Test Your Levels Before a Heavy Metal Detox

As we begin 2026, the new year offers an opportunity to refocus on what matters most – health, resilience, and prevention. Physician, heal thyself is more than a proverb; it’s a reminder that optimizing our own health enables us to better care for our patients.

One often-overlooked contributor to chronic, nonspecific symptoms is cumulative exposure to toxic metals. These elements can accumulate insidiously over time, contributing to subtle biochemical disruptions that may go unrecognized without targeted testing.

The DiagnosTechs Toxic Metals and Elements Panels provide clinicians with actionable data to identify specific metal burdens in both physicians and their patients. With objective results in hand, detoxification and mitigation strategies can be personalized, evidence-guided, and more effective – moving beyond empiricism to precise, evidence-based care.

This year, don’t guess – test!

Which clinical conditions may be influenced by toxic metal exposure, and how might identifying these burdens change your diagnostic and therapeutic approach in 2026?

Here’s a summary of health concerns associated with exposure to toxic and heavy metals*:

Acne

• Cadmium¹
• Lead^1,2
• Lithium^3,4
• Mercury²

ADHD

• Arsenic⁵
• Cadmium⁵
• Lead^6-11
• Mercury⁵

Allergies

• Antimony¹³
• Arsenic^12,13,14
• Cadmium^13,15,16
• Chromium¹⁴
• Lead^13-20
• Mercury^13,14
• Molybdenum¹³
• Tungsten^13,20
• Uranium¹³

Alopecia, Hair Loss

• Arsenic²¹
• Cadmium²²
• Cobalt²²
• Copper²²
• Lead²²
• Lithium³
• Mercury²¹
• Selenium Toxicity²¹
• Thallium²¹

Alzheimer’s Disease

• Aluminum^23-29
• Arsenic^30,31
• Cadmium^32,33
• Copper³⁴
• Mercury^35-38

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

• Aluminum^39-41
• Arsenic^40,41
• Cadmium^39-41
• Chromium⁴¹
• Cobalt^39,41
• Copper^39,41
• Lead^39-42
• Manganese⁴¹
• Mercury^40,41
• Nickel⁴¹
• Uranium^39-41
• Vanadium⁴¹

Anemia

• Aluminum^43-45
• Arsenic^46,47
• Cadmium⁴⁸
• Lead^49-52

Anxiety

• Antimony⁵³
• Arsenic⁵⁴
• Cadmium^53,55
• Cobalt⁵³
• Lead^56-58
• Tungsten⁵³
• Uranium⁵³

Arrhythmias

• Aluminum^59,60
• Arsenic^61-63
• Lithium⁶⁴

Asthma

• Aluminum^45,65
• Arsenic^66,67
• Cadmium^68-71
• Chromium^65,71
• Cobalt^70,65
• Copper^71,72
• Lead^68,73,74
• Manganese⁷⁵
• Mercury⁶⁸
• Molybdenum⁷¹
• Nickel^65,72,76
• Platinum⁶⁵
• Uranium^71,77

Atherosclerosis

• Antimony⁷⁸
• Arsenic^61,63,78-81
• Barium⁷⁸
• Cadmium^80,81
• Cesium⁷⁸
• Lead^80,81
• Mercury⁸²
• Thallium⁷⁸

Autism

• Aluminum^23,29,83,84
• Antimony⁸³
• Arsenic^5,83-86
• Barium⁸³
• Cadmium^{5,83,84,85,87}
• Cobalt⁸⁶
• Copper⁸⁶
• Lead^{5,83,84,85,86,87}
• Manganese^5,86
• Mercury^{5,83,85,88,89}
• Nickel⁸⁶
• Thallium⁸³
• Tin⁸³
• Tungsten⁸³
• Vanadium⁸⁶
• Zirconium⁸³

Autoimmune Disease

• Antimony⁹⁰
• Arsenic⁹¹
• Cadmium⁹⁰
• Lead⁹⁰
• Mercury⁹²
• Palladium⁹³
• Tungsten⁹⁰
• Uranium⁹⁰

