Throughout the year, people need MRIs for many different reasons. Some of these reasons have to do with injuries and some with autoimmune conditions such s Multiple Sclerosis. However, sometimes there are ways to enhance imaging, in making the picture of the MRI better. These doctors will often use an agent to help them see the MRI better, and this agent contains gadolinium. Unfortunately, recent evidence has suggested this might not be the best thing to do.
To start, one must understand what gadolinium is. Gadolinium is one of Earth’s elements, with it coming in the rare metal section. The majority of gadolinium that is found in the wild is oxidized, meaning it has bonded with another element. It then needs to be separated in order to be used for the agents (or dyes) that are used during MRIs. That is why doctors use it in dyes to assist with MRIs.
If gadolinium is used by itself, it is very toxic. It is still toxic, even when combined with other compounds to create the agent. The biggest reason that this substance remains toxic is that it has been found to stay in the brain of many of the patients who have been exposed. While medical experts who use the dye expect the kidney to process it out of the body, studies have found that is not always the case, leaving a toxic substance in the brain.
Some doctors and the companies that produce the different gadolinium-based agents state that the only people who have to worry are those with poor kidney functions. More and more patients are going against those claims. Not only has the toxic element been found in brain tissue, but it has also been discovered in patients’ breasts, livers, and even thighs. These leftover deposits can have extremely harmful consequences.
Those that have been exposed and have those leftover deposits fall into two categories: acute and long-term sufferers. The acute sufferers have only just begun to experience the side-effects, which can start as soon as one month after the initial MRI. Some of these symptoms are aches and pains, muscle & skin issues (including itchiness). Oftentimes, these symptoms occur where the MRI was held. Long-term sufferers face those same problems, but can be affected in more severe ways. Those people have had problems with their eyesight, ear, nose, and throat problems, and worst of all is the cognitive issues. Some have seen that they fail to remember simple tasks because the gadolinium has remained in the brain tissue.
Despite all of this, there is some good news. There are ways to help deal with these problems, and detoxify the gadolinium from the cells. At our center, we are well versed in helping patients detoxify from this particular issue. We use various oral supplements along with specific IV therapy protocols & chelation, in order to get patients to detoxify this substance out of their system. We use a combination of calcium EDTA, glutathione, and vitamin C. Calcium EDTA is a chemical that binds to heavy metals and helps to remove them out of the body. Glutathione is a critical antioxidant that helps all the cells in your body to detoxify. Vitamin C is used to boost immune cells, and reduce inflammation in the chelation process.
If you have experienced gadolinium toxicity because of your MRI, we can evaluate your case and offer our expertise and get you back on the road to optimal health.
