Heavy Metal Blood Test
Reviewed
A heavy metal blood test is a group of tests that measures the levels of possibly harmful metals (like lead or mercury) in your blood. It is used to find out if you have been exposed to certain metals, and how much of the metal is in your system.
Preparation and collection
Some fish and shellfish contain high levels of mercury, so you should avoid eating seafood for 48 hours before your test.
Understanding this test
Use the reference interval and units printed by the laboratory that performed the test. A result outside that interval is not a diagnosis by itself, and a result inside it does not rule out every condition. Your symptoms, history, medicines, timing, and related tests can change what the result means.
- Some heavy metals leave your bloodstream quickly and are stored in your tissues. So, if you have symptoms, your provider will likely order more tests to check for heavy metals in samples of your urine, hair, skin, or fingernail clipping.
- Higher than normal levels of a heavy metal in your blood may mean that you have heavy metal poisoning, but not always.
What to do next
Talk with your provider to learn what your results mean.