Heavy metals affecting vision?

[cristi_b]

I always get the effect of better vision whenever I take certain supplements. For some the effect the effect lasts a half a day, for others it's in the order of minutes. I could not get a definite answer from a doctor as to why it happens. I was wondering if someone else has experienced this and maybe has some insight.

Just a few examples of how some supplements affect my vision:
- active form of B9(Methyl Folate and Folinic Acid): if I take them in the morning I start to get better vision for the rest of the day, I would estimate that my myopia is cut in half while my astigmatism is almost not affected. The better vision is constant, so not fluctuating like when you get a few seconds of better vision and then when you blink is gone, I simply see better, it's like my eye develops super power of accommodation. If I stop taking the supplement my vision returns to it's bad shape.
- hydroxo B12: same as active B9 but a weaker effect(my vision does not improve so much) and is not so immediate, I have to take several days B12 in order to achieve the effect
- 500 mg DHA(with vitamin E): have to take even more days than B12 to achieve the effect, but is as strong as active B9
- Hippophae fructus extract(Vitamin E and Vitamin C): also after taking more days, weaker effect than B12
- GABA: weak effect that seems to cycle better / worse in the order of minutes, completely goes away after 1 day
- Citric Acid: immediate strong effect, doesn't last

My only possible idea is this is somehow related to heavy metal burden on the optic nerve or eye:
- B9/B12 help with the methylation cycle and could possibly improve detoxification, active B9 also helsp Candida Albicans grow and some studies suggest that Candida absorbs heavy metals
- DHA / Vitamin E might help neurons copping with the heavy metals
- Citric Acid helps eliminate heavy metals from tissues
- no idea why GABA seems to help

If anyone has a better idea or some insight please share.

 

[Wishful]

I think there are too many other possible theories to explain it. Our bodies are amazingly complex, with a vast number of interactions between various functions. How many different effects on the body does each of those supplements you list have? Thousands? Hundreds of thousands? It's not at all difficult to find at least one effect for each supplement that "affects heavy metal levels". You can probably do the same for "affects mitochondrial function", or "affects blood vessel properties".

Myopia is more about the shape of the eye (too long), and heavy metals won't change that. Shaping the lens is done by a set of muscles, which are controlled by neurons and glial cells. I expect that the supplements you list all affect neural function directly in some ways, and indirectly in even more ways (affects intestines, which affect liver, which affect something else which eventually affect neural function.

Also, I doubt that the heavy metal removal of those supplements will show effects within hours. I doubt that citric acid can immediately remove significant amounts of heavy metals from your eyes, and why would the excessive levels return when you stop the supplement?

Heavy metals just doesn't seem like a plausible theory to me.

 

[cristi_b]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on my situation.

Don't want to seem defensive, but I thought should provide additional information based on your response.

Myopia is more about the shape of the eye (too long), and heavy metals won't change that.

You are right, myopia is what the eye doctor told me I have, but he could not directly measure it with the device as he said the results vary a lot between determinations. He had to put eye drops in my eye to stop the lens from accommodating in order to measure it(even at the age of 37 years and doctor said he usually does that to children). So maybe the doctors are wrong about what I have, maybe it's not myopia, maybe it's blurry vision, or maybe the ciliary muscle that contracts my lens just twitches, I don't know. Over the years I've had my glasses prescription going up and down without an explanation. On the other hand, my astigmatism has been more constant on the prescriptions, so I guess that really is related to the shape of my eyes and it could be an explanation as to why the supplements don't affect it that much.

why would the excessive levels return when you stop the supplement?

I've read that Candida uses heavy metals to attach itself to intestines and that when it dies, it releases the heavy metals in the system, that could be an explanation why it varies so fast. I don't have a link right now, but I know I've read this somewhere. Also(and this is my own theory) I think that when Candida switches between the 2 forms, mycelial and yeast, it also releases the heavy metals that it contains, as it needs them only when it attaches itself to the intestines. The single factor that encourages this dymorphic switch, the mineral Zinc, also improves my vision for a while. That could be a coincidence or maybe not.

So Zinc is another supplement that improves my vision for a short while, so is DihydroQuercetin, both have studies to show effect on Candida Albicans.

I think there are too many other possible theories to explain it.

I think I'm just hoping for the heavy metals explanation as it has solutions, other neurological explanations are more serious and without any medical resolution.

