nickel toxicity

[barcelonic23]

i have a substantial store of nickel in my liver tissue and the doc says its carcinogenic so im a bit worried. does anyone know how this might have happened? might it have anything to do with recreational drugs, of which i was a heavy user for years? i really want to clear this up so i at least know

[Buenchico]

I'm sure you're doctor knows a million time more about this than I do, but I'm still confused. Every web reference I can find suggests that the only relationship between cancer of the kidneys and nickel is that the likelihood of cancer is increased by a deficiency of nickel in the kidneys. I can find nothing that suggests that excessive nickel is a carcinogen as far as the kidneys are concerned. (Conversely, there's considerable evidence that excess nickel operates as a carcinogen within the lungs).

The problem with considering recreational drugs is that most of what's in a 'tab' or 'spliff' isn't the drug itself. The other substances might be chemically inert but, because of varying manufacturing standards, there might also be some very nasty substances contained within the tablet, resin. powder, or whatever.

However, it still seems more likely that excess nickel in your body is due to one of the following causes:

(a) tobacco smoke (which definitely contains nickel compounds) ;

(b) occupational contamination (especially if you've worked in the electronics industry) ;

(c) domestic contamination (where nickel is leached out of water pipes in areas where the water supply is 'soft') ;

(d) dietary excess. (Vegetarians might be at risk of consuming excessive nickel, because of its presence in legumes).

Chris

[barcelonic23]

thanks chris.

i can rule out b and c - a is a possibility as i am a heavy smoker, d is a long story but i am a freaky eater who only ever eats chips, pizza etc.. i don't eat beef, lamb, chicken, pork, fish, cheese, salads, curries, gammon, bacon etc... not sure if this means much? i guess my meat consumation is very low. could this be it perhaps?
bear in mind im referring to my liver not kidneys, although the doc isnt sure its in liver but if not its in the tissue around it

cheers

[Buenchico]

Oops.

Apologies. While I don't take 'recreational drugs' (in the way that the phrase is usually interpreted), I do like a drop or two of alcohol. That's my excuse (hic!) for typing 'kidneys' instead of 'liver'. (i.e. I've just got to the bottom of this bottle of port). However, the content of my post remains valid. (Simply substitute 'liver' for 'kidneys')

Given the contents of your most recent post, I believe that smoking is likely to be the most likely cause of your excessive nickel intake. However, you'd have to consult someone with specialist knowledge to find out whether nickel compounds are only present in tobacco or whether they're also present in the leaves, or resin, of the cannabis sativa plant.

Chris