Urine · 2 analyses
Arsenic
Measures the total amount of arsenic in your urine, as a measure of exposure over the past few days. For anyone exposed through work or a private well.
€ 78,00
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Metals, toxins and medication · Urine
Arsenic (urine)
Arsenic in urine shows how much arsenic you have taken in over the past few days; fish and shellfish strongly raise the result.
At a glance
- Measured in urine
- In 2 test panels
- Check the preparation
Explanation
Arsenic (urine): what is measured?
The analysis measures the total amount of arsenic that leaves the body in the urine. Arsenic is a metalloid that occurs naturally in soil and groundwater and enters the body through food, especially rice, fish and shellfish. The body excretes arsenic in the urine within a few days, so the result mainly says something about the last few days. The laboratory measures the total and does not distinguish between the harmless organic form from fish and the harmful inorganic form.
What can it detect?
- Recent exposure to arsenic, usually through food
- Exposure through work or through drinking water from a private well in areas where groundwater naturally contains a lot of arsenic
Result
What does the result mean?
Arsenic (urine) too high
A raised value is usually because you ate fish, shellfish or seaweed in the days before collecting the urine. These contain organic arsenic (mainly arsenobetaine), which the body excretes unchanged and which is not harmful; after a fish meal the total value can rise sharply. Because the laboratory measures the total, a raised value usually cannot be interpreted without distinguishing between the forms. Symptoms that can go with genuine arsenic poisoning are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tingling in the hands and feet, and skin changes.
Arsenic (urine) too low
A low or unmeasurable value is normal. The body does not need arsenic, so a low result is not a deficiency. Because arsenic is excreted within a few days, a low value does not rule out exposure weeks or months ago.
After an abnormal result
With a raised result, the GP first asks about fish, shellfish and seaweed in the days before and, if needed, has the measurement repeated after 2 to 3 days without these foods. If the value stays raised, a test that distinguishes the forms of arsenic may follow, usually through an internist (specialist in internal medicine) or the occupational physician.
Reliability
How reliable is the test?
Arsenic in urine is the usual test when recent exposure is suspected, but in people without known exposure a single value says little. Without a distinction between organic and inorganic arsenic, a raised total value usually cannot be interpreted; that is why it is important not to eat fish, shellfish or seaweed for a few days before collecting the urine. A single urine sample varies with how much you drink. The result says something about exposure, not about a build-up that you can remove with a course of treatment.
What can affect the result?
- Fish, shellfish and seaweed in the days before collecting the urine strongly raise the total value, without this saying anything about risk.
- The laboratory measures total arsenic and does not distinguish the harmless organic form from the harmful inorganic form.
- A single urine sample depends on fluid intake; drinking a lot dilutes the result.
- Arsenic is excreted within a few days; exposure from longer ago is not visible.
Preparation
- Do not eat fish, shellfish or seaweed for 3 days before collecting the sample. These contain a harmless form of arsenic that raises the result.
Who it is for
Who is the test useful for?
Useful for
Useful with symptoms that suggest arsenic poisoning or with known exposure, for example through work in the metal, glass or ceramics industry or through water from a private well. In people without symptoms and without known exposure, the measurement adds nothing. If you eat a lot of rice or rice products, you can reduce exposure better by varying your diet than by testing.
How common is it?
Arsenic poisoning is rare in the Netherlands. Arsenic occurs naturally in soil and groundwater, with the highest levels in river clay areas, among others. Through food, arsenic mainly enters the body with rice and rice products.
RIVM and Voedingscentrum
Drawbacks and risks
- A raised total value after a fish meal can wrongly be interpreted as poisoning.
- An abnormal result can lead to unnecessary further testing or to treatment courses whose benefit has not been proven.
Get tested
Arsenic (urine): test panels
Arsenic (urine) is part of these test panels. You order online and have your blood drawn at a collection point or collect the sample at home.
Evidence
Sources
This explanation is based on Dutch guidelines and independent information. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
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