test Details

Heavy Metal Toxicity, Essential Nutrients Inadequacy

The Elements 22 Test is conducted to test the amount of 14 heavy metals and 8 nutrient elements present in the body.

Heavy metals are the ones that have a higher atomic weight and are found to be denser than water. They are required by our body to perform certain biological functions to maintain its well-being. However, when they exceed their required amount, they can lead to hazardous and severe health conditions.

In addition to the amount, not all heavy metals are required by the body. Some heavy metals are very toxic in nature and should not be present in the body at all. However, due to the rising levels of pollution in the environment, these toxic elements end up entering our bodies. When their amount increases, the body starts exhibiting the consequences.

The non-essential and toxic heavy metals can trick our bodies by mimicking the characteristics of required heavy metals. This leads to disruptions in carrying out various enzymatic and other biochemical processes in the body.

Your healthcare practitioner may suggest you take the Elements 22 Test to make sure that your body is functioning well without any toxic elements causing any harm.

In India, the rising levels of pollution especially in the industrial and urban areas can be owed to the rapid increase in urbanisation and industrialisation. With an increase in mining activities and the usage of harmful chemicals in industries, many toxic elements have found a way to enter our food chain. This introduction of toxic elements in our environment has put a lot of people at increased exposure to such harmful elements. In a study conducted in India, it was reported that over 65% of the total samples collected (442) from various water bodies, were unsafe due to the widespread presence of heavy metals. This water usually finds its way to our homes.

So, getting tested for the presence of toxic elements with the help of the Elements 22 Test is a wise step, especially if you live in an environment where your exposure to such elements is more.

Other Names of the Elements 22 Test

• Toxic Elements 22 Test
• Toxic and Nutrients Profile

What Does the Elements 22 Test Detect/Measure and who is this Prescribed for?

The Elements 22 test is made use of in the following circumstances:

• Diagnosis of Heavy Metal Toxicity

Heavy Metal Toxicity is the result of a large accumulation (beyond the recommended clinical range) of toxic heavy metals in the body. This can be due to increased exposure to toxic elements either in your diet or in the air (in the form of pollutants).

The Elements 22 Test is used for the diagnosis of this health condition because it directly measures the amount of heavy toxic metals in the blood sample.

• Observing advancements in Chelation Therapy

Chelation Therapy makes use of strong chemicals for extracting high amounts of toxic elements present in the body. This therapy is risky and is only suggested to people with severe cases of metal toxicity.

To monitor whether the therapy is working towards depleting the amount of heavy toxic metals in the body, the Elements 22 test can be useful.

• Measuring the dietary adequacy of nutrient elements

The Elements 22 test does not only test the amount of heavy toxic metals in the body. It also tests the amount of essential and nutrient elements present in the body. Any deficiency of these essential elements can lead to the development of various deficiency health disorders.

So, to analyse whether or not your diet is sufficient to meet your body’s nutrient elements needs, your doctor may ask you to go for the Elements 22 test.

You may also be asked to get the Elements 22 test done if you show any of the following symptoms:

• Experiencing sharp pain in the abdominal area.
• The appearance of Mees lines (they are horizontal lines on the nails).
• Frequently vomiting and experiencing nausea.
• Nervous system complications like experiencing numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
• Recurring or persistent fever with chills.
• Persistent diarrhoea.
• Weakness in bones and muscles.
• Loss of memory and having trouble concentrating well.
• Persistent headache and fatigue.
• Signs of kidney damage or renal failure.
• Oedema is a condition where fluid gets accumulated in your lungs.
• Irregular heartbeat.

The Elements 22 test can be suggested to any gender and age group.

You should refer to the following table for the clinical range of various elements in your body.

For heavy toxic metals reference ranges:

For nutrient elements reference ranges:

The Elements 22 test can be done by making use of both: The Elements 22 Test blood sample, as well as the Elements 22 Test urine sample.

Test Preparation for the Elements 22 Test

If you have opted for giving your Elements 22 test blood sample, then you may be required to undergo fasting for about 10-12 hours. You must confirm this with your lab because only some labs recommend fasting before giving the blood sample for this test.

You should avoid eating seafood for at least two days before giving your sample because this can cause a temporary spike in the levels of certain nutrient elements.

If you are giving your Elements 22 Test urine sample, you will be required to collect your urine sample over a period of 24 hours. The containers will be provided by the lab and you will have to collect your urine in those containers every time you urinate during those 24 hours.

In some cases, your doctor may require you to give a liver tissue sample and/or a kidney tissue sample as well for conducting the Elements 22 test. The procedure of collecting these samples through a biopsy has its own set of risks involved: bruising, heavy bleeding, infection, etc.

Elements 22 Test Inclusions: What Parameters Are Included?

The Elements 22 test parameters include the following:

• Elements 22 test is used for testing the levels of the following 14 toxic heavy metals in the body: Aluminium, Barium, Caesium, Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Bismuth, Mercury, Beryllium, Tin, Antimony, Thallium, Strontium, and Uranium.

These toxic elements are not good for your body and should not exceed a pre-specified range.

• The Elements 22 Test also tests the present levels of eight nutrient elements in your body. These elements are needed by the body to perform day-to-day functions and should neither be present in excess nor in deficit. These eight nutrient elements included in the Elements 22 Test are Cobalt, Molybdenum, Selenium, Manganese, Chromium, Vanadium, Silver, and Nickel.

• Elements 22 Test results can be influenced by factors like age, gender and a record of any pre-existing health disorder. So, it is best to talk with your doctor about receiving the test results, for interpreting the test results as per your body.

• The choice of Elements 22 Test sample type: blood or urine, can also give different results. Out of the two, the blood sample type is more likely to give accurate test results because it doesn’t get much affected by certain external factors. Whereas, the urine sample type can get affected by such factors (eg: dehydration).

How Frequently Should You Take the Elements 22 Test?

Your doctor may suggest you go for the Elements 22 Test as a part of your routine health check-up. This will help monitor how well your body is functioning and whether or not it is at risk because of the presence of any toxic elements.

In case you are having a pre-existing health condition, or are living a lifestyle that exposes you more to toxic elements, then your doctor may ask you to get the Elements 22 Test done more frequently than your routine check-up.