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Physical activity counteracts the effects of a toxic environment?

See what you make of this:  Comparison of urine toxic metals concentrations in athletes and in sedentary subjects

Cadmium (Cd), tungsten (W), tellurium (Te), beryllium (Be), and lead (Pb), are non-essential metals pervasive in the human environment. Studies on athletes during training periods compared to non-training control subjects, indicate increased loss of minerals through sweat and urine. The aim of this study was to compare the level of these trace elements, determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in urine samples, between athletes and age-matched sedentary subjects living in the same geographical area, although anthropometric and cardiovascular measurements showed that athletes have significantly (P ≤ 0.001) lower BMI, body fat and heart rate, whereas the muscle and bone percentage was significantly (P ≤ 0.001) higher than in sedentary subjects. The validity of the methodology was checked by the biological certified reference material. Trace element analysis concentrations, expressed in μg/mg creatinine, of five toxic elements in urine from athletes (n = 21) versus sedentary subjects, (n = 26) were as follows: Cd (0.123 ± 0.075 vs. 0.069 ± 0.041, P ≤ 0.05); W (0.082 ± 0.053 vs. < limit of detection); Te (0.244 ± 0.193 vs. 0.066 ± 0.045, P ≤ 0.001), Be (0.536 ± 0.244 vs. 0.066 ± 0.035, P ≤ 0.001); Pb (0.938 ± 0.664 vs. 2.162 ± 1.444 P ≤ 0.001). With the exception of Pb, urine toxic metal concentrations from athletes were higher than from sedentary subjects. This fact suggests that physical activity counteracts, at least in part, the cumulative effect of toxic environment by increasing the urine excretion of toxic metals in trained people.


So sweating as a result of exercise helps the body to get rid of some of the crap that builds up in it from the environment.
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Anonymous said…
I don't completely understand the abstract, though did recently have my numbers checked, my organs, etc., all seem to be working correctly. But I exercise a bunch, and besides the mental/emotional benefits, and the ability to eat more, I figure it burns through lots of junk in my blood. I assumed hormones, interesting to hear about heavy metals. I don't understand why, but I'm not medically trained at all.
December 20, 2011 at 5:53 AM
Steven Rice Fitness said…
I don't see any mention in the abstract of sweating, the elimination seems to be in the urine.

My understanding has been that metals bind with the calcium in bones and can't be excreted, does the full article say anything about this?
December 26, 2011 at 11:55 AM
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