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The Five Best Heavy Metal Tests You Can Take at Home
Updated on June 5, 2023
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At Home Health
The Five Best Heavy Metal Tests You Can Take at Home

Heavy metals can be found in our environment and in everyday items such as food, drinking water, household items, and even makeup products (such as eyeshadows and pressed powders).Some heavy metals like iron and zinc are good for you in the right amounts.1 But others like lead and arsenic can be harmful even in small quantities.

The Five Best Heavy Metal Tests You Can Take at Home 10

Heavy metals exposure can lead to chronic conditions like Parkinson’s disease and cancer. It may also cause irreversible harm, such as liver or kidney failure.

These health issues may sound alarming, but there are steps you can take to significantly lower your risk for heavy metal poisoning.

You can ask a medical professional to help you identify heavy metals you may have been exposed to through urine and blood testing or other standard tests.

They can also guide you to limit your exposure to toxic metals.

If you can’t see a doctor anytime soon, heavy metal testing kits are practical and affordable alternatives that you can take at home.

You can’t use these tests to diagnose heavy metal toxicity. But they offer valuable insights, such as:

  • Toxic metals you may have been exposed to
  • Possible nutritional imbalances
  • Steps you can take to improve your health

These tests can help you narrow down potential sources of heavy metals in your environment. That way, you’ll know what substances or environments to avoid.

We’ve carefully selected the top five heavy metal test kits for you to try.

Everything We Recommend

Why Trust Us

KnowYourDNA is dedicated to providing readers with reliable information on at-home tests that help them achieve their health goals. 

We picked heavy metal tests based on:

  • Brand reputation
  • Convenience of testing process
  • Reliability of testing method
  • Accuracy and usefulness of results
  • Customer reviews and feedback

Our in-house medical experts ensure the accuracy of our information.

The Best At-Home Heavy Metals Test

1. LetsGetChecked Micronutrient Test - Our Top Pick

The Five Best Heavy Metal Tests You Can Take at Home 11

The LetsGetChecked Micronutrient Test reveals imbalances of the most important vitamins, minerals, and heavy metals needed by your body for maintaining good health.

Knowing which nutrients you lack and/or have too much of will help you determine the changes you need to make for better health, such as taking dietary supplements or eating healthier.

Key Features

  • Finger-prick blood test provides accurate results
  • Tests six essential nutrients (magnesium, selenium, vitamins B12, D, and E)
  • Measures two nutritional metals (copper and zinc)
  • Results are available online within two to five days
  • A dedicated team of nurses will call to explain your results
  • Take your test results to a doctor for professional guidance

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2. 5Strands Sensitivity & Imbalances Tests

The Five Best Heavy Metal Tests You Can Take at Home 12

The 5Strands test can assess your risk for nutritional imbalances, sensitivities, and toxicity when exposed to certain foods, nutrients, heavy metals, and other things in your environment, like pollen and animal dander.

It provides insights into your current diet and lifestyle by helping you identify factors you need to address or avoid because they might trigger symptoms, cause imbalance, or potentially harm your health.

Key Features

  • Pain-free sample collection method that requires a few hair strands
  • Uses a promising bioresonance technology to analyze samples
  • Tests your body’s reaction to 980+ food items, metals, and more
  • Results arrive within seven to ten days of receiving your sample
  • Includes a guide on how to interpret your 5Strands results
  • Provides actionable steps with your report

3. EverlyWell - Heavy Metals Test

The Five Best Heavy Metal Tests You Can Take at Home 17

The popular at-home health testing company, EverlyWell, has one of the more reliable heavy metals tests on the market.

Using a urine sample, EverlyWell can alert you to the presence of six commonly found environmental metals within your body. 

These heavy metals could be found in many of the places you regularly visit, such as your job, home, or the places you shop.

The Heavy Metals Test will screen for four hazardous metals: arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and bromine. It also tests your levels of two essential trace minerals, selenium and iodine.

Additionally, your urinary creatinine levels will be checked.

Key Features:

  • Checks for the presence of hazardous chemicals mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and bromine
  • Tests for ideal levels of the essential trace minerals, selenium and iodine
  • All results are approved and reviewed by a physician from your state
  • Analyzed by a CLIA-certified lab
  • Includes actionable report that you can discuss with your primary care provider

4. ZRT Laboratory - Heavy Metals & Essential Elements

ZRT Heavy Metals & Essentials Elements

ZRT Laboratory offers a heavy metals blood test ideal if you’re experiencing any heavy metal toxicity symptoms from recent exposure.

