One animal study revealed that exposure to even low doses of methylmercury during the first 10 days of conception impaired brain function in adult mice ( 26).Īnother study indicated that children exposed to mercury while in the womb struggled with attention, memory, language, and motor function ( 27, 28).Īdditionally, some studies suggest that certain ethnic groups - including Native Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders - have a greater risk of mercury exposure due to diets traditionally high in fish ( 29). Therefore, certain people should take extra care.Īt-risk populations include women who are or may become pregnant, breastfeeding mothers, and young children.įetuses and children are more vulnerable to mercury toxicity, and mercury can easily be passed to a pregnant mother’s fetus or a breastfeeding mother’s infant. Mercury in fish does not affect everyone in the same way. However, the health benefits of eating fish may outweigh these risks as long as you limit your intake of high-mercury fish. Higher levels of mercury can harm brain function and heart health. Nevertheless, the nutritional benefits of fish likely outweigh the risks from mercury exposure - as long as you moderate your consumption of high-mercury fish ( 25). One study in 1,800 men found that those with the highest levels of mercury were twice as likely to die from heart-related problems than men with lower levels ( 24). However, more studies are needed to confirm this link.Īdditionally, mercury exposure is tied to high blood pressure, an increased risk of heart attacks, and higher “bad” LDL cholesterol ( 19, 20, 21, 22, 23). Recent studies also link exposure to heavy metals - such as mercury - to conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, autism, depression, and anxiety ( 18). In both humans and animals, higher levels of mercury are associated with brain problems.Ī study in 129 Brazilian adults found that higher levels of mercury in hair were associated with a decrease in fine motor skills, dexterity, memory, and attention ( 17). SUMMARYĮating a lot of fish - especially larger species - is linked to higher levels of mercury in the body.Įxposure to mercury can cause serious health problems ( 16). What’s more, many studies have determined that people who regularly eat larger fish - such as pike and perch - have higher levels of mercury ( 14, 15). A whopping 89% had levels higher than the maximum limit ( 13).Īdditionally, the study noted that higher fish intake was linked to higher mercury levels. study in 89 people found that mercury levels ranged from 2.0–89.5 mcg per liter, on average. government agencies recommend keeping your blood mercury levels below 5.0 mcg per liter ( 12). This process is called biomagnification ( 11). In fact, larger, predatory fish may contain mercury concentrations up to 10 times higher than the fish they consume. Larger, predatory fish then accumulate higher levels from eating smaller fish ( 9, 10). Fish then eat the algae, absorbing and retaining its mercury. However, sea plants like algae absorb it. Interestingly, seawater contains only small concentrations of methylmercury. Exposure - even in small amounts - can cause serious health problems ( 7, 8). Larger and longer-lived fish usually contain higher levels.Įating fish and shellfish is a major source of mercury exposure in humans and animals. Here are the average levels in different types of fish and seafood, from highest to lowest ( 5):ĭifferent types of fish and other seafood contain varying amounts of mercury. Mercury levels in fish are measured as parts per million (ppm). This process is known as bioaccumulation ( 6). As it’s not easily excreted from their bodies, levels accumulate over time. Larger fish tend to eat many smaller fish, which contain small amounts of mercury. These include shark, swordfish, fresh tuna, marlin, king mackerel, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, and northern pike ( 5). Overall, larger and longer-lived fish tend to contain the most mercury ( 4). One study from 1998 to 2005 found that 27% of fish from 291 streams around the United States contained more than the recommended limit ( 2).Īnother study discovered that one-third of fish caught on the New Jersey shore had mercury levels higher than 0.5 parts per million (ppm) - a level that could cause health problems for people who eat this fish regularly ( 3). The amount of mercury in fish and other seafood depends on the species and the levels of pollution in its environment.
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