Heavy Metal Panel Test | Heavy Metal Lab Panel

Heavy Metals Test Panel — Expanded

This test checks for elevated levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, cobalt, and thallium in your urine. Consider heavy metals screening if you are concerned about exposure to these toxic metals in your home, workplace, or environment. Read more

Test details

Sample type:

Urine

Preparation:

Avoid seafood consumption for 48 hours prior to sample collection. Please be sure to drink plenty of fluids before your urine sample collection. Fasting is not required for this test.

Test type: In Person

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$185.00

+ $6.00 Physician Service Fee

Quantity

About the Test

This test helps identify significant heavy metal exposure by measuring the levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, cobalt, and thallium in urine. These heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that are not needed by the human body, except for cobalt, but usually enter the body from the surrounding environment (water, soil, air, food, etc.). If these metals build up in the body, they can become toxic and negatively affect your health and organs.

Buy your own heavy metal urine test online with Quest. No doctor’s visit required – simply purchase, and access heavy metal toxicity testing at a nearby location.

This urine test for heavy metals may be appropriate for those who:

May have been exposed to high levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, cobalt, and/or thallium or live with a family member who was exposed to high levels of these metals
Have lead-based paint in their household
Work in agriculture, water treatment, construction, mining, alloys and metal plating, battery manufacturing, or semiconductor manufacturing industries
Smoke cigarettes
Take certain folk medicines
Eat a large amount of seafood (including shellfish)

For those who may be exhibiting any signs and symptoms of heavy metal toxicity, it is important to contact a healthcare provider immediately.

This test measures the levels of the following 4 heavy metals in urine to monitor exposure. It also measures the levels of urinary creatinine to factor in your hydration level and how it may affect your results at the time of sample collection.

Arsenic is a heavy metal used in some pesticides and industrial applications. Arsenic toxicity can cause skin change, respiratory illness, nausea and vomiting, and other effects.

Cadmium is a naturally occurring element that is mined and used in industrial production because of its durability. It is also found in cigarette smoke; therefore, smoking is a significant source of cadmium inhalation. Excessive cadmium exposure can damage lungs, kidneys, and the digestive tract.

Lead is a naturally occurring metal which can be toxic to humans and can cause damage to the brain, organs, and nervous system. Lead can be found in all parts of our environment and may also be combined with other materials to make a wide variety of products such as lead-based paint and leaded gasoline, both of which are now banned in the United States. Federal and state regulatory standards have helped to reduce the amount of lead in air, drinking water, soil, consumer products, food, and occupational settings. However, lead may still be present in the paint of older homes and workplaces or contaminated dust, as well as many imported products. Any amount of lead is unsafe, and both long-term and high levels of exposure can cause severe health problems.

Mercury, a highly toxic metal, is present in select industrial environments, like mining, producing, and transporting mercury, gold, and silver ores, and in contaminated ocean fish. High mercury exposure results in permanent nervous system and kidney damage.

Note: There are 3 different forms of mercury: elemental, inorganic, and organic. Elemental and inorganic mercury are found mainly in industrial settings and are tested with urine. Organic mercury, found in seafood, is tested with whole blood. This test only measures urine samples and may not evaluate organic mercury.

Cobalt is an essential element and is part of our diet, found in nutrients such as vitamin B12. Approximately 85% of absorbed cobalt is excreted in the urine and the remainder eliminated in stool. Toxicity may occur in select industrial environments, like mining and metal plating, or from failed cobalt-based medical implants (e.g. hip and shoulder prosthetics).

Thallium is a toxic metal that stays in the air, water, and soil for a long time and is not broken down. Therefore, it is absorbed by plants, enters the food chain, and people may ingest small amounts in their diet or environment. Excess exposure to thallium occurs from smoking cigarettes, living near or working in hazardous waste sites, or working in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.

The liver produces creatine, which the muscles use as an energy source. During normal muscular use, some creatine will be broken down into creatinine by the muscles as a waste product. Creatinine is transported through the bloodstream to the kidneys, where it is filtered and eliminated from the body through urine.

Creatinine level is measured along with heavy metal levels to factor in your hydration and how it may affect your results at the time of sample collection.

