Categories: Toxicity

Nickel Toxicity

Symptoms

Excess amount of nickel may cause skin rashes and respiratory illness and interfere with enzymes in the Kreb’s cycle. Significant levels of nickel may also contribute to myocardial infarction, a disease of the coronary vessels, kidney dysfunction, heart attack, cancer- oral, cancer- intestinal, skin problems, nausea, vomiting, hemorrhages, malaise, low blood pressure, muscle tremors, tetany and paralysis. Nickel has a tendency to accumulate in the kidneys. Hormone, lipid and membrane metabolism – it is believed that nickel has some physiological role related to these functions. Toxicity is the main concern here, not from elemental nickel or the nickel found in foods but from inhaled nickel carbonyl, a carcinogenic gas that results from the reaction of nickel with heated carbon monoxide, from cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and some industrial wastes.

Nickel carbonyl is toxic and can cause symptoms such as frontal headaches, nausea, vomiting, or vertigo with acute exposure. Inhaled nickel accumulates in the lungs and has been associated with increased rates of lung, nasal, and laryngeal cancers. Nickel allergy can also cause local skin or systemic reactions. The nickel in jewelry, dental materials, or prosthetic joints or heart valves may also be allergenic sources. Low Nickel can lead to decreased growth, dermatitis, pigment changes, decreased reproduction capacities, and compromised liver function. Increased sweating, such as from exercise, can cause nickel losses.

Sources of Nickel Toxicity

cooking utensils, hydrogenated fats and oils, refined and processed foods, stainless steel cookware, superphosphate fertilizers, tobacco smoke, ceramics.

Nutritional Support

Recovery, selenium, increase sulfur bearing amino acids with beans, eggs, onions and garlic (amino acids – cystine, and methionine), ascorbic acid, tocopherols. Patients can go through a nickel detoxification and simply think they had a mild case of the flu. The two or three week process does not usually restrict their life style. Vitamin C is commonly used to remove it.

Interaction Chart

Chart, Toxic and Nutritional Elements

Author: Maureen Fontaine