Chromium
Known Toxic Effects
Hexavalent chromium is a primary contaminant in many EPA Superfund waste sites. Although trivalent chromium is an essential nutrient related to glucose tolerance, hexavalent chromium is a known carcinogen that can occur naturally in groundwater but is also an industrial anticorrosive.
Hexavalent chromium is converted in the body to trivalent chromium under acidic conditions; if a patient is taking antacids or suffers from a low level of stomach acid or H. Pylori infection, the conversion does not occur.
Known effects of hexavalent chromium toxicity include:
- Chronic Nose Bleeds
- Lung/Nasal Septal Cancer
- Nasal Mucosal Ulcers
- Renal Dysfunction
- GI Disease (ex: Crohn's Disease)
- Liver Disease
- Accelerated Tooth Decay
- Miscarriages
- Spinal Deterioration
- Dry Cough
- Impaired Wound Healing
- Brain/Breast/GI Cancers