Heavy metal poisoning can be life-threatening. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, contact your healthcare provider or poison control center immediately. Signs and symptoms of different toxic metal poisoning can mimic each other, as well as other medical issues, which can include:

Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Numbness and tingling of the extremities
Muscle cramping
Skin color changes
Skin lesions
Hard patches on palms and soles of feet
Skin, bladder, lung cancer

Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Abdominal pain
Frequent urge to go to the bathroom without being able to go
Food poisoning
Bronchitis
Kidney failure
Bone disease
Lung damage

Lead exposure in adults may increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart and kidney disease, and possibly cancer. Signs and symptoms of lead exposure may include the following:

Weakness
Low levels of healthy red blood cells (anemia), which can reduce oxygen flow to the body’s tissues and organs
Nausea
Headaches
Fatigue
Weight gain
Loss of appetite
Abdominal pain
Depression
Memory loss
Irritability
Pain or numbness in the hands or feet

Tremors/shaking
Lower coordination
Vision, learning, hearing, and/or memory problems
Headaches
Mood changes
Breathing problems

Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Breathing problems
Asthma
Lung damage
Skin damage

Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Hair loss
Numbness of fingers and toes
Nervous system, lungs, heart, liver, and kidney dysfunction

You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase a test on questhealth.com. This test requires specimen collection at a Quest Diagnostics location. Collection not available in AK, AZ, HI, or NY.

Avoid seafood consumption for 48 hours prior to sample collection. Please be sure to drink plenty of fluids before your urine sample collection. Fasting is not required for this test.

After you provide your specimen, it generally takes a few business days to process and release your test results. However, processing times may vary. Your test results will be available in a clear and easy-to-read report. If your results differ from expected ranges, you may receive an alert call from an independent healthcare coordinator. Independent physicians are available to discuss questions or concerns you may have regarding your results.

How it works

questhealth.com offers 100+ consumer-initiated Quest Diagnostics lab tests to empower you to have more control over your health journey. Choose from a variety of test types that best suit your needs.

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No doctor visit is required for purchase.

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Register your test
& schedule an appointment

Book a visit to one of 2000+ Quest locations.

Visit Quest for sample collection

Complete your test sample collection during your scheduled appointment.

Get fast results

Access results online as soon as they’re available. You will be emailed when they are ready. Discuss your results with an independent physician at no extra cost. Treatment options may be available.

FAQs

Does Quest offer a test that includes other heavy metals that are commonly evaluated?

Signs and symptoms of different toxic metal poisoning can mimic each other, so they are often tested together, such as copper and iodine. If you are interested in having these other heavy metals tested, the Copper Test and the Iodine Test are available.

Is this lead test the same as the individual lead test on questhealth.com?

No, this test measures the level of lead in your urine. The standalone Lead Test on questhealth.com measures the level of lead in your blood, which is a more widely accepted method for lead toxicity. If you purchase both tests, you can expect your results to be different.

Can I use my FSA or HSA funds to purchase tests on questhealth.com?

You may be able to use your FSA or HSA funds to purchase lab tests at questhealth.com. Please review your FSA/HSA plan or check with a tax professional to confirm specific requirements for individual eligibility.

Our references

References

Quest Diagnostics. Heavy Metals Panel with Cadmium, Random Urine. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/15110/heavy-metals-panel-with-cadmium-random-urine?q=15110&cc=PHPOrganization.
Quest Diagnostics. Comprehensive Toxic Metal Panel, 24-Hour Urine. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-guides/TS_CompToxicMetalPnl/comprehensive-toxic-metal-panel-24-hour-urine?p=td
Quest Diagnostics. Mercury, 24-Hour Urine. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/36441/mercury-24-hour-urine?p=r&q=36441&cc=PHP
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Toxic Metals. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://www.osha.gov/toxic-metals
Chen RJ, Lee VR. Cobalt Toxicity. [Updated 2023 Jul 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK587403/
Quest Diagnostics. Cobalt, 24-Hour Urine. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/14761/cobalt-24-hour-urine?p=r&q=14761&cc=PHP
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQsÔ for Thallium. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsDetails.aspx?faqid=308&toxid=49
World Health Organization. Arsenic. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/arsenic
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Cadmium Toxicity. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/cadmium/cover-page.html
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. ToxFAQsÔ for Metallic Mercury. Accessed November 11, 2024. https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsDetails.aspx?faqid=1195&toxid=24

Tests purchased on questhealth.com are only for individuals who intend to pay directly for testing and do not want to submit a claim for reimbursement under their health insurance.

Heavy Metals Test Panel — Expanded