Mercury in Drugs and Environment Linked To Autism

How do mercury emissions affect pregnant mothers,
the unborn and toddlers? Do the level of emissions
impact autism rates? Does it matter whether a
mercury-emitting source is 10 miles away from
families versus 20 miles? Is the risk of autism
greater for children who live closer to the
pollution source?

A newly published study of Texas school district
data and industrial mercury-release data, conducted
by researchers at The University of Texas Health
Science Center at San Antonio, indeed shows a
statistically significant link between pounds of
industrial release of mercury and increased autism
rates. It also shows -- for the first time in
scientific literature -- a statistically significant
association between autism risk and distance from
the mercury source.

"This is not a definitive study, but just one more
that furthers the association between environmental
mercury and autism," said lead author Raymond F.
Palmer, Ph.D., associate professor of family and
community medicine at the UT Health Science Center
San Antonio. The article is in the journal Health
& Place.

Dr. Palmer, Stephen Blanchard, Ph.D., of Our Lady
of the Lake University in San Antonio and Robert
Wood of the UT Health Science Center found that
community autism prevalence is reduced by 1 percent
to 2 percent with each 10 miles of distance from
the pollution source.

"This study was not designed to understand which
individuals in the population are at risk due to
mercury exposure," Dr. Palmer said. "However, it
does suggest generally that there is greater autism
risk closer to the polluting source."

"The study should encourage further investigations
designed to determine the multiple routes of
mercury exposure, including the many childhood
vaccinations that contain over 25 mcg. of mercury,
states Dr. Robert O. Young, a research scientist at
The pH Miracle Living Center.

"The effects of persistent, low-dose exposure to
mercury pollution, in addition to fish consumption,
deserve attention," Dr. Palmer said. "Ultimately,
we will want to know who in the general population
is at greatest risk based on genetic susceptibilities
such as subtle deficits in the ability to detoxify
heavy metals."

"We suspect low-dose exposures to various environmental
toxicants, including mercury, that occur during critical
windows of neural development among genetically
susceptible children may increase the risk for
developmental disorders such as autism," the authors
wrote.

Study highlights:

* Mercury-release data examined were from 39
coal-fired power plants and 56 industrial facilities
in Texas.

* Autism rates examined were from 1,040 Texas school
districts.

* For every 1,000 pounds of mercury released by all
industrial sources in Texas into the environment
in 1998, there was a corresponding 2.6 percent
increase in autism rates in the Texas school
districts in 2002.

* For every 1,000 pounds of mercury released by
Texas power plants in 1998, there was a corresponding
3.7 percent increase in autism rates in Texas school
districts in 2002.

* Autism prevalence diminished 1 percent to 2 percent
for every 10 miles from the source.

* Mercury exposure through fish consumption is well
documented, but very little is known about exposure
routes through air and ground water.

* There is evidence that children and other developing
organisms are more susceptible to neurobiological
effects of mercury.

"We need to be concerned about global mercury emissions
since a substantial proportion of mercury releases
are spread around the world by long-range air and
ocean currents," Dr. Palmer said. "Steps for
controlling and eliminating mercury pollution on
a worldwide basis may be advantageous. This entails
greener, non-mercury-polluting technologies."

Dr. Young states, "mercury is a major acidic
contributor to the body, especially the brain. A baby
would receive 25 µg of mercury in a single 0.5 ml
vaccination does of DPT which is 25 times greater then
the daily allowance of 1.0 µg for a baby that weighs
6 pounds."

"If 8 doses of thimerosal-containing vaccine were
given in the first 6 months of life (3 DPT, 2 HIB
and 3 Hepatitis B) the 200 µg of mercury given,
say an average size of 12 lbs would be about 87 times
greater the the daily allowance of 2.3 µg of mercury
for a baby of that size."

"There is no question in my mind that mercury or
thimerosal contained in many childhood vaccinations
and drugs is a primary contributor to autism in
children and should be avoided at all cost. The mercury
poisoning risk is far greater then the illusionary benefit
of the vaccination."

"There is no scientific proof of the safety
or the effectiveness of drugs and vaccinations.
According to the journal, BMJ Clinical Evidence,
about 2,500 drug treatments offered in
conventional medicine produce the following
results:

1) 13 percent are beneficial to the patient

2) 23 percent are likely to be beneficial

3) 8 percent is a trade-off between benefits
and harm

4) 6 percent are unlikely to be beneficial

5) 4 percent are likely to be ineffective or
harmful, and

6) 46 percent have unknown effectiveness.

There is a 64% risk that the drug or the vaccine
treatment you or your child receive will cause harm,
will be ineffective or may have unknown side-effects."

"The safe and effective way to have health, energy
and vitality is to simply maintain the alkaline
design of the body with an alkaline lifestyle and
diet."

"Health is all about maintaining the delicate alkaline
pH of the blood and tissues," states Dr. Young.

To learn more about alkalizing and exercising go to:
www.articlesofhealth.blogspot.com or read The pH
Miracle, The pH Miracle for Weight Loss and/or
The pH Miracle for Diabetes.