Bone disorders

• Aluminum^{23,43,44, 45,94}
• Antimony⁹⁵
• Arsenic^46,94,96
• Cadmium^94,96-99
• Chromium⁹⁴
• Lead⁹⁷
• Nickel¹⁰⁰
• Tungsten⁹⁶

Cancer

• Aluminum^23,101
• Arsenic^65,101-104
• Beryllium^65,101
• Cadmium^{98,65,101,104,105}
• Chromium^65,103,104
• Lead^101,104,106
• Mercury^101,102,107
• Nickel^{65,101,103,106}
• Uranium^108,109

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

• Arsenic^110,111
• Cadmium^98,110-112
• Lead^110,111
• Thallium¹¹³

Cognitive Dysfunction

• Aluminum²³
• Arsenic^54,114
• Barium^115,116
• Cadmium^114-117
• Cesium¹¹⁶
• Cobalt¹¹⁶
• Lead^114,115,117
• Manganese¹¹⁶
• Thallium¹¹⁶
• Tungsten^114,115

Cough

• Arsenic¹²
• Cadmium¹¹⁸
• Chromium¹¹⁸
• Lead¹¹⁸
• Manganese¹¹⁸

Depression

• Aluminum¹¹⁹
• Antimony¹²⁰
• Arsenic^{54,102,119,121}
• Cadmium¹¹⁹
• Lead^{56,58,119,121}
• Manganese¹²²
• Mercury¹¹⁹
• Tin¹²²

Dermatitis, Eczema

• Antimony^123-125
• Arsenic^125-127
• Cadmium^128,129
• Chromium¹²⁵
• Cobalt¹³⁰
• Lead^125,128
• Lithium³
• Mercury¹²⁹
• Nickel^128,131
• Vanadium¹³²

Diabetes

• Aluminum²³
• Antimony¹³³
• Arsenic^134,135
• Barium¹³³
• Cadmium^98,134,136
• Lead¹³⁵
• Mercury¹³⁵
• Molybdenum¹³³
• Nickel^137-139
• Tin^135,140
• Tungsten¹³³
• Uranium¹³³

Endometriosis

• Arsenic¹⁴¹
• Cadmium ^141-144
• Copper^145,146
• Lead^141,144
• Mercury¹⁴¹
• Nickel¹⁴⁷

Erectile Dysfunction

• Antimony¹⁴⁸
• Cadmium¹⁴⁹
• Cobalt¹⁴⁸
• Lithium¹⁵⁰

Fatigue (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)

• Cadmium¹⁵¹
• Lead¹⁵²
• Mercury^153,154
• Nickel^151,154
• Palladium^151,154
• Platinum¹⁵⁴
• Tin¹⁵⁴
• Titanium¹⁵⁴

Fibromyalgia

• Cadmium^92,155
• Lead^92,155
• Mercury^92,155
• Nickel^92,155

Gastrointestinal Symptoms & Disorders

• Aluminum^44,45
• Arsenic¹⁵⁶
• Lead^{51,152,157,158}

Gout

• Cadmium⁹²
• Lead⁹²
• Mercury⁹²

Headaches/Migraines

• Arsenic¹⁵⁹
• Cadmium¹⁶⁰
• Cobalt¹⁵⁹
• Gadolinium¹⁶¹
• Lead¹⁵⁹
• Mercury¹⁶²
• Nickel¹⁵⁹

Hearing Loss

• Arsenic¹²
• Cadmium¹⁶³
• Gadolinium¹⁶¹
• Lead^11,163
• Platinum^164-166

Heart Failure

• Aluminum¹⁶⁷
• Arsenic^62,167,168
• Cadmium^80,167-170
• Lead¹⁶⁷

Hypertension

• Antimony^171-173
• Arsenic^{12,79,80, 171-175}
• Cadmium^80,174,176
• Cesium^172,173
• Cobalt¹⁷¹
• Lead^{51,80,171,173,175-177}
• Mercury¹⁷⁴
• Molybdenum^172,173,175
• Platinum¹⁷²
• Tin¹⁷³
• Tungsten^171-173

