http://mercuryexposure.org/index.php?article_id=251

Here's what ALA does:


http://mercuryexposure.org

Thanks for these articles.

This is why Andy Cutler has a specific protocol set out to use this stuff properly so that it will work rather than hurt.

Andy believes ALA should not be used until body/blood levels of mercury have first been reduced, either by waiting it out, or by chelating with an agent that does not cross the blood brain barrier (e.g. DMSA). Then later ALA can be used to chelate the brain and other organs.

ALA allows mercury to move back and forth across the blood brain barrier more easily. Which is why it can move more mercury in there if the body levels are still high.

The studies they do on rats do not seem to prove helpful or telling enough in what happens to humans in regards to brain chelation. The blood brain barrier of the rat is far more permeable than a human. This is why ALA is required so we can get mercury out of the brain more easily.

They said that DMSA could cross the blood brain barrier because it could chelate brain mercury in rats. This has not proven to be the case in humans for the same reason above. It does not cross over to any clinical degree, unlike ALA.

The article is certainly of concern though, but I think human results from ALA chelation would probably be more helpful. I know some on here who are using it, perhaps they could respond to this?

I know that Andy has warned about what can happen with ALA and it can be very serious. Though it's an antioxidant, it's a powerful chelating agent for mercury and used in correctly can make someone VERY VERY sick (to say the least).

I am soon to try ALA the right way and I hope things will work. So I'll report on this when I try it. However, it is negligible if I really have much mercury still in me or not. But it's worth a try. I would not be doing this if I felt I had a high body/blood burden of mercury. DMSA usually produces symptoms or improvements if that is the case. DMSA is proving to be ineffective now, which tells me I maybe ok to try ALA.

I have been unbelievably stupid! I took a mineral support supplement given by my naturopath without checking the contents. I am on round 8 of 10mg dmsa only. I looked today and the minerals contain 300mg of ALA per daily dose! No wonder my side effects have been so all over the map!
Mark

marknh: is the ala in the suppliment alpha linolenic acid or alpha lipoic acid ,or does it just say ala ?

Mark, I've done something similar. I was given a prepatation too (mineral/vitamin) and it was apparently to support detox. Yet later I found out why I was having some insane symptoms....it has ala in it. Though not much, even that was enough to cause horrific side effects.

I couldn't tolerate it at all. It also had msm in it, and many other things that can mobiise mercury all over the place. So if you've been stupid? So have I.

I think we just trust the health provider and don't check ingredients enough. It has taught me to check every ingredient before you use it. Pain is a great motivator <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Don't worry I remember I was given 200 mg capsules of alpha lipoic acid by a doctor (before I knew of the dangers) and the side effects were beyond belief. I mean so bad that you wonder if these people should be held responsible when they do this. I was lucky enough that I managed to recover again.

It is not something you want to repeat when you've gone through it. Problem is, with a mercury toxic brain, you can overlook things very easily or forget too quickly. So it makes it that much harder.

As Mikey said, make sure you're not confusing the ALA (alpha lipoic acid) with ALA - alpha-linolenic acid (found in flaxseed). I am pretty certain it would be alpha lipoic acid though. Seems something that would be added to a supplement like that. They do this a lot. They think it's really good for you because it's an antioxidant and raises glutathione, but they don't seem to realise that it's a powerful chelator of mercury and can really mess a person up.

I hope that if it's ALA, stopping it will result with you improving. At least you're still taking the DMSA. Let's hope that will chelate some of this back out. However, if any has gone into the brain area? You may need ALA again later, taken in the proper manner to bring that back out again.

Don't be too distressed, alot of us have done these things.

MarkNH:

Yeah, like Bex says, don't even worry about it. If I had a nickel for every mistake I've made in my like I'd be like a billionaire....being mercury toxic makes making mistakes very easy. You know, if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger....

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

TW

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the support everyone! It was alpha lipoic acid, unfortunately. And over the last 2 weeks I've lost over half of my arm/shoulder strength, so I hope it will come back!
Mark

What a bloody 'mare. Well done for figuring it out!

Hi Mark, I'm sorry that it turned out to be the case, but at least it does show you what's been going on (or most likely been going on). NO wonder you have felt so messed up.

Let's hope that things will settle down and improve. I am really careful now when I use supplements. Once bitten twice shy as they say....although for me? I've been bitten more than once by a number of things.

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Quote:
If I had a nickel for every mistake I've made in my like I'd be like a billionaire....being mercury toxic makes making mistakes very easy.
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MarkNH:

See what I mean? That's supposed to read a nickel for every mistake in my LIFE. Another mistake, and I usually check for typos! Par for the course. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Done buns can't be undone. But, what I try to do now is at least get on-line and research places like here or anywhere to see if I am doing something totally wrong. Advice from a lot of people is better than a few, as you start to get the bigger picture.

Hope you return to normal,

TW

My spelling is so bad i didn't even notice