Right now I'm trying to eat as healthy as possible, given my restrictions and even started to use bottled water instead of tap water for cooking, as I found a bottled water brand that has zero heavy metals. I've given up on eating rice as the brand I was using for years was from Myanmar(where they have huge problems with arsenic). If I will notice an overall improvement in my vision, one that lasts, I will write about it here.

 

[datadragon]

According to this research from 2001, it states that zinc can be potentially used to prevent and treat myopia to a certain extent, zinc can inhibit the elongation of axis oculi and increase the diopters in myopia. Meanwhile, the activities of SOD and NOS and the content of NO are significantly increased compared with the model group. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11318236/ One nutrient that is involved with zinc metabolism is Vitamin A, and so after checking it was noted that those with adequate vitamin A intake were less likely to have myopia. Although the link between myopia and vitamin A does not appear to be linear, a threshold may exist for optimal vitamin A intake and axial elongation,” they researchers conclude in their paper. https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/research-questions-vitamin-as-role-in-myopia Vitamin D is also involved with zinc metabolism, Lower 25(OH)D is associated with increased risk of myopia https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30018147/

Myopia link to poor sleep, and screen time . This 2021 study indicates that people with short-sightedness have more delayed circadian rhythms and lower production of melatonin. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210524092027.htm

We review the role of vitamin A and retinoic acid (RA) as mediators of rhythm in the brain. In the suprachiasmatic nucleus and hippocampus they control expression of circadian clock genes while in the cortex retinoic acid is required for delta oscillations of sleep. Retinoic acid is also central to a second rhythm that keeps pace with the seasons, regulating function in the hypothalamus and pineal gland https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4283048/

A significant decrease was observed in melatonin levels of the zinc-deficient group compared to the control and zinc-supplemented group (P<0.01).
The results of this study suggest that zinc deficiency decreases the melatonin levels and zinc supplementation may increase the plasma melatonin levels in rats https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14708876/ vitamin A deficiency causes a reduction in melatonin levels The components required for RA signalling are present in the pineal gland and suggest that RA has a role in the regulation of melatonin synthesis. https://abdn.pure.elsevier.com/en/p...le-of-vitamin-a-in-melatonin-production-in-th

Sleep problems in patients with autism spectrum disorder may be linked to a mutation in the gene SHANK3 that in turn also regulates the genes of the body's 24-hour day and night cycle. Their study showed that people who were missing the SHANK3 gene and mice that lacked part of the gene had difficulty falling asleep even when sleepy. Shank3 is also an important modulator of sleep and clock gene expression. It turns out that both zinc deficiency or inflammation (NLRP3 over activation) will also cause lower Shank3 levels. https://elifesciences.org/articles/42819 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5974951/

There are also nutrient interrelationships and Vitamin D and A both are related to zinc metabolism. Positive and significant correlation exists between 25(OH) D serum levels and zinc level. The mean Zinc level was significantly lower in the Vit D deficient group than in controls (deficiency at 6.34±1.47ng/ml) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5307609/ Plasma zinc levels increased significantly only in the group receiving the combination of zinc and vitamins A and D (in RDA concentrations not high doses). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11011-006-9023-4

Lead, Cadmium, Mercury all deplete zinc. Inflammation unfortunately does as well as numerous other reasons.

 

[Wishful]

According to this research from 2001, it states that zinc can be potentially used to prevent and treat myopia to a certain extent,

I'm just guessing that the study is about prevention of myopia in children. Nutrient deficiencies affect development. Supplements seem unlikely to affect existing eyeball or lens shape. I have strong myopia, and would love to have a simple supplement reshape my eyes.

 

[Wishful]

I think I'm just hoping for the heavy metals explanation as it has solutions, other neurological explanations are more serious and without any medical resolution.

That's common with ME, since there aren't any explanations with simple easy solutions. However, it still is "looking for your keys under the streetlight, even though you didn't drop them there". However, as you say, excess heavy metals has some fairly easy solutions, so you can try some and see if it helps. Theories with solutions that involve brain surgery or organ transplants should have a lot more evidence backing them up.

I still think that the core dysfunction of ME is fairly simple, and relatively simple to correct. I experienced multiple cases of temporary full remission, abruptly snapping out of the ME state, before abruptly snapping back into it the next day. That was by at least three different chemicals (prednisone, cuminaldehyde, and T2). The problem is understanding why something is malfunctioning, what chemical is needed in which cells to correct it, and how to prevent the mechanism from snapping back to the ME state.

If a really complex computer program doesn't work properly, fixing it might be as simple as changing a + to a -, but finding that specific + can be a long and tedious process.

 

[GreenEdge]

I don't see a connection with heavy metals???

