By Eric Davis

In Greek mythology, Mercury is the fleet-footed messenger of the Gods. He was the cleverest of the Olympians, patron of translators and interpreters. He ruled over wealth, good fortune, commerce, fertility. . . and thievery. He brought the souls of the dead to the underworld, and was honoured as a god of sleep. As a physical substance in the living organism, however, mercury is the antithesis of the fleet-footed messenger’s finer qualities. In the body, mercury disrupts cellular function at all levels, robbing the body of health and escorting the victim to the underworld of neurological dysfunction.

Mercury is a powerful poison. Published research has shown that mercury, even in small amounts, is more toxic than lead, cadmium and even arsenic. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of mercury exposure include irritability, fits of anger, lack of energy, fatigue, low self-esteem, drowsiness, decline of intellect, low self-control, nervousness, memory loss, depression, anxiety, shyness/timidity and insomnia.

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PRESS RELEASE CONTACTS:
For Immediate Release CoMeD President [Rev. Lisa K. Sykes (Richmond, VA) 804-364-8426]
October 10, 2008 CoMeD Sci. Advisor [Dr. King (Lake Hiawatha, NJ) 973-263-4843]

WASHINGTON, DC - New study, “Biomarkers of Environmental Toxicity and Susceptibility in Autism” in
the peer-reviewed Journal of the Neurological Sciences(1), confirms a causal link between subacute mercury
poisoning in children and their autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. The autism community reported
that this study presents, “…some compelling evidence…consistent with the author’s theory that mercury
exposure plays a role in autism.”(2)

This paper(3) presents the first prospective, blinded cohort study to examine children diagnosed with an ASD
using: urinary porphyrin profile analysis (UPPA) to assess the body-burden and physiological effects of their
mercury, glutathione analysis to assess susceptibility to mercury poisoning, and Childhood Autism Rating
Scale (CARS) scores to measure ASD severity.

These evaluations(4) established:
• Non-chelated patients diagnosed with an ASD had UPPA profiles indicative of mercury poisoning that
strongly correlated with ASD severity, measured using CARS scores.
• Glutathione (a key biochemical in the body’s mercury detoxification pathway) was significantly lower
in patients diagnosed with an ASD in comparison with its level in neurotypical controls.
• Increasing mercury-poisoning severity, as indicated by the UPPA results, was associated with lower
glutathione levels among the patients diagnosed with an ASD.

Based upon these findings, the researchers concluded, “ASDs may result from a combination of genetic/
biochemical susceptibilities in the form of a reduced ability to excrete mercury and/or increased environ-
mental exposures at key developmental times.”

The Autism Research Institute, the non-profit CoMeD, Inc., and, through a grant from the Brenen Hornstein
Autism Research & Education (BHARE) Foundation, the non-profit Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc.
funded this research study.

Today, any parent, physician, or healthcare provider can easily confirm whether or not a non-chelated child
diagnosed with an ASD is mercury poisoned by having UPPA testing run at LabCorp (CLIA-certified, test#
120980) or Laboratoire Philippe Auguste (ISO-certified, 119 Philippe Auguste Avenue, Paris, France
75011). Please, visit CoMeD’s web site, http://www.Mercury-freeDrugs.org for information on how to order
UPPA tests and full copies of some of the many published papers validating the UPPA test.

Your generous tax-free donations will help us to fund additional research, similar to the present study, to
examine mercury’s links to autism and other illnesses, define the causal roles of mercury in the linked
childhood and adult illnesses, and find appropriate curative therapies.

(1)  Geier DA, Kern JK, Garver CR, Adams JB, Audhya T, Nataf R, Geier MR. Biomarkers of environmental toxicity and
susceptibility in autism. J Neurol Sci. 2008 Sep 24. [Epub ahead of print].
(2)  http://www.autismvox.com/new-study-on-heavy-metal-toxicity-and-detoxification-by/
(3)  This new study involved a multi-national collaboration between researchers, including: David A. Geier, Janet K. Kern, PhD, RN,
Carolyn Gavery, PhD, James B. Adams, PhD, Tapan Audhya, PhD, Robert Nataf, MD, and Mark R. Geier, MD, PhD, FABMG,
FACE. These researchers have extensive research backgrounds in medicine, biochemistry and neuroscience, and include
professors from the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas) and Arizona State University (Tempe).
(4) Laboratoire Philippe Auguste and Vitamin Diagnostics performed biochemical testing; Dr. Kern conducted the CARS scoring.

A new study released by The University of Texas demonstrated a clear connection between industrial mercury released and autism. Researchers studied Texas school district data and proximity of children to a mercury emitting site and found the prevalence of autism in the community was reduced the further away it was from the site.

Raymond F. Palmer said the study showed - for the first time in scientific literature - a statistically significant association between autism risk and proximity to the mercury source

Scary stuff. Parents and some in the medical field have, for some time, been concerned about mercury’s connection to autism. This of course led to questions about the mercury used as a preservative in childhood vaccines and its eventual removal…more or less. (more…)

From the Charlotte Observer - High levels of toxic mercury have been found in walleye caught in the Western N.C. lakes of Santeetlah and Fontana, prompting a state health warning.

Mercury occurs naturally but is released into the environment by burning coal, such as in power plants. When it falls into water, it can accumulate in fish. Eating high-mercury fish over time can pose health risks, especially for children and developing fetuses.

N.C. health officials warned pregnant women, women who may become pregnant and children under 15 not to eat walleye from lakes Santeetlah and Fontana. Others should eat no more than one meal of the fish a week.

Health advisories exist for several freshwater fish species caught in the rivers of Eastern North Carolina, and for largemouth bass caught anywhere in the state. For more information: www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/fish or call the N.C. Division of Public Health at 919-707-5900.

By Dr. Rashid A. Buttar, D.O., FACAM, FAAPM, FAAIM

Media reports on the recent studies showing high levels of mercury in various types of seafood have succeeded in scaring people, but few if any of these articles have given people what they need most - sound advice.

Seafood consumption is crucial to the proper development.  Fish like trout, salmon and sardines are among the greatest sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are well-known for being great for the brain and heart.  In addition, many people enjoy eating fish beccause it can be flavorful, relatively light and low in saturated fat.  The seafood industry is also an important part of the US economy.

But we cannot and should not ignore the data. Mercury is a known neurotoxin and is the second most dangerous substance known to humankind. The government has long warned of the dangers of exposure to lead, which has been linked to lower IQ scores and other serious meladies. But there have been comparatively few studies on the health effects from mercury exposure. Still, the studies that have been done make clear that mercury must be avoided. (more…)

WASHINGTON, June 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — “After 32 years of delay, the Food and Drug Administration has finally agreed to comply with the law and set a date to classify mercury amalgam as a substance that poses a health risk to pregnant women and unborn babies, and children. This about-face resulted from settling, earlier this week, our lawsuit, Moms Against Mercury et al. v. Von Eschenbach, Commissioner, et al. The FDA must now finish classification within one year of the close of the public comment period on its amalgam policy, that is, by July 28, 2009. The FDA also agreed to and, with uncharacteristic speed, has already changed its website on mercury amalgam — dramatically. (more…)