Their test results include a heavy metal panel that tells you how high your selenium, copper, cadmium, lead, zinc, magnesium, and mercury levels are. 

While you’re supposed to have some zinc, copper, and selenium in your system, having high concentrations of these metals is potentially toxic. Meanwhile, any level of cadmium, arsenic, lead, and mercury exposure is toxic.

Exposure can lead to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. In children, behavioral and developmental problems may ensue.

Chronic exposure to these metals can lead to dangerous conditions, such as lead poisoning and arsenic poisoning.

Key Features:

  • Heavy metal panel includes levels of various metals present in the body
  • Finger lancet for submitting a blood sample
  • No shipping or lab fees
  • Test results come out in five to seven business days

5. Doctor's Data - Essential Elements and Heavy Metals Toxicity Test

The Five Best Heavy Metal Tests You Can Take at Home 18

Doctor Data’s heavy metals toxicity test will check your body for chronic exposure to toxic elements like arsenic, lead, mercury, and other toxins by using a strand of your hair.

The test can detect exposure to 31 different toxins, from recent exposures to up to six months before.

The kit comes with everything you need to collect and return your sample, including a prepaid return envelope.

Your test results will let you know how much of these toxins and minerals are present in your sample on a gram or microgram level.

Key Features:

  • Test for 17 different heavy metals and toxins
  • Checks for 22 essential minerals
  • CLIA Accredited Lab test
  • Pain-free test using strands of hair
  • Results available in seven to ten business days

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Choosing the Best Heavy Metal Test for Your Needs

The best kit is the one that provides information that is most useful to you. To narrow down your choices, there are four things you need to consider:

1. Type of Test Performed

The heavy metal tests covered on our list do one of two things: they either check your samples for the potential presence of toxins or assess your risk for metal poisoning.

You should take a test that measures the heavy metals in your body if you think you’re constantly exposed to these toxins.

But if you are simply curious about your risk for heavy metals poisoning and other health imbalances, you can take a test that determines your risk, like the 5Strands Comprehensive Test.

2. Heavy Metals Tested

Most of the tests we featured check for toxic metals harmful to your health, such as arsenic poisoning, lead exposure, and mercury poisoning.

Others test for nutritional metals, which are naturally good for you but can be toxic in excess amounts.

You should pick a test that checks for toxic elements you’re most likely exposed to and/or nutritional metals you may be deficient in.

This depends on your risk factors, such as diet, lifestyle, and environment. Here are some possible scenarios:

  • U.S. homes built before 1978 put you at risk for lead poisoning since they used lead-based paints.2 If you happen to live in one, you’ll need a kit that offers lead testing like the Doctor’s Data Heavy Metals Toxicity Test.
  • Vegans are prone to zinc deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, and other nutritional imbalances.3 ZRT Lab’s Heavy Metals Test provides results that may help your doctor assess for these conditions.

3. Nutritional Imbalances

Kits like the EverlyWell Heavy Metal Test do more than test for human exposure to toxic metals. They can also check for imbalances in vitamins and/or minerals.

If you think you have nutrient deficiencies or an excess of certain nutrients, these tests may help you identify other possible causes of your imbalance. 

4. Actionable Reports

Heavy metal tests that offer guidance on your next steps are a huge plus. They enable you to take necessary actions and explore ways to improve your health.

The LetsGetChecked Micronutrient Test is our top pick because it includes professional guidance from a medical expert.

What if My Heavy Metal Levels Are Too High?

If your levels for certain metals are too high, one of the most important things you can do is determine their possible sources.

List down the items or environments you are frequently exposed to. Alternatively, you can ask your doctor to help you identify risk factors, such as:

  • Foods you regularly eat
  • Household items you often use
  • Any places you frequent
  • Your living environment
  • Where you work

In most cases, eliminating factors that expose you to a potentially toxic metal is enough to restore your health and prevent the development of severe health problems.

But if you have severe and life-threatening symptoms like difficulty breathing and an irregular heartbeat, you should seek immediate medical attention.

Your doctor may prescribe chelation therapy and give you medications that bind with heavy metals in the body so they can be flushed out of your system.

Additional treatments may also be given to relieve your symptoms.

Should You Take a Heavy Metals Test?

Here are five scenarios where you may want to consider heavy metal testing:

1. You’re Always Exposed to Heavy Metals

Some people are more likely to be exposed to heavy metal pollution than others. This includes individuals who:

  • Live in old homes with contaminated building materials
  • Use or manufacture products with heavy metals (e.g., insecticides, herbicides, and wood preservatives)
  • Reside near industries that use or manufacture these products (e.g., farms, vineyards, and glass-making plants)

You should regularly test for heavy metals if you’re frequently exposed to them. This will help you evaluate and monitor your toxicity levels.

