Stool Analysis

Fecal metal analysis reflects the dietary metal intake. Minerals, trace elements and potentially toxic metals may be found in food, drink, medication and nutritional supplements. Whatever metals are not absorbed are excreted via various pathways, including the hepato-intestinal system, and for certain elements such as antimony and uranium, biliary excretion into feces is the primary route of natural excretion from the body.

Certain foods such as fish from polluted water may be high in arsenic or mercury, and consumption naturally increases the fecal metal content. Studies performed at Micro Trace Minerals indicate that most algae product contain various amounts of potentially toxic metals and through fecal testing we evaluate metal excretion.

Due to exposure of mercury in the oral cavity, people with amalgam fillings typically show higher mercury concentration in feces than individuals without amalgams.

Bjorkman L, Sandborgh-Englund G, Ekstand J. Mercury in Saliva and Feces after Removal of Amalgam Fillings. Toxicology & Applied Pharmacology 144:156-162. 1997

Children in polluted areas are particularly vulnerable to metal exposure, where clinical signs and symptoms could be nonspecific. Absorbed metals are excreted primarily in urine and reflect exposure from all sources. The researchers analyzed Pb and Cd concentrations in blood, feces and urine of children from polluted townships near a lead-zinc mine in Kabwe, Zambia, to determine concurrent childhood exposure to the metals. The study determined the Pb and Cd relationships among urine, feces and blood as well as accessed the potential of urine and fecal analysis for biomonitoring of Pb and Cd exposure in children. Fecal Pb (up to 2252 mg/kg, dry weight) and urine Pb (up to 2914 μg/L) were extremely high.

Yabe J, Nakayama SMM, Ikenaka Y, Yohannes YB, Bortey-Sam N, Kabalo AN, Ntapisha J, Mizukawa H, Umemura T, Ishizuka M. Lead and cadmium excretion in feces and urine of children from polluted townships near a lead-zinc mine in Kabwe, Zambia. Chemosphere. 2018 Jul;202:48-55. 

Read more about the evaluation of an unusual diagnostic approach.

You have the option of requesting our test kit. Alternatively, tubes for stool testing are available in most practices and are also used for microbiological testing. Download our submission sheet, which provides information on sampling etc. and send sample and submission sheet to us.

Your report is provided within one week after sample submission.

Sample submission form

Investigators found that 80% of the mercury from amalgam particles and mercury bound to sulfhydryl groups was excreted, but only 40% of the mercury vapor was excreted. Speciation of mercury excreted in feces from 6 individuals with a moderate loading of amalgam fillings showed that most of the mercury originating from the fillings consisted of oxidized mercury, which was probably bound to sulfhydryl-containing compounds. The proportion of amalgam particles in fecal samples from these individuals was low, and it did not exceed 26% of the total amount of mercury excreted.

Engqvist A, Colmsjö A, Skare I. Speciation of mercury excreted in feces from individuals with amalgam fillings. Arch Environ Health. 1998 May-Jun;53(3):205-13.

Oral chelators first detoxify the digestive tract, the biliary excretion may be considerable.

Fecal metal testing assist in evaluating environmental exposure through oral intake, accumulation in the digestive tract and metal excretion. Thus a high concentration of potentially toxic metals in unprovoked stool may be the result of a high metal intake, reflecting high intake and efficient excretion.

Stool Metal testing can assist in determining the efficacy of oral chelation. By comparing the metal concentration of an unprovoked sample (= Stool Sample I, sampled before the oral chelator is administered) with the metals found in Stool Sample II, the sample taken after oral chelation, we can correlate how biliary excretion was affected.

Further testing assists in determining the body's systemic toxic load.

Needed Material: 5 grams

Ask for test kits.

Tested Parameter:
Antimony, Arsenic-total, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cadmium, Copper, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Silver, Tin, Uranium.

Standard Profile (P39) plus gold

Download Sample Submission Sheet (link below). Fill out and send with sample for metal testing. Air mail is recommended, but the analysis of metals is not time-sensitive.

Tested Elements Parameter as profile 39 plus:
Aluminum, Barium, Cerium, Cesium, Chromium, Cobalt, Gallium, Iodine, Manganese, Molybdenum, Platinum, Selenium, Strontium, Tantalum, Thallium, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zinc

Standard Profile (P39) plus gold

Additional elements can be tested if requested, please contact us.