Since Algin is produced from sea algae and it binds mercury from digestive tract, isn't there a danger that it binds and accumulates the same way sea pollutants, such as mercury, lead,... etc. Has anyone measured heavy metal content in various brands of Algin? The same question for sea kelp and chlorella brands?

I asked NSP's "Health Sciences & Research Department" about this some time ago. Here's their reply...



Just so everyone knows, 0.1 micrograms is one ten-millionth of a gram.

I was also told by another scientist from this same department (on a different occasion) that it probably isn’t possible to have 100% mercury free products, although some products may have undetectable levels of mercury depending on the sensitivity of the detection equipment.

This is an important point because I can imagine some manufacturers may not use pharmacy-grade, industry standard equipment that is sensitive enought to measure for contaminants down to parts-per-million (which is required only in the state of California). Fortunately, NSP voluntarily complies with California's strict standards.

Regarding NSP's other products, they are all tested for heavy metal contaminants to make sure they meet California's strict limits.

It's interesting to note that some foods grown in California naturally contain higher amounts of heavy metals than the law permits. But, since Californians have to eat, these foods are exempted. Hmmmm....

I hope this helps answer your question.

Thanks Laura. Since the dose is just below 1 gram of Algin for 2 capsules, that adds less than 0.1 microgams of mercury per recommended daily dose. That is roughly what one would get from 1 gram of cod, or over 200 times less than mercury from a decent cod meal, say 1/2 pound. Swordfish would have ten times more than cod.

Although it would be nice if they could extract even what little it has and claim mercury-free (considering that people with mercury toxicity would be likely customers), from the claimed figure it seems fairly safe. How much Algin would someone detoxing from amalgams normally use?

For mercury detoxing, we normally use 3 to 4 capsules of Algin, 3 to 4 times a day. We generally recommend taking Algin between meals. Algin is a fiber, so if you take it with other supplements or medications, there's the possibility of Algin reducing the effectiveness of other supplements.

Personally, I take 4 capsules at night before bed, and then another 4 first thing in the morning before I eat. Then, at some point in the afternoon, I'll take another dose.

Of course, experimentation is important to find out what amount works best for you and your symptoms. Some people need more, others need less.

For more information about mercury detoxing, what supplements to use, etc., visit MercuryTalk.com - Getting Started with a Detox Plan

Hope this helps,