If anyone has a better idea or some insight please share.

Are you diabetic?
Over time, high blood sugar not only damages blood vessels in your eyes, it can also affect the shape of your lenses and make your vision blurry.

See thread: Low-carb diet puts type 2 diabetes into remission

Candida albicans is a fungus that naturally lives on your body. Candida is yeast, a type of fungus, that is typically found in small amounts on your mouth, skin and in your intestines. Healthy bacteria in your body (microbiome) control the balance of Candida. Often when Candida is off-balance, the yeast overgrows and causes infection (candidiasis). Common infections include vaginal yeast infection, diaper rash and thrush.

Sugar especially affects Candida overgrowth as yeast feeds on sugar. Dietary carbohydrates are digested into simple sugars (glucose, fructose and/or galactose), but carbohydrates are non-essential. You do not need to consume carbohydrates because your body can synthesize all the glucose your body needs. The liver is able to perform this function in a process known as gluconeogenesis.

Treat the cause, not the symptoms by adopting a zero-carb diet.

See thread: Carnivore diet

 

[datadragon]

Supplements seem unlikely to affect existing eyeball or lens shape. I have strong myopia, and would love to have a simple supplement reshape my eyes.

I am only pointing to a lead to try to help. The OP said zinc was helpful as well so thats promising to try. Here is a review of pathways in myopia if you want to go far deeper https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332220312853#bib0790

Zinc is a bit more complex as for example heavy metals can deplete zinc levels, and inflammation/infection I found also will lower zinc uptake so if there is an ongoing issue that can make things a bit more difficult for some people to correct unless you also work on lowering the inflammation or metals if either is present. At least those are testable, hair tissue mineral analysis such as htmatest.com seems to be a good test for metals and inflammation can be tested by your doctor. You also have those interrelationships between nutrients I mentioned that are in the literature but very few understand them. Greenedge just mentioned sugar which is another that lowers zinc and magnesium levels.

This is the first study to identify the role of PPARγ in regulation of myopia. We found that PPARγ moderated refraction and ocular growth in normal and vision obstructed environments. Specifically, PPARγ antagonism induced axial elongation and a myopic shift during normal ocular growth. While FD increased myopia development, GW1929 reduced this myopic shift and retarded ocular elongation during FD. PPARγ agonism and antagonism had opposing effects on ocular refraction https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001448352030590X zinc is also needed for the ppar function I found in a different study, just trying to keep it a bit less complex as my posts can be sometimes.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

Heavy metals just doesn't seem like a plausible theory to me.

I tried to get help for my eye miseries.

On two random occasions two separate eye doctors (one, an optomitrist, one an opthomologist) informed me that I should get chelated.

1) both claimed it cured them of their toxic eye issues

2) the first one closed the door (to hide, when he told me) and then booted me out from the lobby after when I said...but I can't drive to meetings..." YOU Don't Have Glaucoma" and he takes in the next patient.

3)the eye doctor told me: 500 times he got chelated.

I asked: but what happened during chelation 499? somehow, I got no answer to that question. I seem to be good at that.

so GET CHELATED MEANS get the toxins out.

I don't know how to find real help for my eyes. The head of the eye clinic told me to go to UCLA.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

because your body can synthesize all the glucose your body needs.

but maybe our bodies don't make glucose well? we don't run on it well, correct?

 

[cristi_b]

Myopia link to poor sleep, and screen time . This 2021 study indicates that people with short-sightedness have more delayed circadian rhythms and lower production of melatonin.

It's true that I spend a lot of time on the computer, but sleep seems to be inversely related to my eye problems: there were some instances when I slept in the 2-3h range and my vision was slightly better, also if I sleep 9h or more my eyesight tends to get worse. As I mentioned eye doctors have complained about not being able to measure my eyes directly with the machine as they usually do for my age, they had to put eye drops in my eye to stop the eyes from accommodating in order to minimize the differences between determinations: the machine took 5 determinations and the spherical diopeters(myopia) values were all too different without eye drops. It's clear the shape of the eye cannot change in a matter of seconds(between determinations) so the problem must be with how the eye accomodates, something wrong with how the ciliary muscle behaves. This is why I assumed there's something neurological at play, I have other neurological symptoms as well: I cannot properly control the left side of my mouth, I have a strabismus that sometimes is visible(and eye doctors have noticed it since I was a child) and sometimes it completely goes away(especially if I take B12). To conclude I'm not saying that the shape of my eye is not affected, it's clear I have astigmatism and probably some myopia as well, but there is some additional blurriness in there that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses.

