How to eliminate cadmium from the body?
Cadmium is displaced by zinc. If there is enough zinc in the body, cadmium will not accumulate. However, if there is little zinc, then all the cadmium present along the highways will settle in the body (the main way to obtain cadmium is by inhaling fumes from cars).
Cadmium and zinc are competitors for absorption in the body, as both use the same transport proteins (for example, metallothioneins).
With sufficient levels of zinc, the body will prioritize its absorption, reducing the accumulation of cadmium.
A deficiency in zinc increases the risks of cadmium accumulation. If a person has low levels of zinc, cadmium more easily penetrates tissues and is deposited, primarily in the liver and kidneys.
Thus, maintaining normal levels of zinc is one of the simplest preventive strategies to protect against cadmium accumulation.
The main source of cadmium exposure is inhalation of polluted air, especially near highways. Additionally, the main household sources of cadmium include:
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smoking (tobacco smoke is very rich in cadmium),
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food (some grains, vegetables, mushrooms grown in contaminated soils),
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industrial emissions.