Complex Chronic Disease · Heavy Metal Toxicity Treatment
Real Solutions for Heavy Metal Toxicity
Get relief from heavy metal exposure by working with an expert who treats the cause — without risky, unproven IV chelation.
“Low-level lead exposure is linked to more U.S. deaths than smoking.”
I’ve developed a safe, evidence-based protocol using researched supplements — not expensive IV chelation — and refined it over more than a decade in my clinic.
Joseph Mather MD, MPH
Board-Certified Family Medicine
- ✓Over a decade of experience treating heavy metal toxicity with a functional approach
- ✓World class medicine — works with patients across the globe
- ✓Created the ProBind protocol, a safe, evidence-based alternative to IV chelation
- ✓Educator and mentor offering CME education for physicians
Functional Medicine Expert — Treats the Cause of Disease
Board-Certified American Board of Family Medicine
Tulane School of Medicine & Tulane University School of Public Health
Watch: Heavy Metal Toxicity — How I Treat It Without IV Chelation
We’re living in an increasingly toxic world, and heavy metals are linked to heart disease, increased mortality, autoimmune disease, and chronic fatigue. In this lecture, I explain why IV chelation isn’t the answer — it’s expensive, unproven, and risky — and walk through the safe, evidence-based protocol I’ve developed and used in my clinic for over a decade, including real case studies of lead, thallium, and palladium toxicity resolved without it.
Does this sound like you?
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Unexplained fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
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High blood pressure your doctor can’t fully explain
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Hair loss, skin issues, or hives with no clear cause
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A history of exposure — old plumbing, imported spices, vaping, or a hobby like fishing or jewelry-making
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Autoimmune-type symptoms that haven’t responded to treatment
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You eat a “clean” diet but still don’t feel well
What is Heavy Metal Toxicity?
Heavy metal toxicity happens when metals like lead, mercury, arsenic, or thallium build up in the body faster than it can clear them — often from sources most people never suspect. Contaminated soil, imported spices and herbs, vaping, cheap coffee pods, and even “health foods” like kale and plant-based protein powders can be hidden sources of exposure.
The evidence on low-level exposure has shifted dramatically. A 2018 study following roughly 18,000 U.S. adults for two decades found that deaths attributable to lead exposure were comparable to deaths from smoking — even at levels once considered safe. There is no truly safe threshold, which is why I screen for heavy metals as a routine part of my practice.
How my medical office is different
Three ways I’ve built this practice differently than a typical doctor’s office — or a typical functional medicine office.
01
Time to listen, think, and research
I run an independent private practice, free of hospital and insurance demands, so that I have the time to listen, think, and research your case properly.
I take a lot of pride in the fact that I am one of the few doctors who has been able to build my knowledge and skills day after day to make sure you get the best care possible.
My goal is for you to leave my office thinking:
“That was the best doctor’s visit I ever had.”
02
Treating the cause — without overdoing it
I treat the cause of your symptoms with natural and conventional medicine. But unlike other functional medicine offices, I don’t require thousands of dollars of labs or ask you to take hundreds of pills to get better. My goal is to get you well as quickly as possible — with the fewest supplements, the broadest diet that keeps you healthy, and a treatment plan that’s practical and down to earth.
03
Functional medicine you can afford
Paying out of pocket for medical care can be daunting. Because I want to help as many patients as possible, I’ve done all that I can to make care affordable:
- ✓I charge less than other experts in the field, despite getting better outcomes for my patients
- ✓I never profit from any testing I recommend
- ✓30% off supplements from Moss Nutrition
- ✓Discounted wholesale cash lab pricing through Clinical Pathology Labs for New Orleans patients
- ✓No subscriptions or memberships — ever
Real Results From My Clinic
A few of the cases I’ve resolved without IV chelation, using safe, evidence-based detox.
Case
Lead from contaminated garden soil
Levels improved within one week of removing the source — a reminder that finding the exposure is often the single most powerful step.
Case
Thallium-related hair loss & hives
Full recovery within four months using probiotics and binders — no IV chelation required.
Case
A fly fisherman's elevated blood lead
Dropped 50% in three months with probiotics and binders alone, after years of hobby-related exposure.
I’ve also traced and successfully treated palladium exposure from something as unexpected as a white gold ring. Hidden sources are more common than most people realize — finding yours is part of the work we do together.
My approach to treating Heavy Metal Toxicity
The protocol I’ve developed and refined over a decade of clinical use — safe, researched, and used without IV chelation.
