Health Benefits & Toxicity of the Element TIN,
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and its Effect on Adrenals, Depression and Fatigue
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While Tin has been established to be an essential trace element for some animals (they won't grow
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well without it), some researchers are still unsure of whether tin is essential to human health. Daily
intake of tin from various food sources is in the 1-3mg range, which is less than 1/10th of the daily
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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
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use of tin has been established well past the Bronze Age, several thousand years ago.
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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, testes, pancreas, 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
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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
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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.
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As mentioned on the Acu-Cell Nutrition "Tin & Iodine" page - where additional information about tin is
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found - Tin (Sn) is associated with Iodine (I) the same way as calcium is associated with magnesium.
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Tin supports the adrenals, and iodine supports the thyroid, with both subsequently affecting cardiac
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output: Tin + adrenals control the left side, and iodine + thyroid control the right side.
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In addition to low Vitamin C and/or Vitamin B1, low tin is a common nutritional cause of low adrenals,
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which can lead to left-sided cardiac insufficiency. While fatigue or depression may be experienced
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with cardiac insufficiency of either side, breathing difficulties or asthma are more common with left-
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sided cardiac insufficiency, and swelling of hands and feet is more common with right-sided cardiac
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insufficiency, regardless of the cause.
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Comparing thousands of patient records since the mid 70's showed that better than 90% exhibited
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below-normal levels of tin when referenced to the status of all other essential trace minerals, making
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it the most deficient element compared to any other trace mineral measured. Symptoms associated
with significantly below-normal levels of tin typically include depression and/or fatigue, and others.
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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
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encountered, including side effects, although the poor absorption of stannous oxide was a limiting
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factor in being able to achieve optimal increases of cellular tin in all subjects.
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Of those who experienced changes after supplementing tin, negative reactions, i.e. stomach / digestive
upsets or skin reactions were at par, or less compared to the best tolerated trace minerals such as
chromium, magnesium, or calcium. Positive health effects were numerous and included improvements
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with some forms of depression and fatigue, and a general increase in energy, well-being and mood.
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There were also benefits with certain types of headaches, insomnia, asthma, or improvements with
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digestion, skin, or various aches and pains.
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Tin toxicity documented over the last 200 years in humans has been commonly associated with foods
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consumed 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
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rapidly excreted, and no long-term negative health or toxic effects reported.
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There are many causes of depression, some resulting from abnormal brain chemistry, while others are
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consequential to low blood pressure, low thyroid, or low (or high) levels of various essential nutrients
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such as manganese (low blood sugar), lithium, calcium, magnesium, copper, sodium, protein, Vitamin
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B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, etc, etc. Many of these nutrients are well documented in affecting mood,
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but I have not previously come across any reference to tin until starting to do research on it, and after it
helped some patients with depression where any other drug, nutrient, or intervention had failed.
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Tin is not a panacea for depression --- it will not work when other chemical imbalances are involved,
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but it is - in my opinion - the missing link when most other attempts to resolve depression have failed;
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essentially involving low, or malfunctioning adrenals. For the same reason, cases of asthma - when
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related to low adrenals and subsequent left-sided cardiac insufficiency - respond to tin as well.
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Tin (as stannous fluoride) is present in some toothpastes, and it has been used in the form of stannous
chloride as a chemical preservative. It is also added to asparagus to improve its taste, while in some
countries it has been utilized as a remedy for intestinal parasites.
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Some herbal sources of tin (in the highest to lowest order) are doggrass, juniper, bilberry, milk thistle,
dulse, lady slipper, althea, valerian, Irish moss, nettle, barberry, yarrow, blessed thistle, red clover,
yellow dock, licorice, kelp, devils claw, pennyroyal, and senna.
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Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is the latest term replacing daily dietary reference values such as
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Adequate Intake (AI), Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), Estimated Average Requirements (EAR),
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Nutrient Reference Value (NRV), and Recommended Dietary Allowance / Intake (RDA / RDI).
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Tin - Stannous (Oxide):
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DRI (RDA): none
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18 years + (suggested minimum)10-20mgTherapeutic Range:25mg - 250mg
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Estimated daily intake of tin from food and water (excluding canned food) is 1mg - 3mg per day.
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Cellular / Intracellular Attributes, Functions and Interactions:
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Tin Synergists:Tin Antagonists / Inhibitors:
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Nickel, iodine, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C,Iron, calcium, copper, chloride, Vitamin B2,
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Vitamin E, [bismuth, zinc],
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Low Levels / Deficiency - Symptoms and/or Risk Factors:
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Fatigue, depression, low cardiac output (left), low adrenals, shortness of breath, asthma, headaches,
insomnia. - In animals, low tin results in poor growth, alopecia / bilateral hair loss, hearing loss, and
reduced feeding efficiency,
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High levels / Overdose / Toxicity / Negative Side Effects - Symptoms and/or Risk Factors:
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Skin rash, stomach complaints, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, palpitations,
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Tin Sources:
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Tinned / canned foods, cereal grains, dairy, meat, vegetables, seaweed, licorice, some toothpastes. ¤
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General recommendations for nutritional supplementation: To avoid stomach problems and promote
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better tolerance, supplements should always be taken earlier, or in the middle of a larger meal. When
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taken on an empty stomach or after a meal, there is a greater risk of some tablets causing irritation, or
eventually erosion of the esophageal sphincter, resulting in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).
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It is also advisable not to lie down immediately after taking any pills.
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When taking a very large daily amount of a single nutrient, it is better to split it up into smaller doses to
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not interfere with the absorption of other nutrients in food, or nutrients supplemented at lower amounts.
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Copyright © 2000-2009 Ronald Roth Element Tin: Health Benefits & Toxicity
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