Michael C Biamonte CCN

WHAT IS IT?

Depleted uranium (DU) is non radio-active. It has been widely applied in industrial and military activities, and is often obtained from producing fuel for nuclear reactors. DU may be released into the environment, polluting air, soil, and water, and is considered to exert both radiological and chemical toxicity. In humans and animals, DU can induce multiple health effects, such as renal tubular necrosis and bone malignancies. This review summarizes the known information on DU’s routes of entry, mechanisms of toxicity, and health effects..

WORLD WIDE EFFECTS

DU may be released into the environment as it is mined, processed, and applied. East Germany and Czechoslovakia released one billion tons of uranium-mined ores and residues into soil and surface waters between 1945 and 1989 [4]. NATO forces used DU weapons against Serbian heavy infantry in the Kosovo conflict in 1999, and more than 9 tons of DU was used in the war, raising concerns worldwide [5]. DU weapons have also been in other wars, including the Persian Gulf War and the Balkans conflicts. The physical half-life of DU exceeds 4.49 × 109 years, and it can remain in soil and groundwater a long time, affecting local ecosystems [3].

IN THE U.S.

For many years I have observed that patients coming to me with a variety of health problems had elevated DU in the hair mineral tests. The hair mineral test is the best way to determine elevated tissue of cellular levels of DU. Urine test are the best to determine excretion of DU as most of it travels to the kidneys and is then excreted into the urine. Doctors Date inc does a urine test for heavy metal that we use to measure excretion of DU. Blood tests are the least accurate as the body will quickly clear the DU from the blood and store and hide it in the tissues to prevent any immediate damage from it. If your doctor is foolish enough to only trust blood tests he will never detect the DU in your body.

In the US I have observed that patients from New Hampshire, New Mexico, Montana, Neveda, Colorado and Arizona consistently will have high levels of DU in their hair tests.

DU enters the body via inhalation, ingestion, or dermal contact, damaging tissue. Both acute and chronic exposures can produce adverse effects, but chemical toxicity mainly ensues from acute exposure, and the kidney is its most vulnerable target.

Regardless of entry route, DU will enter general circulation and bind to target organs. After intravenous injection, approximately 50% of DU is excreted in the urine, 25% can accumulate in the bone, and the remaining 25% in the soft tissues [23]. Urinary excretion accounts for 60–86% of the absorbed dose, while 1–2% of DU is removed through feces

Renal toxicity
The kidney is considered the organ most vulnerable to soluble DU compounds. Absorbed uranium is filtered through the glomerulus and is then bound to sites of the epithelial brush border in the proximal tubules DU can disrupt the electron transfer chain, leading to ROS formation, lipid peroxidation, glutathione oxidation, and subsequent mitochondrial damage in proximal tubules.

Bone toxicity
Bone is known to accumulate uranium over long periods, and growing bone surfaces are a major target. DU shortens bones by altering the structure of the trabecular zone, promoting bone resorption, and inhibiting bone formation.

Hepatotoxicity
DU enters the bloodstream rapidly after exposure, but little is retained in the liver, a major organ for the storage and detoxification of heavy metals No clear histological alterations have been observed in the livers of DU-exposed rats, although the levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase did increase following a chronic exposure to.

Lung toxicity
Respiration is considered the major route of DU exposure. Inhalation of DU aerosols, especially insoluble DU aerosols retained in lung tissue and nearby lymph nodes, can cause damage, such as emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis, and may lead to lung cancer.

Neurotoxicity
The brain is a target organ of heavy metals such as manganese, mercury, zinc, and lead. DU may also impair cerebral functions, but how DU enters and accumulates in the brain is unclear.

Immunotoxicity
The immune system is also sensitive to chronic DU exposure [50], which may result in autoimmune disease, infectious diseases, and cancer. Multiple studies have confirmed that immune cells are affected by DU.

Furthermore, a non-cytotoxic DU dose may damage the immune functions by modulating the expression of genes, involving interleukin activity, signal transduction, neurotrophic factors, chemokines, and chemokine receptors.

BELOW ARE SYMPTOMS YOU CAN RECOGNIZE IF YOU HAVE ELEVATED DU.

1. Alters Cognition, Sleep And Anxiety
   After exposure, uranium can reach the brain and lead to neurobehavioral impairments, including increased locomotor activity, changes to circadian rhythm, decreased memory, and increased anxiety.
2. Impairs Development Of Bones And Organs

The skeleton is a target organ for most metals and uranium exposure can lead to bioaccumulation in the skeleton possibly effecting bone metabolism.

Uranium has insignificant effects on adult’s bone structure, but can severely affect growing bone.

For example, post-natal rodent models exposed to low doses of uranium had significantly decreased cortical bone diameter.

Chronic paternal exposure to DU can impair structure of organs and development in offspring in zebrafish models.

In the elderly, uranium-induced alterations in Vitamin D have shown to reduce bone growth.

3. Reduces Vitamin D And PTH
   As previously mentioned, DU can modulate the expression of cytochormoe enzymes involved in Vitamin D metabolism in the liver and kidneys.

In humans, this leads to increased Vitamin D in the liver, but reduced Vitamin D and Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) levels in plasma.

