Elevated blood mercury levels found in those who eat more fish

What do fish, fluorescent light bulbs and coal-fired power plants have in common? The answer is mercury – the toxic heavy metal that’s been linked to neurological and developmental disorders in children, and cardiovascular disease, neurological and other problems in adults.

Consumer Reports has long analyzed mercury levels in fish to provide consumers with the best advice for avoiding  species of fish with  high levels of the heavy metal. A new study of mercury exposure in New York City  confirms the importance of making wise choices.

The New York City Health Department recently analyzed blood samples for mercury and other heavy metals and found significantly higher levels in people who ate more fish. Levels were also notably higher among wealthy New Yorkers, presumably those who eat more expensive fish such as that found in sushi.

A non-profit environmental group known as the Turtle Island Restoration Network, also analyzed samples of tuna purchased from New York City sushi restaurants, finding nearly half of the 13 samples analyzed contained levels of mercury that exceeded the levels that the FDA considers safe for some women and young children. Some samples even exceeded 1.0 ppm, the level that FDA considers unsafe for human consumption.

Fish is an important part of a healthy diet, but studies suggest that frequently eating species with high mercury levels may interfere with the health benefits that the omega fatty acids found in fish would otherwise provide. Avoiding high mercury fish is especially important for pregnant and breastfeeding women, those who may become pregnant and young children.

When we look at how mercury gets into fish in the first place, we find that protecting the safety of our fish supply depends on manufacturers and consumers making wise decisions about other products as well, not just which fish to eat. Mercury doesn’t just float into the fish supply by itself. It gets there in large measure from manufacturing processes and from use and disposal practices that have pumped mercury into the air and water for centuries.

Mercury has been used in a wide range of products including dental fillings, electrical switches, thermometers and batteries. Mining metals and the burning of fossil fuels, primarily coal, are among the greatest causes of mercury releases in the environment. Disposal of mercury-bearing consumer products also releases a substantial amount of mercury. While there’s little that can be done to clear the oceans and fish stocks of mercury that’s already out there, cutting back on energy consumption, finding alternative energy sources, and getting mercury out of consumer products are all important ways to help keep the problem from getting much worse.

Ironically, careful use of a modern product that contains trace amounts of mercury, the compact fluorescent bulb, is one strategy for achieving net reductions in environmental mercury releases. As our recent story on compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) explains, the trace amount of mercury present in these long-lasting energy-saving bulbs is an unfortunate but worthwhile trade-off to cut energy use that contributes to the much larger amounts of environmental mercury that come from coal-fired power plants.

Because health officials have not been able to identify a level of mercury exposure that’s safe, it’s especially important to keep as much mercury out of the environment as possible and to lower your own exposure to mercury. That means limiting or eliminating your intake of high mercury fish species, reducing energy consumption and avoiding or carefully managing mercury-bearing products as they are used and discarded. For CFLs, that means careful clean-up if they break and recycling them when they reach the end of their useful life. Sylvania, for example, sells a mail-back recycling package.

Comments

[Michael Zimmerman]

There is a saying, "Caveat Emptor" meaning let the buyer beware that has been referenced throughout time with consumer goods and service purchases. I think it's equally imperative to also mention that the fish and seafood consumer should beware too of the seafood sources they are eating from. It has been scientifically proven that the excessive mercury, lead, cadmium and other heavy metals levels in fish are not only unhealthy, but also bring life-altering symptoms which many might not be familiar with.

My case in point: I consumed over four fish and seafood meals per week since 1997 in an attempt to become health conscious and by August of 2006 was diagnosed with severely high levels of mercury and additional heavy metals in my bloodstream. I went through extensive medical lab tests for my doctor to determine that the heavy metals were the root of my sudden mental, physical and emotional difficulties beginning to take my life prisoner at 39 years old.

Around late 2003, I first noticed subtle symptoms which became more pronounced. I immediately began embarking on a myriad of approaches such as brain scans and an MRI to determine what was happening with me. I gradually over the next several years went from someone who was highly energetic and motivated; a person who was engaged in a fast-paced sales career with a top broadcast media company to someone who was unable to function with any consistency because of experiencing extreme phobia sensations along with anxiety, depression and chronic fatigue.

The threats of acquiring methylmercury and other heavy metals poisoning are for real and my unfortunate experience proves this. Further, my quest for diagnosis and treatment has taken me down many different time and financial resource consuming roads. Thankfully though, I am getting on the recovery track with major treatment and noticeable healing progress with my attending doctor. Sadly though, the damage has been done with a lost career that has to be re-established as I regain my strength and a failed first marriage due mostly to my personal struggles with these symptoms.

Now, I urge everyone I come in contact with to learn from my challenging experience and watch closely how your body reacts to fish and seafood consumption. I wish I had paid more attention to my body’s condition and signals instead of believing the misinformed and incorrect fish and seafood safety claims that “the health benefits of fish far outweigh the concerns about mercury.” Absolutely an outright lie!

Best way to protect oneself that is strongly recommended by doctors and health advocates and the only method I follow for consumption of fish: eat only lab-tested fish for mercury, heavy metals and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) which are man-made chemical pollutants produced between the 1930s and the 1970s for a variety of industrial purposes.

It's discouraging that we must be so personally diligent to protect ourselves in this modern-day society from the dangers of many routine and commonly done things due to lax enforcement of government agencies on the significant water and land pollution that is destroying the security and peace of mind of our fish and seafood sources.

[carole vandam]

What fish are high in mercury and which ones are low?

[Linda]

what is the best source for a CURRENT table of mercury content in specific types fish to help us make better choices

[Melissa]

Excellent recommendations. People should be aware of both the risks and benefits of seafood. The decision of what fish to eat can be a challenge and often contradictory. At the very least, people should know that FDA and EPA have issued advisories about mercury contamination in commonly-sold fish. The problem is, this information is hard to find and is not usually available where it is most necessary: your supermarket.

Oceana, a conservation group focused on mercury is trying to get major grocery companies to post this government advice at their seafood counters. Thanks, in part to their work, Whole Foods, Safeway stores, and Wild Oats voluntarily agreed to post the FDA’s recommendations and they have had positive responses from customers and no loss in seafood sales. But other companies like Wal-Mart, Costco, and Giant have refused to do so. Oceana has a list of which companies care about their customers’ health enough to post this advice, as well as a list of companies that don’t. You can get the Green List and Red List at their website. http://www.oceana.org/greenlist

[Lee A Brown]

Mercury in fish is well known but I haven't seen any program investigats the mercury found in vaccines. they don't know this because it is in the preservative ingredient called Thimerosal.
Google "mercury in vaccines"