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Heavy Metal Blood Test

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What is a heavy metal blood test?

A heavy metal blood test is a group of tests that measure the levels of potentially harmful metals in the blood. The most common metals tested for are lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium. Metals that are less commonly tested for include copper, zinc, aluminium, and thallium. Heavy metals are found naturally in the environment, certain foods, medicines, and even in water.

Heavy metals can get in your system in different ways. You might breathe them in, eat them, or absorb them through your skin. If too much metal gets into your body, it can cause heavy metal poisoning. Heavy metal poisoning can lead to serious health problems. These include organ damage, behavioral changes, and difficulties with thinking and memory. The specific symptoms and how it will affect you, depend on the type of metal and how much of it is in your system.

Other names: heavy metals panel, toxic metals, heavy metal toxicity test

What is it used for?

Heavy metal testing is used to find out if you have been exposed to certain metals, and how much of the metal is in your system.

Why do I need a heavy metal blood test?

Your health care provider may order a heavy metal blood test if you have symptoms of heavy metal poisoning. The symptoms depend on the type of metal and how much exposure there was.

Your symptoms may include:

  • Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain
  • Diarrhoea
  • Tingling in the hands and feet
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chills
  • Weakness

Some children under the age of 6 may need to be tested for lead because they have a higher risk of lead poisoning. Lead poisoning is a very serious type of heavy metal poisoning. It is especially dangerous for children because their brains are still developing, so they are more vulnerable to brain damage from lead poisoning. In the past, lead was frequently used in paint and other household products. It is still used in some products today.

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Young children get exposed to lead by touching surfaces with lead, then putting their hands in their mouths. Children living in older houses and/or living in poorer conditions may be at an even higher risk because their environments often contain more lead. Even low levels of lead can cause permanent brain damage and behavioural disorders. Your child’s paediatrician may recommend lead testing for your child, based on your living environment and your child’s symptoms.

What happens during a heavy metal blood test?

A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?

Some fish and shellfish contain high levels of mercury, so you should avoid eating seafood for 48 hours before being tested.

Are there any risks to the test?

There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may experience slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.

What do the results mean?

If your heavy metal blood test shows a high level of metal, you will need to completely avoid exposure to that metal. If that doesn’t reduce enough metal in your blood, your health care provider may recommend chelation therapy. Chelation therapy is a treatment where you take a pill or get an injection that works to remove excess metals from your body.

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If your levels of heavy metal are low, but you still have symptoms of exposure, your health care provider will likely order more tests. Some heavy metals don’t stay in the bloodstream very long. These metals may stay longer in urine, hair, or other body tissues. So you may need to take a urine test or provide a sample of your hair, fingernail, or other tissue for analysis.

References

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics [Internet]. Elk Grove Village (IL): American Academy of Pediatrics; c2017. Detection of Lead Poisoning [cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 5 screens]. Available from: https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/lead-exposure/Pages/Detection-of-Lead-Poisoning.aspx
  2. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.: American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2017. Heavy Metals: Common Questions [updated 2016 Apr 8; cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 5 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/heavy-metals/tab/faq
  3. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.: American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2017. Heavy Metals: The Test [updated 2016 Apr 8; cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/heavy-metals/tab/test
  4. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.: American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2017. Heavy Metals: The Test Sample [updated 2016 Apr 8; cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/heavy-metals/tab/sample
  5. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.: American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2017. Lead: The Test [updated 2017 Jun 1; cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/lead/tab/test
  6. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.: American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2017. Lead: The Test Sample [updated 2017 Jun 1; cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/lead/tab/sample
  7. Lab Tests Online [Internet]. Washington D.C.: American Association for Clinical Chemistry; c2001–2017. Mercury: The Test [updated 2014 Oct 29; cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/mercury/tab/test
  8. Mayo Clinic Medical Laboratories [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c1995–2017. Test ID: HMDB: Heavy Metals Screen with Demographics, Blood [cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 4 screens]. Available from: https://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/39183
  9. National Capital Poison Center [Internet]. Washington D.C.: NCPC; c2012–2017. Chelation Therapy or “Therapy”? [cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.poison.org/articles/2011-mar/chelation-therapy
  10. National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences/Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center [Internet]. Gaithersburg (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Heavy metal poisoning [updated 2017 Apr 27; cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6577/heavy-metal-poisoning
  11. National Organization for Rare Disorders [Internet]. Danbury (CT): NORD National Organization for Rare Disorders; c2017. Heavy Metal Poisoning [cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/heavy-metal-poisoning
  12. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; What Are the Risks of Blood Tests? [updated 2012 Jan 6; cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 5 screens]. Available from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/bdt/risks
  13. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; What To Expect with Blood Tests [updated 2012 Jan 6; cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 4 screens]. Available from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/bdt/with
  14. Quest Diagnostics [Internet]. Quest Diagnostics; c2000–2017. Test Center: Heavy Metals Panel, Blood [cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: http://www.questdiagnostics.com/testcenter/BUOrderInfo.action?tc=7655&labCode;=PHP
  15. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; c2017. Health Encyclopedia: Lead (Blood) [cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid;=lead_blood
  16. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; c2017. Health Encyclopedia: Mercury (Blood) [cited 2017 Oct 25]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid;=mercury_blood
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