Infertility

• Arsenic¹⁷⁸
• Cadmium^179-184
• Copper^180,185
• Lead^{180,181,186,187}
• Mercury^188-190
• Nickel^191,192

Insomnia

• Aluminum¹⁹³
• Arsenic^12,194
• Copper¹⁹⁵
• Manganese¹⁹⁵
• Mercury^195,196

Insulin Resistance

• Aluminum¹⁹⁷
• Antimony¹³³
• Arsenic¹⁹⁸
• Barium^133,199
• Cadmium^136,200,201
• Molybdenum¹³³
• Nickel ²⁰²

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome / Disorder (MCAS / MCAD)

• Aluminum^203-205
• Cadmium²⁰⁶
• Mercury^207,208

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD, formerly NAFLD)

• Arsenic^209,210
• Barium²¹¹
• Cadmium^211,212
• Cesium²¹¹
• Mercury ^212-214
• Thallium²¹¹
• Uranium²¹¹

Menstrual Disorders

• Cadmium^210,215-217
• Lead²¹⁸
• Mercury^188,219,220

Metabolic Syndrome

• Arsenic²⁰¹
• Cadmium^201,221-223
• Cesium²²⁴
• Lead^{201,223,225,226}
• Mercury^201,220,223

Miscarriage

• Arsenic²²⁷
• Cadmium^188,228,229
• Lead^227-229
• Mercury^188,220,230

Multiple Sclerosis

• Aluminum^29,231-235
• Arsenic²³⁶
• Cadmium^235-237
• Copper²³⁵
• Lead^234,235
• Lithium²³⁵
• Manganese²³⁵
• Mercury²³⁴

Nephrotic Syndrome

• Aluminum⁴⁵
• Arsenic¹¹³
• Cadmium¹¹³
• Lead¹¹³
• Mercury^113,238,239

Neuropathy

• Arsenic^12,240-242
• Cadmium^32,243-245
• Copper²⁴⁶
• Lead²⁴⁶
• Lithium²⁴⁶
• Mercury^162,246
• Thallium²⁴⁶

Obesity

• Aluminum^247-249
• Antimony²⁵⁰
• Barium^{249, 251}
• Cadmium²⁵²
• Cobalt²⁴⁹
• Lead^212,252,253
• Manganese^253,249
• Mercury^{212,249,251-254}
• Thallium²⁴⁹
• Tin^255,256

Osteoarthritis

• Cadmium⁹²
• Lead⁹²
• Mercury²⁵⁷

Overactive Bladder

• Antimony²⁵⁸
• Cadmium^258,259-261
• Cobalt^258,260
• Lead^258-261
• Mercury²⁵⁹
• Uranium²⁶⁰

Pain

• Aluminum²⁶²
• Arsenic^102,263
• Cadmium²⁶⁴
• Gadolinium¹⁶¹
• Lead²⁶⁵
• Mercury^266,267
• Nickel²⁶⁸

Parathyroid Disorders

• Aluminum^44,45
• Cadmium^269,270
• Lead²⁷¹

Parkinson’s Disease

• Aluminum^{28,29,272,273}
• Arsenic^30,31
• Cadmium^32,274
• Cobalt²⁷²
• Copper^{272,273, 275}
• Iron^272,273,275
• Lead^{272,273,275-278}
• Manganese^272,275,273
• Mercury^272,275
• Molybdenum²⁷⁴
• Thallium²⁷³
• Uranium²⁷⁴
• Zinc^272,273

PCOS

• Antimony^279-281
• Arsenic^282-284
• Barium^283,284
• Cadmium^281-284
• Lead^281,282,284
• Mercury^220,281-284
• Thallium²⁸⁰

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

• Cadmium²⁸⁵
• Lead²⁸⁵

Psoriasis

• Antimony²⁸⁶
• Arsenic¹⁵⁶
• Barium²⁸⁶
• Cadmium^286-288
• Cesium²⁸⁶
• Chromium²⁸⁸
• Lead²⁸⁸
• Lithium^3,289
• Nickel²⁸⁸
• Uranium²⁸⁶

