them, it would make sense how sick you felt. Who really knows the best things to do? It really is a tough choice.

Here is what I've learned:

-You really shouldn't use Cilantro or Chlorella if you still have amalgams in as these mobilize mercury.
-DMSA is dangerous as it also binds to your good minerals such as magnesium and zinc.
-Cilantro is a good mobilizer, but needs binding agent to move out of the body.
-Cilantro crosses the blood brain barrier ( alpha lipoic acid does also-mercury is stored in the brain)
-Chlorella does cross the BBB
-chlorella is an agressive mobilizer, but I think it has a weak bond as well.
-garlic will inactivate cilantro
-don't use vitamin C simultaneously with cilantro or selenium
-selenium binds to mercury

I took chlorella at first, but later realized that once you have a total dental revision done, your body automatically starts to dump the stored mercury so I was feelihg bad because I was having too much detoxing (re-intoxification) going on. For now I am taking mercury detox (by Tyler which contains seleium ,amino acids, mg), glutithione (which is needed for detoxing), and algin (binds but doesn't mobilize)

Would it be a good bet to say following my revision to just stick with vits and minerals and something to bind the mercury. Then at a later point when it has settled down a bit work on trying to chelate?

I am in the process of having my amalgams removed. When they are all removed I think I will do nothing to begin with, other than take my usual vitamins and other supplements, and see how bad the auto detox is. Then after 3 months or so when things have settled down I may try the DMSA / DMPS and ALA. If the body auto detoxes anyway after amalgam removal, why force the pace?

It is so confusing...every time I read something, I get more confused...This is what I think...No matter what...the mercury has to move to get out of the body....so there will be some detox symptoms...I think it is unavoidable....AND you have to move it , to get it out....better to feel like crap for a while to get it out of your body...then to feel OK and leave it in there to do more harm.....Every person has a different genetic make-up...therefore different supplements affect each person differently...plus other metals in the body affect the mercury symptoms...So...maybe no 1 treatment is right for everyone...My head is spinning from what is good and what is bad...and it changes from post to post....I know when the mercury is OUT(finally)...then the body begins to heal...My Dr. said that once all the mercury is out (levels low), It can take up to a year for the symptoms to resolve...Because all the inflammation in the body, and damage needs to reverse...but the metals have to be out for this to occur....Just stay positive...Thanks SandraP <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yes, the body does detox naturally with the support of vitamins, minerals and healthy living. But the main problem is the mercury in the nervous system. Vitamin C is the only known antioxidant to cross the blood brain barrier. But vit C only stirs things up in the brain area, it doesn't remove. So simply just using vits/ mins will not help those severely poisoned in the brain. This area can use up to 20 years to detox naturally. And that is only if there is no additional exposure to any metals adding to the build up. In our polluted world this is pretty unavoidable. ALA and cilantro (cilantro also removes aluminum and lead) removes mercury from the central nervous system. But should only be used in the tiniest amounts by anyone with this serious problem.