and its Effect on Adrenals, Depression and Fatigue
While Tin (Sn) has been established to be an essential trace element for some animals (they won't grow well
without it), some researchers are still unsure of whether tin is essential to human health. Daily dietary intake
of tin from various food sources is in the 1 - 3 mg range, which is less than 1/10th of the daily intake obtained
years ago before lacquering tin cans, switching to aluminum cans, or, in the more distant past, when tin cups
or tin pans were still in use. Since bronze contains copper and tin, the use of tin has been established well
past the Bronze Age, several thousand years ago.
Rat studies have shown that tin-deficient diets resulted in poor growth, reduced feeding efficiency, hearing
loss, and bilateral (male pattern) hair loss. Tipton and Shafer examined tin in human tissue after accidental
deaths. They noted that tin was found in the aorta, brain, heart, kidney, liver, muscle, ovary, spleen, pancreas,
testes, stomach, and uterus, but none was found in the thyroid of any victim, while the prostate, which usually
shows no other trace element, had tin.
Average concentrations were the same range as cobalt, iodine, chromium, and selenium, which are known
vital nutrients. Inorganic tin is capable of entering into biological activity at saline pH, and it is far less toxic
than other known vital trace elements such as copper and cobalt. In addition, tin levels do not vary statistically
with age, gender, or geographical areas. Misk found traces of tin in the fetal heart and spleen, and higher
levels in the liver, while Schroeder and others reported no tin in stillborns.
As mentioned on the Acu-Cell "Tin & Iodine" page - where additional information about tin is found - Tin is
associated with Iodine the same way as calcium is associated with magnesium. Tin supports the adrenals,
and iodine supports the thyroid, with both subsequently affecting cardiac output: Tin + adrenals control the left
side, and iodine + thyroid control the right side. In addition to low Vitamin C and/or Vitamin B1, low tin is a
common nutritional cause of low adrenals, which can lead to left-sided cardiac insufficiency. While fatigue or
depression may be experienced with cardiac insufficiency of either side, breathing difficulties or asthma are
more common with left-sided cardiac insufficiency, and swelling of hands and feet is more common with right-
sided cardiac insufficiency, regardless of the cause.
Comparing thousands of patient records since the mid 70's showed that better than 90% exhibited below-
normal levels of tin when referenced to the status of all other essential trace minerals, making it the most
deficient element compared to any other trace mineral measured. Symptoms associated with low levels of
tin typically include depression and/or fatigue, and others.
I had 285 individuals taking part in evaluating tin, some on a short-term basis (about 3 weeks), and others
on a long-term basis (1 - 2+ years), resulting in some valuable feedback on various responses encountered,
including side effects, although the poor absorption of stannous oxide was a limiting factor in being able to
achieve optimal increases of cellular tin in all subjects.
Of those who experienced changes after supplementing tin, negative reactions, e.g. stomach / digestive
upsets, or skin reactions were at par, or less compared to the best tolerated trace minerals such as calcium,
chromium, or magnesium. Positive health effects were numerous and included improvements with fatigue,
and some forms of depression, with a general increase in energy, well-being and mood. There were also
benefits with certain types of headaches, insomnia, asthma, or improvements with digestion, skin, or various
aches and pains.
Tin toxicity documented over the last 200 years in humans has been associated with the consumption of
foods or beverages that were stored in tinned, unlacquered containers under long-term, low-pH conditions,
and where levels of several hundred to several thousand mg / kg were ingested. Symptoms were limited to
mostly gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting, with excess tin being rapidly excreted, and no long-term negative health or toxic effects reported.
There are many causes of depression, some resulting from abnormal brain chemistry, while others are
associated with low blood pressure, low thyroid, or low (or high) levels of various essential nutrients such as
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