According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, almost all of us have at least some amount of methylmercury—the form of mercury we tend to encounter most—in our bodies due to its prevalence in the environment. . However, most of these levels are too low to cause any health problems.
Awadhesh Jha, a toxicologist at the University of Plymouth, said that while some of these problems could be caused by residing near power stations, coal combustion releases a range of harmful pollutants including mercury, humans tend to absorb this chemical through eating fish. “A lot of industry is located near the coast and most pollutants, including mercury, are released into the aquatic environment,” he said. “So fish accumulate more of them.”
Although little is known about the number of cases of mercury poisoning in the United States each year, studies have shown that excessive mercury exposure can cause neurodevelopmental problems in children and adolescents. puts adults at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. In various national surveys across the United States, people with incomes less than $20,000 per year, low levels of education, and those who consume fish more than three times a week were found to be at risk of exposure. with the most mercury.
The risk is highest when consuming larger fish because they accumulate higher concentrations of mercury in the body over time through eating smaller species, Jha said. Because of this, both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration advise pregnant women to avoid eating shark, swordfish, mackerel, or tilefish because they may contain higher amounts of mercury, can affect the brain development of the fetus. .
For the rest of us, Jha says he recommends limiting yourself to no more than 170 grams per week of fish like tuna or mackerel—about a can of tuna—and generally no more than 350 grams per week. week for any fish or shellfish. Exceeding these limits occasionally will likely have little impact, but doing so on a weekly basis increases the risk of having higher mercury levels in the body.
This issue remains controversial among scientists, as eating more fish also has health benefits such as increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which protect against cardiovascular disease.
“Ultimately, it depends on the individual and how well they metabolize toxic substances,” Jha says. “It is the genetic makeup of individuals that determines the toxicity of chemicals including mercury.”
Research has shown previously that mercury can affect the body in a variety of ways, possibly affecting immune function. Common signs of mercury poisoning are joint and muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, insomnia and excessive sweating.
Anyone with mercury poisoning can be treated with drugs called chelators, which help remove mercury from the blood and keep it from the brain and kidneys, but it is a time-consuming process that can It takes weeks or months before symptoms improve.
“It will gradually break down, then be metabolized and excreted, but it still depends on whether the mercury is bound by certain proteins and other molecules in the body,” Jha said. “If that is the case, it may take longer to clear from the body.”
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