Are heavy metals dangerous? Yes, but not in the way you think

Research in recent years establishes correlations between exposure to heavy metals and autism spectrum disorders. A study published in July 2023 in the journal Environmental Health by Kelly Bakulski's team demonstrated that exposure to cadmium during the first two trimesters of pregnancy increases the child's risk of developing a form of autism.

Professor Arora's work on twins and siblings has proven that people with autism also have a particularity in their metal metabolism. They are more vulnerable to the absorption of toxic elements during critical phases of child development.

This discovery has unfortunately led to erroneous interpretations. Chelation therapy, which aims to remove heavy metals from the body, has been proposed as a treatment for autism without any scientific basis. Chelation is a chemical process that uses molecules called chelating agents to capture and remove certain metal ions from the body. These agents bind to heavy metals like lead, mercury or cadmium, forming complexes which can then supposedly be excreted through the kidneys or intestines.

Stephen James, a researcher at the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center in Phoenix, points out that no randomized studies have proven its effectiveness. This practice has even proven fatal: in 2005, a five-year-old autistic child died of cardiac arrest following hypocalcemia (abnormally low concentration of calcium in the blood) caused by chelation.