1
Get an accurate diagnosis — the right way
I test with blood plus a first-morning urine sample, then compare your results against population data (NHANES) for meaningful interpretation. I don’t use “provoked” testing with chelating agents like DMSA or EDTA — it’s scientifically unreliable, lacks normal reference ranges, and often leads to unnecessary IV chelation recommendations. I generally consider treatment starting around 1.2 µg/dL blood lead and recommend it above 2.0 µg/dL, though zero is the ideal.
2
Remove the source
Hidden exposures are more common than people expect — vaping, cheap coffee pods, imported herbs, dark chocolate, contaminated soil, and even “healthy” choices like kale and plant-based protein powders can carry significant contamination. Finding and removing your specific source is often the single most powerful step.
3
Fix the lifestyle fundamentals
Sleep enables the brain’s glymphatic detoxification, regular bowel movements prevent metals from recirculating, and sauna use promotes clearance. I also simplify unnecessary supplements and medications that can add to your overall burden.
4
Core protocol: probiotics and binders — not IV chelation
My protocol uses twice-daily targeted probiotics plus an oral binder over 90 days. Certain probiotic strains bind directly to metals and disrupt enterohepatic recirculation, allowing them to exit through the stool instead of being reabsorbed. I prioritize binders with real human trial support, like charcoal and chlorella, over ones like zeolite or humic acid that only have test-tube evidence — a distinction I built into my ProBind formula.
The science behind a natural approach to Heavy Metal Toxicity
A few of the published studies behind this approach.
Further Reading & More From My Channel
Two articles that go deeper on the evidence behind this approach, plus more lectures and patient stories.
Toxic: Heal Your Bodyby Neil Nathan, MD — foreword by Dr. Joe Mather
I’m proud to have authored the foreword to Dr. Nathan’s updated book, Toxic. This is the book I recommend to patients who’ve been told there’s nothing more anyone can do for them, or who feel completely lost. It covers the same ground Dr. Nathan and I walk through in our roundtable conversation, in far more depth: mold, Lyme and its co-infections, heavy metals, mast cell activation, and the environmental exposures most doctors never think to test for.
Patient Success, Interviews, Lectures & More
What patients say
The cases above are a few examples — but they’re far from the only patients who’ve found real, lasting relief from heavy metal toxicity without IV chelation. Read more real patient stories and reviews on the testimonials page.
What a visit costs
I run an independent, cash-pay practice — no insurance billing, no pressure to fit your visit into a 10-minute slot. You can request reimbursement from your insurer using a superbill I provide after each visit.
Initial Visit
$700
45 minutes
Focused on your history, exposure sources, and a plan for what to test and treat first.
Extended Initial
$950
2 hours
Ideal if you’re traveling to establish care, have a complex history, or want more time to go deep.
Follow-Up
$350
45 minutes
Most patients follow up every 4 weeks as we work through each part of the plan.
Not sure if I'm a fit?
Book a free 15-minute discovery call to ask questions before you commit to a visit.
Heavy metal toxicity questions, answered
Do you offer IV chelation?
No. I don't offer IV chelation — the evidence for it is weak, it's expensive, and it carries real risks. My protocol uses safe, researched oral supplements instead.
How do you test for heavy metals?
I use blood testing paired with a first-morning urine sample, then compare your results against population data (NHANES) for meaningful interpretation — not "provoked" testing with chelating agents, which lacks reliable reference ranges.
What blood lead level requires treatment?
I generally consider treatment starting around 1.2 µg/dL and recommend it above 2.0 µg/dL — though zero is the ideal, and the safe threshold keeps shifting downward as more research comes out.
How long does treatment take?
Most patients follow a 90-day core protocol of probiotics and an oral binder, though the right timeline depends on your exposure history and how your levels respond.
What if I can't find the source of my exposure?
Hidden sources are common — from contaminated soil to "healthy" foods like kale and plant protein powders to jewelry containing palladium. Finding the source is part of the work we do together.
Do you accept insurance?
I don't bill insurance directly, but I provide a superbill after each visit that you can submit for out-of-network reimbursement. Working this way gives me the time and freedom to treat you as an individual, not a diagnosis code.
Have a broader question about my practice? Visit the full FAQ page.
Ready to find out what's driving your symptoms — without risky chelation?
Let’s Get Started
A doctor who cares about science
Working as an independent physician gives me time to study and keep learning new ways to help my patients. I’m proud to have contributed to our understanding of the gut–thyroid axis in a paper published in 2022.
I graduated from Tulane University School of Medicine and School of Public Health in 2011 and completed my Family Practice training in 2014. I treat many conditions, with particular expertise in GI health and mold and heavy-metal toxicity. When I’m not with patients, you’ll find me playing with my three kids, exercising, meditating, or playing the drums.