2. You Have Symptoms of Toxicity

The signs and symptoms of heavy metal poisoning can vary depending on the type of metals and severity of your exposure.

Consider taking an at-home test if you have signs of mild toxicity. Heavy metal toxicity symptoms include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Dehydration
  • Diarrhea
  • Weakness
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Chills or low body temperature
  • A scratching feeling in the throat
  • Numbness or tingling of hands and feet

People with severe symptoms like anemia, liver damage, kidney damage, and brain damage should visit a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Doctors can perform a more thorough assessment and heavy metal blood tests to properly evaluate your condition.

3. You Eat Plenty of Seafood

Certain heavy metals occur naturally in the environment and may contaminate our food. Examples include arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium.

Studies show that compared to other types of food, seafood usually has higher amounts of toxic elements.4 Heavy metals are more commonly found in:5

  • Shellfish
  • King mackerel
  • Blue eye tuna
  • Shark
  • Swordfish
  • Seaweed

If you follow a pescatarian diet or regularly consume the seafood listed above, you may want to have your heavy metal levels tested.

4. You Have Thyroid Related Health Issues

Mercury, lead, and cadmium poisoning are known to disrupt thyroid function.6 

You should consider getting tested for heavy metals if you show symptoms of thyroid imbalance, such as:

  • Fatigue
  • Hair loss
  • Muscle weakness
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Changes in menstruation
  • Mood swings

5. You’re Pregnant or Want to Start a Family

Exposure to heavy metals can increase your risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, and having a child with a birth defect or developmental problems.7

Pregnant women and women who plan to become pregnant may want to take a test to ensure they don’t have elevated levels of toxic heavy metals.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About At-Home Heavy Metal Testing

We’ll answer some of the most common questions regarding at-home heavy metal tests below:

How do I test for heavy metal toxicity at home?

All of the tests in our list involve the same basic steps. 

First, you order your test and collect a sample when the kit arrives. Next, return your test sample to the company and wait for your results.

Each test may require different types of samples like blood, urine, or hair. Make sure to follow the instructions that came with the kit you ordered.

How much does heavy metal testing cost?

Most at-home heavy metal test kits cost $125 to $200.

Does insurance cover heavy metal testing?

No. Most insurance plans won’t cover at-home heavy metal tests.

Does Medicare cover heavy metal testing? 

Medicare will not cover most at-home heavy metal tests.

How We Picked The Best At-Home Heavy Metal Tests

We value finding the best options for our readers, so we looked into the following criteria to determine the best at-home heavy metal tests:

  • Brand reputation – what people say about the companies
  • Ease of use – the convenience of sample collection and test process
  • Accuracy – whether or not it provides reliable results
  • Customer reviews – feedback from people who took the test
  • Value for money – if the health reports are worth the cost

Keep in mind that there's no one-size-fits-all heavy metals test. You need to evaluate them based on your needs and symptoms, if there are any.

Many of the tests we explored do overlap, so it's up to you to determine which one is the best fit.

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Updated on June 5, 2023
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7 sources cited
Updated on June 5, 2023
  1. Heavy metals and living systems: An overview.” Indian Journal of Pharmacology, National Center for Biotechnology Information.

  2. Protect Your Family from Sources of Lead.” United States Environmental Protection Agency.  

  3. Nutritional Status and the Influence of the Vegan Diet on the Gut Microbiota and Human Health.” Medicina, National Center for Biotechnology Information.

  4. Heavy Metals and PAHs in Meat, Milk, and Seafood From Augusta Area (Southern Italy): Contamination Levels, Dietary Intake, and Human Exposure Assessment.” Frontiers in Public Health.

  5. Heavy Metals in Seafood.” Singapore Food Agency.

  6. Thyroid hormones in relation to toxic metal exposure in pregnancy, and potential interactions with iodine and selenium.” Environment International, PubMed.

  7. Lead & Other Heavy Metals – Reproductive Health.” The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Dhingra
Dr. Harshi Dhingra
Medical Reviewer
Dr Harshi Dhingra is a licensed medical doctor with a specialization in Pathology. Dr. Dhingra has of over a decade in diagnostic, clinical, research and teaching work, including managing all sections of Pathology laboratory including histopathology, cytology, hematology and clinical Pathology.
Cristine Santander
Cristine Santander
Content Contributor
Cristine Santander is a content writer for KnowYourDNA. She has a B.S. in Psychology and enjoys writing about health and wellness.
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