Are you diabetic?

I am not a diabetic, I've done a glycemia blood test last December, it was 92 mg/dl.

Candida is a fungus that naturally lives on your body. Candida is yeast, a type of fungus, that is typically found in small amounts on your mouth, skin and in your intestines

Yes, I know 70% of people have Candida in the intestines, however, it is known to sometimes overgrow and cause various digestive problems(S.I.F.O.). I personally have digestive symptoms for a long time: gas, diarrhea; I took Nystatin and I seemed better for a while but it came back. Candida also seems to absorb heavy metals and release it when it dies. In my initial post I did not provide a link to backup my claim, but I googled around a bit and found this study(I can't remember if it's the one I originally read some time ago):
Yeasts--biosorbents of heavy metals, Podgorskiĭ et all, 2004


In my original post I said that I don't know why GABA seems to help with my vision, but I found a possible link between GABA and Candida: "The neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is used by bacteria, plants, and fungi as a carbon and nitrogen source" it is fragment from this study:
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) increases in vitro germ-tube formation and phospholipase B1 mRNA expression in Candida albicans, Francisca Hernández-Hernández et all, 2012

It would seem that all supplements that help Candida grow also help my vision, it could be a coincidence or maybe a growing Candida absorbs more heavy metals from my body. I know it's a wild theory.
------------------------
Thank you all for your input, I will try to look over the information carefully as I try to make sense of my vision symptoms. I will keep you updated if I find anything new.

 

[Andryr]

I think there are too many other possible theories to explain it

I used to experience my sight improvement next day after consuming strong alcohol. Then I got sick with CFS-like symptoms and I no longer tolerate alcohol.

 

[cristi_b]

I used to experience my sight improvement next day after consuming strong alcohol.

I don't drink alcohol so I wouldn't know. But I've seen many sources that say alcohol helps Candida.

Anyway, I found 2 more studies that seem to support this crazy theory:

1) "Indiscriminant and rapid destruction of the Candida albicans and other pathogens by antibiotics in adults with a significant body burden of toxic metals, including mercury, may cause the sudden release of large amounts of toxic metals contained within them and be potentially very dangerous."

Environmental Mercury and Its Toxic Effects, Kevin M. Rice et all, 2014

2) "blurred vision 17.35% (P value=0.000), tingling and numbness of the limbs 33.53% (P value=0.000) and hypertension 8.09% (P value=0.000) were significantly higher in the arsenic affected villages and arsenic pollution also seemed to affect patients' social life and mental health. To solve the problem of arsenic exposure, the quality of drinking water needs to be improved by reducing the arsenic content"

Chronic arsenic poisoning in drinking water in Inner Mongolia and its associated health effects, Juan X Guo et all, 2007

 

[Wishful]

3)the eye doctor told me: 500 times he got chelated.

Wow. Maybe he should stop consuming so much heavy metal.

I wonder whether he actually measured his heavy metal load before and after, to verify that it was actually helping in any way. 500 times sounds more like an obsession.

 

[datadragon]

An interesting observation is that on a hair test, when the sodium and potassium ratio is between roughly 1.9-4.00, there is a tendency for a concomitant mobilization of toxic metals in amounts higher than if the ratio is out of this range. When this ratio falls below 1.9 or so, toxic metal mobilization is much less. https://metabolichealing.com/htma-toxic-metals-the-ratio-between-sodium-potassium/ In other words it can be showing on the test which gives you some info, or if its not or very low to check that ratio as you may have metals stored away currently and not being mobilized currently for elimination. https://metabolichealing.com/htma-toxic-metals-the-ratio-between-sodium-potassium/ Its just a good added thing to check as if say your mercury, cadmium, lead or aluminum is actually showing high it can further reduce zinc levels among their other many effects on enzymes and throughout the body.

 

[GreenEdge]

Wow. Maybe he should stop consuming so much heavy metal.

@cristi_b, Listen to Dr. Ben Bikman explain where metals predominantly come from:
The SCIENCE Of How Fat ACTUALLY Works! | Dr. Benjamin Bikman (@1:03:50)

 

[Rufous McKinney]

whether he actually measured his heavy metal load before and after, to verify that it was actually helping in any way. 500 times sounds more like an obsession.

the first eye doctor who recommended this told me he was bed ridden and could not work. Now he is working full time. Therefore, the implication was the chelation is why he improved and was able to return to his life.

The doctor who described 500 times provided no further insight.