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Autism and Mercury
- Is There A Link?
By Rachel Evans
If you have read any of the studies about autism and mercury, you
will have found compelling arguments on both sides of the issue about the relationship
between the presence of mercury in the body and the development of autism. Researchers
are continuing to examine the potential link between the two.
According to some studies,
some researchers believe there is a definite link between the amount of mercury in
the environment and the increased cases of autism over the years. Are the two directly
related?
Let’s start with mercury. In case you didn’t know, mercury is one of the
most toxic elements known to man. There are many diseases that mercury has been found
to have a link to: Alzheimer’s, lupus, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, arthritis, depression, and a host of learning disabilities.
In the past,
thimerosal, which contains mercury, was commonly added to a variety of consumer products
including eye-
Furthermore, mercury is found in dental amalgam, seafood, and throughout our increasingly
polluted environment. According to recent discussions many people are convinced that
thimerosal, which is a common additive in various common vaccines and medicines,
is one of the leading culprits in the increase in diagnosed cases of autism.
Thimerosal
is fifty percent mercury. At some point there must have been a realization that there
was a danger in using thimerosal in medications as the substance is now banned from
use in over-
In addition, the FDA suggested that vaccine manufacturers
stop using thimerosal in their products, although they have not banned it from vaccines.
However, the majority of vaccine manufacturers have responded to public outcry by
removing the majority of thimerosal from their vaccines.
Since vaccines are mass
produced and are made to have a long lifespan there is no way to tell how many vaccines
containing thimerosal are still in circulation.
Since infants are the most common
section of the population to receive vaccines it is possible that they may receive
a dose of mercury that is above the level the Environmental Protection Agency has
deemed a safe amount of mercury to be introduced into the body.
Arguments against
the mercury-
Mercury, just
like any other foreign substance in the body is processed differently depending on
the individual. Some people are able to quickly expel the mercury from their body
while in others the mercury stays in the body for longer, allowing it the opportunity
to bind to the central nervous system, more specifically, the brain.
Many medical
professionals and researchers claim, through extensive research, that there is no
link between mercury and the increase in cases of autism.
Reports issued by some
of the top health institutions in the world claim that people looking to blame thimerosal
and mercury for autism are barking up the wrong tree. In fact, these reports are
published and available to the public to be scrutinized.
If you search for information
debunking the association between mercury and a higher level of autism cases, you
will find boatloads of information. There are studies, many from highly reputable
organizations that definitively state that there is no connection between the two.
Last year some of the most well respected public health organizations in the United
States stated that there was no link.
One of the main arguments for their point of
view is that the way of diagnosing autism – especially mild cases – has given rise
to a higher statistical component. If there is an environmental cause, as may be
the case, they argue that it is due to some other, yet undiscovered, factor.
And
more recently, researchers at McGill University Health Centre in Canada found that
more children developed autism after the take-
For anyone
who want so read more about the possible link between mercury and the occurrence
of autism please visit the following sites for more on both sides of the argument:
Chelation of Mercury for the Treatment of Autism
Revisiting the Thimerosal-
You can also find a wealth of resources and information
about diagnosing, controlling and treating Autism in my book,
About the Author:
Rachel Evans. For information and to signup for a Free
Newsletter about Autism please visit The Essential Guide to Autism
Now read Jean's articleThe Autistic Child -