Many studies have been done in regard to the heavy metal connection and substance abuse. According to research at the individual level, done through Dartmouth University, the uptake of heavy metals is associated with higher levels of learning disabilities, hyperactivity, substance abuse, violent crimes and other forms of anti-social behavior.

Because alcohol, cocaine and other drugs temporarily restore neurotransmitter functions that are abnormal, substance abuse may often be crude self-medication in response to the effects of the metal toxicity. As an example, lead downregulates dopamine and cocaine is a non-selective dopamine reuptake inhibitor, therefore lead toxicity could increase the risk of cocaine abuse.

Half a dozen people who were substance abusers were analyzed for mineral patterns. For this particular study, a hair analysis was used. The subjects came from different backgrounds, different ethnic persuasions and different types of substance abuse. In all cases, the cadmium levels were above the normal rate, which is less than 0.02mg%. In addition, all but one of the cases showed an elevated level of lead; the ideal being 0.1mg%

A doctor, who practices at a clinic in Nevada, finds this method of testing to be very revealing in regard to heavy metals. When testing an addict she was treating, it was determined that the patient was suffering from elevated aluminum, lead, nickel and beryllium levels.

Interestingly enough, cadmium may be present at birth, passed from the mother through the placenta. It may also be acquired from environmental sources, including tap water, processed foods and occupational exposure. A large contributor of cadmium is cigarette smoking.

Although the dangers of lead poisoning have been known for years, there are a substantial number of people who continue to suffer from lead exposure and symptoms above dangerous levels. Unfortunately, the children have suffered its health effects the most. Even today, there are still at minimum more than four hundred thousand children under the age of six who have too much lead in their blood.

The list of where one can contaminate themselves is lengthy: drinking water, hair dyes, cosmetics, ceramics, deteriorating paint, soil, and renovating and remodeling. Lead paint was commonly used on the interiors and exteriors of our homes until 1978. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, about 38 million homes in the US still contain lead paint that deteriorates and creates a lead-base paint hazard. Did you know that all it takes is the lead dust equivalent of a single grain of salt for a child to register an elevated blood lead level? Lets not forget the past use of leaded gasoline that has only recently been banned in this country. The lead produced by vehicle emissions continues even today to present a hazard from the soil where it was deposited over the years along our roads and highways.