What is the difference between heavy metals and essential metals? I'm so confused so please help

Answer 1

Often they are used interchangeably and that may have led to your confusion. GENERALLY, and I don't know that I've seen this in print anywhere, we think of heavy metals as those like Pb, Tl, Hg, etc that are toxic. Essential metals are the trace metals (Cu, Co, Cr, Se, and others) that are needed by the body for functioning properly. Essential metals are used by the body to form vitamins and for use in enzymes and they are in the body in only trace amounts. Se is toxic but trace amounts are essential.