MT Proteins & Mercury Poisioning

[Guest guest]

I've just read an article about the impairment of metallothionein (MT)

proteins which are essential for ridding the body of certain toxins. These

proteins regulate metal metabolism, and if malfunctioning could be the cause

of autism. The article goes on to say that 99% of the autistic children they

studied showed a chemical imbalance in blood levels of copper and zinc,

suggesting that the protein family that regulates the use of these two metals

is malfunctioning. The suspect metallothionein (MT) proteins control brain

cell development and, as stated above, are essential for ridding the body of

certain toxins.

I am a bit confused. Is mercury poisioning a result of this errant protein?

I ask this because, if I understand our physician correctly, we are pursuing

chelation mainly because our son's urine lipid peroxides are high and reduced

glutathione is low. (Our son is 8 years old making blood, urine, stool and

hair analysis tests for mercury poisioning obsolete.) However, his zinc and

copper levels fall within the reference range. If this MT protein is the

cause of mercury poisioning, then it would not make sense for us to be doing

chelation. I will certainly ask our physician about it, but wanted to hear

what Andy or anyone here knows.

Thank you all for the wonderful information you provide (especially to those

of us who are just starting to pursue this).

Yours,

Mickey