I drank a litre of tea contaminated with metal from my decayed saucepan used to make the tea. What shld I do?


Question:
I knew it when I made tea the second time. There is black small particles moving on the bottom of the saucepan. And I just realized that the tea I drank is darker in color compared to usual color.

Answers:
1) Throw out tea and saucepan
2) Take vitamin C with lots of water, IF you suspect you drank enough to make a difference.

Saucepans can have different contaminants. I would be mostly concerned if the saucepan were aluminum, as aluminum is a neurotoxin. Aluminum can turn dark if an acid has been in contact with it. Some teas can have acids in them, especially the hebals that have citrus in them. If the pan is stainless or teflon coated, it's probably no big deal. Other contaminants could be if the saucepan had something in it before that had burned and left a burnt residue inside the pan. Some water supply systems leave metal deposits in anything that comes in contact with it over a long time. That's more likely to be "lime" (or calcium) deposits. Some systems leave iron deposits. Lime deposits can be white to light brown. Iron deposits are usually rust in color. Either of these can flake off into a container that has prolonged contact. You'll see it in automatic coffee makers and tea kettles that are continally used without being frequently scrubbed clean. If iron is the culprit, look in the back of your toilet. It will be red that doesn't wash off easily. (There is a water-borne organism that cn turn water red, but it comes off with just a swipe of your finger.) Calcium and iron aren't usually seen as toxins. (Iron may be toxic to males, if exposure is prolonged and heavy).

The vitamin C would take care of a mild case of exposure to either iron or aluminum, as vitamin C is a mild chelator. It would help to pull out any toxic metals and excrete them through the kidneys. But drink plenty of water. At least 2 cups water per gram of vitamin C.

Your body normally handles lots of toxins without you even being aware. We have daily exposures to numerous toxins. If you only drank this tea made in this saucepan for a couple of days, it's probably no big deal and your body will clear it out, naturally, over time. Prolonged exposure is more worrisome. One sign of metal toxicity is a metalic taste in your mouth.

If you're very concerned, call the poison control center for your area. Be prepared to give them as much information over the phone as you can. They may suggest you pee in a cup or give them a blood sample. Plus the pan and the tea.
Throw out the saucepan!!!


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