hey guys, I want to do a test for mercury, but not by hair. Hair only detects whats in bloodstream. I would like to do a provoked challenge DMSA and ALA test, to push it out of my deep tissues then get a accurate reading. anyone know any ways, please let me know. - Mike

I wouldnt do em ... lots of people get worse from those challenge tests (although like to hear what others have to say).

I would just have to take a urine test since Im already doing DMSA and ALA. right?

I'm not really sure on that ... hopefully someone else knows something about it here ...

Wallace,

The safest way to do this is to avoid the challenge test. You can look for signatures in hair analysis which I believe are the safest way to diagnose mercury.

This book explains exactly how:

Hair Test Interpretation by Dr. Andrew Cutler

If you choose to do a challenge, be careful.

i can just submit a urine sample while I'm on the DMSA and ALA, isnt that correct? isnt that what the provoked challenge test is? please let me know, - Mike

Mike, unfortunately, doctors like to use HUGE amounts of DMSA for a challenge test. They have a formula they use (so many mg per kg of body weight). This would be like 10 to 20 times what you're taking, all in one HUGE dose. This is dangerous. It will most likely give you symptoms. It mobilizes lots of mercury, especially if you have any dental work. THis test will most likely yield results that don't reflect the true picture. Just my opinion, but also mentioned in Cutler's Amalgam Illness book......go for the hair test!!

thanks solonbrett, I will definetly have the hair test done regardless. I purchased some urine, heavy metal test kit for like 20 bux off of amazon.com. it supposebly changes color. I mean, I can't go wrong with 20 bux. Do you know any good labs for hair tests? please let me know. - Mike

I did the DMSA challenge test...and felt fine....you take a 300mg dose...early in the morning,......you empty your bladder first thing in the morning....than take a 300 mg dose of dmsa(which isn't that high)...wait 20 minutes...than pee into the same container for the next 12 or 24 hrs.....shake the container for 2 minutes to make sure the urine is all combined...than send a sample of the urine to the lab.....I used a lab in chicago...they will check all your metals, and send you results........just so you know....my levels were high....yet my hair analysis showed no mercury(because my body was storing it)...So I believe that the hair tests are crap...but thats just my opinion....Sandra P

Hair tests don't show high mercury until you've reached what Dr. Huggins calls "stage 3". At this point, the body can no longer store mercury and blood levels stay high. At this point, mercury will show up on hair and non-challenged blood tests.

Hair tests, however, are useful for detecting mercury before you reach stage 3 if you know what to look for. There are "signatures" that "give-away" the presence of mercury, but of course, you need to know how to interpret these signatures.

Dr. Cutler has an excellent book on this subject called Hair Test Interpretation: Finding Hidden Toxicities.

This book reveals exactly how to read hair tests and find mercury toxicity long before stage 3 hits.