4. Alters Liver Function
   Although uranium does not retain itself well in the liver, drinking uranium in water has shown to increase the liver enzymes Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST).

Uranium exposure has also shown to significantly decrease antioxidant levels in the liver (such as Glutathione (GSH) levels).

5. May Effect The Blood
   Uranium exposure may decrease Red Blood Cell (RBC) count and hemoglobin concentration, although this evidence in humans is spotty.
6. May Induce Cancer

Uranium toxicity is known to induce genomic instability such as DNA double-strand breaks, chromosome abberations and micronuclei formation.

In humans, uranium exposure has been linked to development of cancers:

Bone cancer
Bladder Cancer
Breast Cancer
Central nervous system cancer
Colon cancer
Connective tissue cancer
Esophagus cancer
Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Kidney Cancer
Leukemia and Aleukemia
Liver cancer
Lung Cancer
Lymphoma and lymphatic cancers
Mesothelioma
Multiple myeloma
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomna
Ovary cancer
Pancreas cancer
Prostate cancer
Rectum cancer
Stomach cancer
Uterine carcinoma

7. Causes Kidney Toxicity
   Inside the body, hexavalent uranium U(VI) is the most stable state in vivo, which is highly water soluble.

This makes it easy to act as a chemical toxicant to the kidneys.

Acute uranium exposure can increase markers of renal toxicity (urinary catalase, proteinuria, aminoaciduria, alkaline phosphatase, and clearance of beta2-microglobulin relative to creatinine).

Although, chronic uranium exposure has shown to increase Glutathione (GSH) in the kidneys as the body tries to counterbalance the abundance of uranium.

8. Damages Mitochondria
   DU has shown to damage mitochondria by increasing overall oxidative stress.
9. Causes Lung Dysfunction
   If uranium is inhaled, significant respiratory irritation may occur, as well as liver dysfunction, anemia, and myocarditis. For example, aerosols with uranium have shown to increase oxidative stress in the lungs and decrease its ability to heal/repair.

Also inhaled uranium has shown to transfer itself deep through the lung alveoli, dissolve in the blood, and end up in the gastrointestinal tract.

10. May Increase Chances Of Cardiovascular Disease
    Uranium may increase chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

For example, Navajo communities that are exposed to abandoned uranium mines, have a significantly higher chance of cardiovascular disease (through inhalation and not ingestion).

Other studies have shown uranium ingestion to cause myocarditis (ended six months after ingestion).

11. May Play A Role in Gulf War Illness
    The US population geometric mean urine uranium concentration is around 0.007 μg/L.

In a review of soldiers from the 1991 Gulf War, US soldiers who may have been exposed to DU by inhalation, ingestion, or wound contamination, but without embedded shrapnel, have an average mean urinary uranium concentrations of 0.066 μg/g.

12. May Impair Reproduction
    Uranium may cause reproductive problems.

For example, in male animal models uranium is able to cause pathomorphological changes in the testicles and sperm such as increase sperm abnormality rate.

In females animal models, uranium has shown to reach and store itself in ovaries.

In other models, animals displayed decreases in pregnancy rates and spermatid numbers after chronic uranium exposure.

13. May Increase Mortality

In French nuclear workers, inhaled uranium leads to a higher chance of death (via cancer).

In large study with 12,649 French uranium cycle workers (88% men), large mortality deficits are observed for non-cancer causes of death such as non-cancer respiratory diseases.

In uranium workers, chronic uranium exposure is associated with an increased risk of cancer mortality or of kidney failure.

In other studies, low-dose ionizing radiation increases the mortality risk of solid cancers in nuclear industry workers.

14. Has Immunotoxic Properties
    The immune system is very sensitive to DU exposure and chronic exposure may lead to autoimmune disease, infectious diseases, and cancer.

Machrophages can absorb uranium causing them to die, while splenic CD4+ T-cells and peritoneal macrophages become damaged from uranium exposure.

High doses of DU can significantly inhibit the immune system and cause an imbalance in TH1 and TH2 cytokines.

15. May Irritate Eyes
    Uranium may also effect the eyes causing conjunctivitis, irritation inflammation, edema, and ulceration of conjunctival sacs.

REMOVING DU FROM THE BODY
Below are some supplements commonly used to remove DU from the body. Based on the person testing other items may be needed for these to work.

Any and all programs developed must be based on testing so as to be the most comprehensive. The treatment plan must be developed by a practitioner who is experienced in treating this type of condition.

Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate)- recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection following uranium exposure.

Bentonite Clay
Ghrelin enhancing techniques – suppresses DU-induced cell death and oxidative stress (via inhibition of p38-mapk)

Ginkgo Biloba – protects against U-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity

Mushrooms and Beta-Glucans – protect against DU-induced kidney damage.

NAC – has cytoprotective effect on DU causing cell death
Water filtration (nano-filtration and reverse osmosis) – uranium can be absorbed via drinking water

Vitamin B6

Zeolite

Zinc (as a possible Zerovalent iron) – improves anxtioxidant/ECM signaling

In conclusion, if you live in any of the areas mentioned above and have any of the health complaints mention here, it may be a good idea to visit a health practitioner who is familiar with this subject and get tested.

Call us today to schedule your initial consult and make sure you are running the proper tests to understand your symptoms!