Abstract
This article provides a comprehensive analysis based on scientific research, experimental models, and clinical observations of the impact of heavy metals distributed in the environment of industrialized societies on the human body, particularly on the thymus — the central organ of the immune system. According to the research results, chromium, mercury, arsenic, nikel, and other heavy metals cause oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and epigenetic changes in cells.Moreover, gene regulation disorders, signal transduction disruption, and cellular mechanism dysfunction lead to immunosuppression, decreased protection against infections, and the development of autoimmune conditions.