Nutrient & Toxic Elements – Blood

Description

Toxic metals sometimes imitate the action of an essential element in the body, interfering with the metabolic process resulting in . Many metals, particularly heavy metals are toxic, but some heavy metals are essential, and some have a low toxicity. Most often the definition of toxic metals includes at least cadmium, manganese, lead, mercury and the radioactive metals arsenic may be included in the definition.

Erythrocyte and whole blood toxic element levels are good indicators of body pools of essential elements as well as the toxic elements aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead,^* and mercury. The Genova Diagnostics Nutrient and Toxic Elements Profile is an especially accurate way of determining whole body status of potassium and selenium.

Whole Blood generally reflects increased or recent exposure to toxic elements. The Genova Diagnostics Toxic Metals Profile shows levels of cadmium, lead,^* and mercury.

Nutrient elements are measured in erythrocytes and toxic elements are measured in whole blood. One exception is selenium, which is measured in whole blood as a reliable index of selenium status.