Search Body Detox

Don't Let These Toxins Get on Your Nerves

A Potion of Nervous System Poisons

In simplest terms, neurotoxins are substances or compounds that are absorbed by the nerve endings and then travel through the nerve fiber to ultimately reach the nerve cell. Both along the way and once they reach the nerve cell, they can exert a tremendous influence throughout your body. Most functions within the body are controlled either through hormones circulating in the bloodstream or through nerve impulses. The problems that can arise can vary, depending on when and where neurotoxins disrupt nerve transmission. Some of the most common symptoms include chronic fatigue, insomnia, depression, “brain fog,” numbness, burning or tingling sensations, poor memory, muscle spasms, and migrating pains.

You’ve probably heard of the more common neurotoxins—lead, mercury, aluminum, cadmium, and other heavy metals. The neurological effects of these neurotoxins are well documented, and medical treatment programs like chelation therapy have been used for decades to help remove them. Other neurotoxins are not as well known, though some are very potent. They are rarely recognized and even more rarely treated.

Some of the lesser-known neurotoxins are compounds produced by bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other pathogens. These by-products of pathogens can be extremely virulent and poisonous to your nervous system. Some have been identified, including the botulinum toxin (botox), the tetanus toxin, and the ascaridin toxin (from intestinal parasites). While not specifically identified, powerful neurotoxins are also produced by various strains of staphylococci, streptococci, and chlamydia. More recently, we’ve seen how toxins from the bacteria that cause Lyme disease can destroy nervous tissue and mimic the signs and symptoms of diseases like multiple sclerosis and ALS.

In many individuals, undiagnosed chronic infections of bacterial, viral, or fungal origin lead to systemic neurological disease that can last a lifetime. Sadly, their condition continues to deteriorate as they bounce from one doctor to another looking for a diagnosis and a cure.

1 2