Which heavy metals and toxins are responsible for autism?

Occurring naturally in the environment, heavy metals can be either beneficial for the proper functioning of the body or neurotoxic, wreaking havoc on the brain and nervous system. Magnesium, zinc, and selenium are some good heavy metals, while arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury are dangerous even in trace amounts. However, it is noteworthy that a high concentration of beneficial heavy metals in the blood can also become detrimental to our health.

Infants and toddlers are vulnerable to the negative health consequences of exposure to the heavy metals lurking in baby food, as they have a higher uptake of nutrients by the gastrointestinal tract and underdeveloped detoxification systems. The congressional report made public in the winter of 2021 found seven major baby food manufacturers to exceed the safe arsenic limit by 91 times, the maximum limit for cadmium by 69 times, the safe lead limit by 177 times, and the maximum limit for mercury by 5 times.

Although baby food companies do not intentionally add heavy metals to their products, the reason why these neurotoxins are present in infant and toddler food is the failure of these manufacturers to test their raw ingredients and finished products - negligence, in other words. Crops such as wheat, rice, barley, sweet potatoes, carrots, and quinoa absorb heavy metals from the soil and water and, often, from pesticides. When baby food companies do not source their raw ingredients from farmers who practice organic agriculture, their finished products end up containing tremendous concentrations of heavy metals.

How do heavy metals lead to the development of autism?

As neurotoxins, heavy metals accumulate in children's bodies, and the greater their blood concentration of arsenic, cadmium, lead, or mercury, the higher their chance of developing a form of autism becomes. Exposure to heavy metals from ingesting baby food for a long time can result in the following neurodevelopmental disorders:

• Kanner's syndrome
• childhood disintegrative disorder
• Asperger's syndrome
• pervasive developmental disorder

The heavy metals children ingest from toxic baby food can cross the blood-brain barrier and eventually accumulate in the cerebral matter, which refers to the brain's white and gray matter. Once inside the brain, these neurotoxins create free radicals, which, in turn, lead to the production of oxidative stress. Free radicals are unstable atoms that can take a toll on cells, causing serious health problems and premature aging.

The disruption in the balance between the production of free radicals and antioxidant defenses is known as oxidative stress, and it can be very dangerous, especially to children, as it can damage proteins, DNA, and cells. As evidence supporting the link between oxidative stress and autism, numerous children on the spectrum share a chronic flaw in the body's natural defenses against free radicals.

Lead and mercury are perhaps the most harmful metals to children's neurodevelopment. While high concentrations of lead in the body of children may cause infrastructural and metabolic abnormalities within the structures of the nervous system, high mercury levels in the cerebellar areas of the brain are associated with neurotrophin-3, a marker of oxidative stress. Finally, exposure to heavy metals, both from baby food and from the environment, creates inflammation in the body, which can also contribute to the development of autism.

The most dangerous heavy metals found in baby food that may cause autism

Currently, 1 in 36 children struggles with autism across the United States. The rate of autism has increased from 1.16% in 2007 to 2.3% in 2018.

One of the most relevant contributing factors is toxic baby food, as a 2019 study led by the non-profit organization Healthy Babies Bright Futures revealed that up to 95% of the infant and toddler food on the market contains at least one heavy metal of concern.

The following are the most dangerous heavy metals that contribute to the development of autism in children:

• Arsenic: This heavy metal ranks first on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's priority list of hazardous substances. Exposure to arsenic may have negative effects on brain development and lead to deficits in cognitive function and behavioral performance in children, both hallmarks of autism. Children with autism who participated in studies concerning the link between arsenic exposure and the disorder were found to have higher concentrations of this heavy metal in their hair and blood compared with neurotypical children.
• Cadmium: Cadmium levels can be measured in the blood, urine, nail, hair, and saliva samples. As is the case with arsenic, this heavy metal was found to be present in greater amounts in the blood and hair and children on the autism spectrum than in those without such a disorder. In addition to baby food, children may be exposed to considerable levels of cadmium if they live with smokers, as cigarette smoke contains this heavy metal.
• Lead: A 2020 study published in the medical journal Clinical Pediatrics described a case series of 17 children with both lead poisoning and pervasive developmental disorder. It also found that children on the autism spectrum have higher lead blood levels than their neurotypical counterparts. Other lead sources besides toxic baby food include old paint, folk medicine, cosmetics, food containers, some inks, and even toys. Multiple studies have highlighted that exposure to lead may play a role in the development of autism. Furthermore, this metal has been shown to be one of the most prevalent when it comes to heavy metal exposure associated with neurological deficits.
• Mercury: The relationship between mercury exposure and autism was explored in a study published in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. After analyzing 91 studies on this subject, the vast majority - more specifically 74% - suggested that mercury is a risk factor for autism, having both direct and indirect effects on neurodevelopment. Moreover, the top ten environmental toxins suspected of causing autism and learning disabilities included lead and mercury.

In addition to these four heavy metals that lurk in baby food at the moment, there are numerous others that are able to cause irreversible neurodevelopmental damage to children, such as hexavalent chromium and beryllium. Even so, the complete list of dangerous heavy metals is very long, but luckily, most are not found in places that parents and their children usually go or in objects they typically use.

Exposure to environmental toxins and the development of autism

Even though heavy metals from baby food are the most dangerous source of neurotoxins that can lead to autism in children, we should not underestimate the detrimental health effects of environmental toxins, which, unfortunately, cannot be avoided in most cases.

The following are the most common toxins in the environment, which have been found to contribute to the development of autism spectrum disorders:

• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• polybrominated diphenyl ethers

• polychlorinated biphenyls
• perfluorinated compounds
• automotive exhaust
• toluene

A review of multiple studies published in Translational Psychiatry suggests a link between autism and environmental toxins, which can lead to neurotoxicity and subsequent neurological and psychiatric symptoms in children who develop the disorder. This is because exposure to environmental toxins during the neurodevelopment period may cause alterations in normal developmental patterns and impaired neurotransmitter function. Environmental toxins also increase oxidative stress, which, as previously explained, occurs in most children on the spectrum.

Our specialized attorneys will help you recover compensation if your child developed autism

In the unfortunate case that you fed your infant or toddler baby food with heavy metals, we strongly encourage you to contact our resourceful and experienced attorneys, as they will assist you with obtaining compensation from the liable manufacturers.

All we will need from you is evidence of you having given your child toxic baby food, their medical records stating that they have a diagnosis of Kanner's syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, Asperger's syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorder, and other easy-to-get documents.

After we gather everything our legal team needs from you, you can carry on with your life as usual, as your involvement in the process will be minimal. We will file a claim with the responsible baby food companies on behalf of your child, as we specialize in toxic exposure. Eventually, you will receive the maximum compensation you are eligible for, which will help you cover some of the costs of caring for your child, as we are aware that children with autism often require special care and a lot of medical attention. Lastly, it is important to know that we work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you will not have to pay us anything unless we recover the money you deserve.