Pulmonary Disease (see also Asthma above)

• Aluminum^23,290
• Antimony²⁹¹
• Arsenic^66,292
• Beryllium²⁹³
• Cadmium^32,294,295
• Lead^294-296
• Manganese^291,294
• Mercury^291,295,297
• Nickel³²

Renal Disease (see also Nephrotic Syndrome and Chronic Kidney Disease above)

• Aluminum^298-301
• Arsenic³²
• Cadmium^32,65
• Lead^65,302-304
• Mercury^65,238
• Platinum ³⁰⁵

Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Antimony⁹⁰
• Cadmium^90,92
• Lead^90,92
• Mercury²⁵⁷
• Tungsten⁹⁰
• Uranium⁹⁰

Seizure

• Aluminum^306-308
• Antimony³⁰⁶
• Arsenic³⁰⁶
• Cadmium^306,309
• Cobalt³⁰⁶
• Copper³⁰⁶
• Lead³⁰⁶
• Manganese³⁰⁶
• Mercury³⁰⁶
• Nickel³⁰⁶

Sleep Disorders

• Aluminum³¹⁰
• Antimony^311,312
• Arsenic^12,54
• Cadmium^310,313-315
• Cesium³¹⁵
• Lead^{310,314,316-318}
• Manganese^310,319-322
• Mercury^323-329
• Uranium^330,331

Stroke

• Arsenic^80,332
• Cadmium^80,332-334
• Copper ³³⁴
• Lead^80,332,334
• Mercury^332,333

Systemic Sclerosis

• Aluminum³³⁵
• Antimony^92,336,337
• Cadmium^92,335-337
• Lead^92,335-337
• Mercury^92,335-337
• Molybdenum³³⁷
• Palladium^{92, 337}

Thyroid Disease

• Aluminum¹⁰¹
• Antimony^101,338
• Arsenic^101,339
• Cadmium^{101,338,340-347}
• Chromium ^340,345
• Cobalt³³⁹
• Copper³⁴⁵
• Lead^{101,338,340-342,344,345,347-349}
• Lithium³⁵⁰
• Manganese³⁴¹
• Mercury ^{101,339,341,351}
• Nickel¹⁰¹
• Palladium⁹³
• Tin³⁴⁸
• Uranium³⁵²

Uterine Fibroids (Uterine Leiomyomas/Leiomyomata)

• Cadmium^353-355
• Lead³⁵³
• Mercury^353,354,356

Vision Changes

• Arsenic^12,54
• Cadmium^357-359
• Gadolinium¹⁶¹
• Lead^357,358
• Mercury³⁵⁷
• Tin³⁵⁸
• Tungsten^358,360

Test for Heavy Metals with DiagnosTechs Laboratory

Test for current exposure to and the approximate stored levels of up to 36 different metals and elements with the Toxic Metals and Elements (TME) Test Panels.

DiagnosTechs offers six different TME Test Panels:

• Salivary Metals and Elements (SMETALS)
• Urinary Metals and Elements (UMETALS)
• Salivary and Urinary Metals and Elements Combo Panel (CMETALS)
• Timed Salivary Metals and Elements (TSMETALS)
• Timed Urinary Metals and Elements (TUMETALS)
• Timed Salivary and Urinary Metals and Elements Combo (TCMETALS)

The regular (single collection) TME Panels assess baseline current exposure levels to metals and elements rather than the stored or past exposure.

The Timed TME Panels are designed for use with a chelating or provoking agent, which mobilizes the stored pool of toxic metals to assess the approximate body burden when compared to the baseline exposure levels.

Discover the specific metals affecting health with Toxic Metals and Elements Test Panels, allowing you and your patients to take targeted & effective steps to reduce exposure and follow a personalized, evidence-based treatment plan.

*Please note that an association does not confirm causation or suggest that reducing exposure to a specific element will resolve a health concern. Additional elements could be associated with some of the health concerns, as well as health concerns not listed. The summary above is not exhaustive.

Link to a PDF version of this article.

References:

Link to references